F1 Esports hits record highs in 2020 as viewing records are smashed

The 2020 F1 Esports Pro Series was the most competitive and hard-fought series yet.

Both the Drivers' and Teams' Championships came down to the last race and the field was tighter than ever before, with a whole new level of pace from familiar and fresh faces.

As a result, the series itself was bigger than ever before.

Record numbers view title-securing race

While the Formula 1 title has rarely come down to the final race in the last few years, few can deny the nail-biting tension of a title-decider.

The F1 Esports decider in Brazil reached a record-smashing 1.7 million social media engagements, marking an all-time high for any F1 Esports Series event.

The 2020 Pro Series achieved 291 million social media impressions, a huge 151% increase over 2019.

The series also saw a 29% increase in video views over the previous year.

Virtual GPs return

2020's chaotic turn opened the door for F1 drivers to deliver their amazing talents in a new form. With the season delayed for months, they took to their at-home sim rigs to race.

The Virtual GPs, which took the place of planned F1 races, reached over 30 million viewers and saw 11 of the 20 F1 drivers race virtually on F1 2019 for the fans.

This year, the Virtual GP returns for three races, and now with a charity prize fund up for grabs!

The teams will rack up points across the three races, with the top team getting the larges slice of the prize fund for their nominated charity.

The Virtual GPs start on 31 January and will continue on 7 & 14 February.

Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports at Formula 1 said:

“It is fantastic to see the F1 Esports Series 2020 break viewing and engagement records after a brilliant championship where we saw competitive racing and high drama at every event.

We had to adapt in the way we operated for this year’s Pro Series due to the pandemic, but we’re thrilled to see that it didn’t affect viewers enjoyment, or consumption, of the action.

2020 was a tough year for everyone, but we look forward to bringing fans more excitement in 2021, starting with the return of the Virtual Grands Prix as we welcome back some of the faces that made it such a special experience last year, and invite some new ones too, all in the name of charity. Watch this space!”