20/12/2019
NEWS STORY
Formula One Management reveals that, based on race promoters data, over 4 million fans attended the 21 races that comprised the 2019 season.
As in 2018, more than four million spectators (4,164,948) attended at least one of the 21 Grands Prix on the 2019 calendar, states the official release, with a +1.75% increase compared to the previous season, despite the Saturday cancellation of the Japanese Grand Prix due to Typhoon Hagibis.
Adding to this total the 80,118 Paddock Club ticket holders (18 Grands Prix - Australia, Singapore, Brazil not included), which were up +7,15% compared to 2018, the average attendance per race was 202,146 (+1.85%).
Three Grands Prix had an attendance of more than 300,000 spectators over the race weekend - Great Britain (351,000), Mexico (345,694) and Australia (324,100) - while a total of eight, more than a third of all events, attracted crowds of over 200,000, including Singapore and USA (268,000 each), Belgium (251,864), Hungary (230,000) and Austria (203,000).
It is also worth noting the 90th edition of Italian Grand Prix registered its highest ever weekend attendance with 200,000 spectators.
The most significant increases compared to the 2018 season were the races hosted in Montreal (+14.69%), Shanghai (+10.34%), Melbourne (+9.86%), Spielberg (+9.73%), Budapest (+9.52%) and Monza (+9.29%).
Though some of the race day attendances have been extrapolated from total weekend attendance figures, Sundays only overall attendance was 1,771,106, up 4% year on year. Five tracks welcomed more than 100,000 spectators on the race day: Silverstone (141,000) once more topped this list, ahead of Mexico City (138,435), Austin (128,000), Singapore (115,240), Spa-Francorchamps (109,064) and Melbourne (102,000). Six races (China, Austria, Belgium, Singapore, Japan and USA) posted a double digit increment over the previous years.
The most significant was the +30% registered at the Shanghai International Circuit on the day Formula 1 celebrated an historical milestone as the 1000th Grand Prix.
"2019 has been another great year for Formula 1," said Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations, Formula 1, "and we are delighted to see that over 4 million fans joined us at our 21 races, beating the attendance figures for last year, including a record breaking Italian Grand Prix weekend attendance with 200,000 spectators.
"Our mission is to unleash the greatest racing spectacle on the planet and give our fans an experience they will never forget. We are therefore delighted to see that, based on research carried out on the ground, those attending events are enjoying their experience over a race weekend and we are determined to ensure they continue to feel that way.
"2019 has been an incredible season and we are already looking forward to next year when Hanoi and Zandvoort will join our 22 race calendar and when Formula 1 celebrates its 70th anniversary."
With a number of events having had their hosting fees slashed, most notably Silverstone and Monza, it will be interesting to see if this is reflected in ticket prices, which would, of course, see even more fans pass through the gates. Though we won't hold our breath.