Different research has shown in recent years a rejuvenation of the F1 public. Generation Z young people have been increasingly interested in the main category of motorsport, something seen in tools such as Tiktok, a social video sharing, popular among those born in the late 1990s.
A survey by F1 itself in 2021 showed that the racing audience is becoming younger, with 63% of fans under 34. Female participation also grew significantly, from 10% in 2017 to 18.3% in 2021. 167,302 people were interviewed in 187 countries.
Fans use the networks to follow racing highlights, interact with pilots and access behind -the -scenes clips. This digital engagement, combined with the success of productions such as Netflix’s “F1: Driving for Living”, attracted a record audience of 6.5 million people for events in 2024. In addition, projects like the “Senna” series, also From Netflix, and Hollywood themed movies continue to expand the range of the category and connect it even more to younger generations.
The popularity is attracting new sponsors such as Kit Kat, Lego and Mattel Hot Wheels.
For Renê Salviano, CEO of Heatmap and specialist in sports marketing, the rise of 20 -year -old Gabriel Bortoleto has also been a catalyst for this youthful interest in Brazil. After winning the title of the F2 World Cup, he will be the first Brazilian starter at F1 since 2017, when Felipe Massa left the category.
As a representative of the new generation on the grid, he rekindles the hope of a new era of success to the country in sport. Google Trends data show that the pilot’s name has never been as searched as in 2024.
With almost 1 million followers on Instagram, Bortoleto uses the networks to strengthen ties with his fans. He shares moments of preparation for the races and celebrations of his victories.
For Salviano, F1’s success in generation Z is due to the strategy of exploring behind the scenes and creating immersive experiences on social networks. “This creates an emotional connection with the public. Tiktok is a great driver of this interaction.”
With almost 10 million followers at Tiktok, the F1 profile bets on short videos and trends. This approach has attracted young people such as economics student Murilo Bellini, 23, who uses the platform to create varied content, such as explanations about sports and racing -related memes.
“Thanks to the media and creators of content, such as me and so many others, the public is rediscovering something that the Brazilian has always liked, but with which he has lost contact over time,” said Murilo, who doesn’t care about losing nights sleep to accompany the races.
Fashion designer Anny Wohl, 23, began watching the sport in childhood, influenced by his father, but lost interest with the absence of Brazilian pilots in the category. During the pandemic, motivated by a friend, he rediscovered his passion for the sport.
“On Sundays in the morning, don’t even talk to me or call me anything, because it’s my time to watch F1,” Anny joked. In her videos at Tiktok, she uses trends such as POV (English abbreviation for “point of view”) to represent situations that only fans of the category would understand.
Dentist Malu Koerich, 23, who also watched his childhood races in childhood, during a time marked by mass trajectories and Rubens Barrichello, was another that resumed interest during the pandemia after leaving the sport in adolescence because he thought that he “It wasn’t a girl.”
It mixes content about sports with themes of the female universe, such as fashion and pop culture. “I try to bring some of this because when I started watching F1, I was out of place. It seemed that everyone who produced content about it spoke to another audience, not to me,” said Malu, who has a car tattoo running.
Malu also produces summaries called “recapilling”, in which he explains the events of the tests and debate decisions of the teams. According to the dentist, the messages of girls who claim to be inspired, with the dream of one day being creators of F1 content.
