The 2023 Formula 1 season saw Max Verstappen win 86% of races. This led to a noticeable decline in fan interest, attributed to less competitive racing and a perceived lack of excitement. The 2025 season has flipped the script.

The Drivers Championship is now the closest it’s been at this stage since the iconic 2021 Verstappen-Hamilton showdown – and critically, fans are caring again.

Global Youtube searches for “Formula 1 highlights” are up +55% compared to the same point in the 2023 season. That resurgence maps directly to the title race: the points gap at the top has shrunk from 138 points in 2023, 76 in 2024, and now just 9 in 2025.

Fans gravitate toward jeopardy. Uncertainty isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s the engine (ahem) of value in elite sport.