More eyes on the prize – Formula E viewing figures increase

Jeff Dodds has long held the ambition of turning Formula E into the second-most popular motorsport series in the world – and he insists the championship cannot “stand still” despite eye-catching numbers across viewership and social media during the current season.

Bold initiatives were dreamt up by Dodds, who joined Formula E as chief executive in 2023, and chief marketing officer Ellie Norman as the all-electric series looked to broaden its appeal and hook new fans from outside of traditional motorsport bases.

“We are determined to grow our overall fanbase, and we won’t achieve that ambition by simply fishing in the motorsport pond. That is a very important pond, but it’s also pretty small, so the onus is on us as a business to bring new fans to the sport,” Dodds told Autosport during the Evo Sessions event in Miami.

The first of its kind, Evo Sessions brought together 11 content creators and gave them two days to get to grips with the current Formula E car, posting about their experiences to a combined social following of a quarter of a billion.

Such plans seem to be having a positive effect for Formula E, with independent research suggesting it has never been so popular among audiences.

Kantar Media figures show a cumulative global audience of 44 million for round two of the current season, the action in Mexico City drawing the highest single-race audience in Formula E’s young history, as 11 million US viewers tuned in for CBS’s coverage of the weekend.

A double-header in Jeddah followed and saw 65 million global views, while the Monaco ePrix was watched by 25% more people in neighbouring France than had tuned in the previous year.

Meanwhile, data supplied by Emplifi shows Formula E’s social media presence has also boomed – with 10% more followers, 12% more engagements and a 13% increase in video views.

“The latest figures from our external providers are truly phenomenal and show the tremendous momentum behind the growth of our sport,” said Dodds.

“They highlight that not only do we have world-leading technology and acceleration in the cars, but that it’s producing some of the best [and] most competitive racing that old and new fans can’t get enough of.

“We’re building fan bases and fan loyalty in key and new markets, with Mexico and the US examples of where our investment and longevity in the market is paying dividends. As the world’s fastest growing motorsport though, we know we can’t stand still.

“We know we need to continue offering the best racing, the best rivalries and the best, most-inclusive events to continue on our steep trajectory and build a strong community of electric superfans.”