The rising popularity of Formula 1 (F1) racing has taken a foothold among Cal High students in recent years as the once niche sport has steadily grown.

Many students said they have become fans of F1 because of friends and the sport’s growing presence on social media.

“I saw an edit [on Instagram in 2023] of the cars going around in a race, and then I decided to look more on the topic,” sophomore Vasinya Rajkumar said.

Similarly, sophomore Pranauv Muthuraman said he feels a connection to the sport because his entire Instagram feed is filled with F1 photos and videos.

“I just like cars in general, so it’s [a] cool sport.” Muthuraman said.

This shift to grow the sport’s fan base was designed by new ownership Liberty Media Corp, which purchased F1 in January 2017 from the Formula One Group. Before Liberty Media took over, the F1 Group was very strict about who could post footage and content about the sport since it began running F1 in 1987.

Now, Liberty Media has expanded F1’s exposure across platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Liberty Media also added to its world-wide calendar several new races, such as the ones in Las Vegas and Miami.

These races are designed as more of an entertainment circuit because the locations are viewed as tourism spots that are not known for motor sport racing.

Since 2023, the F1 season has featured 24 races, the most in the sport’s history. Before Liberty Media Corp purchased F1, there were 20 races, including only one in the United States.

The sport’s growth and social media influence has attracted some Cal students, many of whom want to attend the glitzy races in Las Vegas and Miami rather than Austin, a long-time race that used to be the only US race on the F1 calendar.

“I want to go to the Las Vegas Grand Prix because there’s a lot more to do than just watch the race,” senior Adit Anand said.

Anand has never been to an F1 race before and would like Vegas to be his first one because it’s close proximity.

Muthuraman agreed.

“Miami is special,” Muthuraman said. “It has a different vibe to it.”

Liberty Media also developed a Netflix original documentaries in 2019 called “Drive to Survive”, which focuses on a behind the scenes look at the F1 season. The popular show just finished its seventh season in March.

But some Cal F1 fans believed “Drive to Survive” focused more on drama surrounding the sport than the actual racing.

“It’s just overly dramatic, but it’s fun to watch,” Muthuramam said.

Adding to the popularity of the sport was “F1: The Movie”, which was released in June and starred Brad Pitt in the lead role.

The Apple Studios movie, which brought in more than $625 million worldwide, included a lot of drama and action, both genres that are immensely popular for the younger generation of viewers.
Pitt has even discussed a sequel to the film.

“[The movie] is a good introduction to newer fans,” senior Vidya Vyas said.

Similarly to “Drive to Survive”, some F1 fans believe the movie prioritized drama rather than the true traditional racing nature.

“[The movie] is kind of unrealistic,” Anand said.

Bringing more funding, F1’s increased popularity has created a divide between fans: some believe it should stay low-key while others believe it should push for more growth.

Vyas said she has been watching F1 for two years now and really enjoys the sport because she finds it unique.

“It’s a good thing people are getting into it, but I feel like some popularity isn’t related to the sport, like influencers getting into it for the money,” Vyas said.

But Rajkumar believes that it is a good the sport is growing in popularity.

“[F1 being popular] is how I found out about it, so it’s good,” Rajkumar said.

The immense popularity of F1 is no accident but rather a designed strategic move by Liberty Media to expand the sport to a wider audience, including younger fans like Cal students, according to a CNBC article published.

The article stated that Liberty Media used digital marketing to influence celebrities to attend races that helped transform the sport’s image so it appeals to more people.

This also worked well with “Drive to Survive” and “F1: The Movie”, Ultimately, the most significant result of F1’s surging popularity is its role in uniting people together under a common passion.

Sophomore Aiko Yao has connected with his mom since he started watching F1 races in 2023.

“My mom actually watched F1 when she was in high school,” Yao said, “ so I’ve been able to connect with her about the sport.”