Where older generations became fans by admiring athletes’ achievements and performance, younger audiences are drawn to personalities.

In Formula One, despite a global fanbase of 826.5 million in 2024, only 7.9% watch live races. However, 61% of fans engage with F1 content every day.

So, what keeps them hooked? Personality-driven content, either produced by sports teams or influencers. For many, loyalty isn’t built by watching live broadcasts, but by following a driver’s lifestyle, humour, or values on social media. Netflix understood this perfectly with Drive to Survive, which feels more like a reality show than a traditional sports documentary.

As personality becomes the centre of modern fandom, do you still need to watch the sport to call yourself a fan?