IndyCar's FOX Debut Draws Largest Non-Indy 500 Viewership Since 2011

The season opener in St. Petersburg saw a 45% viewership increase over last year, marking a strong start to the series' new broadcast deal.

The 2025 IndyCar season opener at St. Petersburg averaged 1.42 million viewers on FOX, the highest for a non-Indy 500 race in 14 years.
Viewership for the race increased by 45% compared to last year’s opener on NBC, showcasing the impact of the new FOX partnership.
FOX heavily promoted the series with commercials featuring top IndyCar drivers during the Super Bowl and NFL playoffs, reaching over 125 million viewers.
IndyCar's new broadcast deal with FOX ensures all 17 races and Indianapolis 500 qualifying sessions will air on network television, a unique approach in motorsports.
Despite the strong IndyCar debut, NASCAR's Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas remained the weekend's most-watched motorsport event with 4.13 million viewers.