Alright, let’s talk about this whole F1 versus NASCAR thing. I kept seeing bits and pieces online, people chattering about whether Formula 1 is really starting to push NASCAR out of the top spot, especially here in the US as of 2024. Got me thinking, so I decided to spend some time actually digging into it myself, see what’s what based on what I could find and piece together.
First thing I did was try to get a feel for the eyeballs, you know, the viewership numbers. It wasn’t straightforward, honestly. Found some reports saying F1’s numbers in the States were shooting up, especially after that Netflix show, ‘Drive to Survive’. Seemed like lots of new folks were tuning in. Then I looked at NASCAR’s numbers. They still looked pretty big, definitely huge domestically, but maybe not growing at the same crazy rate? Some reports said stable, some said a slight dip. It was a bit messy, hard to get a clear apples-to-apples picture sometimes with how they measure things.
So, numbers were interesting but not the whole story.
Next, I spent some time just lurking online, checking the pulse on social media. Went over to places like Reddit, looked at the F1 and NASCAR communities there. Scrolled through Twitter during race weekends. What I noticed was the kind of buzz. F1 seemed to have this global, almost trendy feel to it. Lots of talk about the drivers, the drama, the tech. You saw younger people getting really into it. NASCAR’s online crowd felt, well, more traditional, very passionate, deeply rooted in the sport’s history and culture, mostly US-based. Both strong, but F1 felt like it had more explosive growth in general online chatter, especially attracting people who maybe weren’t hardcore racing fans before.
Digging into the ‘Feel’ and the Money
Then I thought, okay, forget the stats for a minute, what’s the actual experience like? I made sure to watch recent races from both.
- F1: Felt very slick, high-tech, international glamour. The cars are like spaceships. The drama often revolves around team strategy, driver rivalries, squeezing out tiny advantages. Very dramatic presentation.
- NASCAR: Felt more raw, more about close-quarters racing, bumps, crashes, and endurance. The sound is just iconic. It feels very American, very connected to its roots.
They’re just different beasts, appealing to maybe slightly different crowds or fulfilling different needs for racing fans. F1 feels like a global spectacle, NASCAR feels like a gritty American tradition.
After that, I tried to follow the money trail a bit. Looked at news about sponsorships, TV deals, where the races are happening. Big headlines about F1 adding races in Miami and Las Vegas, clearly a huge push into the US market. Big companies are throwing money at F1 teams and the sport itself. NASCAR still has its massive broadcast deals and loyal sponsors, no doubt about it, it’s a powerhouse. But F1’s global reach brings in a different kind of huge money, and its focused expansion in the US is impossible to ignore.
Finally, I just talked to people I know. Some buddies are lifelong NASCAR fans, went to races with their dads. Others got hooked on F1 recently. The NASCAR folks are loyal, they love the racing, but some admitted they felt the sport wasn’t attracting younger fans like it used to. The F1 converts were hyped, loved the personalities and the global feel. It seemed to back up what I was seeing elsewhere.
So, my takeaway after poking around? Is F1 “taking over” NASCAR in 2024? I’d say “taking over” is probably too strong. NASCAR is still a giant in American sports culture with a massive, dedicated fanbase. But is F1 experiencing explosive growth, grabbing a ton of attention (and money), and attracting a new, younger, more global audience, especially within the US? Absolutely. F1’s momentum is undeniable right now. It’s definitely challenging NASCAR’s dominance in a way it hasn’t before. It feels less like a takeover and more like the neighborhood just got a flashy new neighbor who’s throwing big parties and everyone’s curious to check them out. NASCAR’s still got the biggest house on the block in the US, but they gotta be looking over the fence now.
