F1’s official YouTube channel reaches new milestone, crosses four billion total views 

F1's official YouTube channel has reportedly crossed four billion total views. Created in 2005, the channel serves as the official source for Grand Prix highlights and other content related to the sport.

According to social media analytics website Social Blade, the official YouTube channel for the sport has surpassed a staggering four billion views across all videos. It is the most subscribed motorsports channel on the platform by quite a margin, with 6.89 million subscribers at the time of writing. For comparison, the next most subscribed motorsport channel is the MotoGP channel with 4.6 million subscribers. As the list continues, the subscriber count drops off fast. NASCAR is in third place with only 798,000 subscribers, a mere fraction of F1's total count.

Looking at the channel's statistics from the end of the 2020 season in December, it has become very clear that the sport has grown immensely. With Netflix's Drive to Survive creating a surge in popularity, it is no wonder the numbers reflect what they do. On 20th December, 2020, the channel had 4.76 million subscribers, a little over two million less than today.

Furthermore, the channel now has almost double the number of total views when compared to the same date. For example, the video of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's Abu Dhabi battle has gained over 15 million views on the channel since December 2021.

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F1 experienced a surge in viewership in 2021

The 2021 F1 season was perhaps the most closely raced season in decades. With the title fight coming down to the final lap of the final race, the 2021 season felt straight out of a movie.

Considering the intensity of the battle, it was no surprise that the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw a 97% increase in viewership compared to 2020. As per Auto Motor und Sport, the sport drew a 13% increase in TV viewership this season alone.

Ever since Liberty Media took over the sport's commercial rights in 2017, the sport has witnessed larger fan engagement through quirky social media posts and videos. This marketing strategy has helped the sport bring in younger fans, boosting its popularity on social media.

Netflix's wildly popular docu-series Drive to Survive is yet another reason for the sport's increasing popularity. Fans have been given an inside look into the otherwise-private lives of their favorite driving gods. The show has brought in new viewers, who previously had no idea what goes on inside the crazy, hectic world of F1.

Only time will tell whether the 2022 season manages to break further viewership records. Considering the current rising popularity of the sport, it seems like the new season will further increase the outreach of F1.