The Return of Formula 1 to Globo: A Look at Visibility and Audience Reach in Brazil

The return of Formula 1 to TV Globo in 2026 has reignited an important discussion regarding the visibility of this motorsport in Brazil. Since departing from Globo in 2020, the audience for Formula 1 has significantly diminished on open television. A comparison between the last year of Globo’s broadcasts, Band’s first year, and the current performance in 2025 highlights the direct impact that the switch in broadcasting networks has had on the championship’s reach in the country. The key difference lies in the extensive coverage provided by TV Globo, and I’ll explain why.

Globo in 2019: A Strong National Presence

In 2019, Formula 1 enjoyed a robust phase while being aired on Globo. The average national viewership for the season hit 9 points on the National Television Panel (PNT), marking the best performance in eight years. Notably, the Brazilian Grand Prix attracted an impressive 12 points in Greater São Paulo, contributing to an estimated reach of over 98 million viewers throughout the year. Globo maintained its position as the dominant broadcaster on race Sundays, offering extensive promotion in its programming schedule along with broadcasts on open TV, SporTV, and Globoplay. The network also had a well-established editorial coverage structure that enhanced viewer engagement.

Band from 2021 to 2025: A Modest Beginning with Low Audience Numbers

When Band took over the Formula 1 broadcasts in 2021, it promised to keep the championship on open television. However, despite dedicating a significant portion of its sports programming to the series, the reach was noticeably lower than that of its predecessor. The average audience for races ranged between 2.0 and 3.0 points in major markets—less than half of the viewership that Globo had recorded just two years prior. Nevertheless, there were instances where Band managed to compete for the second position in audience ratings against competitors like SBT and Record.

Fast forward to 2025, and Band has maintained a stable audience, albeit still far behind Globo’s numbers. Up to this point in 2025, the average audience for Formula 1 on Band stands at 2.73 points. Key races, such as the Austrian Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix, recorded the highest viewership of the year, with averages around 3.5 points and peaks exceeding 4.5 points. The Monaco Grand Prix also performed well, achieving averages between 3.3 and 3.7 points, with over 10% audience share during its broadcast. However, races held at less favorable times, like the Australian, Japanese, and Chinese Grands Prix, saw more modest performances, fluctuating between 1.5 and 1.8 points. Despite these challenges, Band managed to hold the second position in audience ratings on several Sundays—an improvement compared to 2021 but not enough to restore the championship’s previous strength during its time on Globo.

The Reach Disparity: Why Globo Penetrates More Households than Band

One of the main structural differences between Globo and Band lies in their signal reach. Globo boasts a well-established national network comprising over 120 owned and affiliated stations, with retransmitters located in nearly all of Brazil’s 5,570 municipalities. This extensive infrastructure allows Globo to cover more than 98% of the population, according to official data from Ancine and Anatel. In many remote or hard-to-reach areas—like Boituva, where I’m writing this—the Globo signal is often the only one that is consistently available, whether through terrestrial antennas, repeaters, or open digital signals.

On the other hand, while Band has a presence in major markets and capital cities, it does not possess the same level of reach. Its network of affiliates is smaller and predominantly concentrated in urban areas, which limits its signal distribution across much of the national territory. This discrepancy means that in hundreds of Brazilian towns, residents simply cannot tune into Band with sufficient quality, either due to a lack of retransmitters or technical coverage limitations.

Understanding the Concept of Reach

This structural contrast can be explained by a key concept: reach. The term "reach" originates from the Latin word "capillaris," meaning "pertaining to hair," which implies something very fine, small, or delicate. In a technical context, reach refers to the ability of something to disseminate through narrow channels, much like blood circulating through the capillaries in the human body or water rising through paper or fabric.

In the television landscape, reach signifies an broadcaster’s ability to deliver signals and content to as many locations and individuals as possible across the national territory. Just as the capillaries in the human body distribute blood to all extremities, a network with high reach can disseminate its programming even to the most remote parts of the country.

Achieving high reach involves:

• Maintaining repeaters (RTVs) that relay digital signals;
• Establishing state-based network hubs that generate local programming and organize regional distribution;
• Investing in local production, such as news segments and regional promotions;
• Ensuring availability across various platforms, including terrestrial TV, satellite, apps, and cable TV.

Globo is the only Brazilian network with state-based hubs in every state of the federation, which bolsters its cultural presence and influence. Conversely, Band has fewer affiliates and typically operates as a direct signal broadcaster in major cities, lacking the same network of support to reach geographical peripheries across the country.

This difference is crucial when discussing nationally significant sporting events like Formula 1. Broadcasters with greater reach can connect with more viewers simply because they are accessible in areas where others are not. This explains, in part, why Formula 1’s audience plummeted when it transitioned from Globo to Band and also why Liberty Media decided to return to Globo in 2026, despite a lower financial proposal: reaching more people is more valuable than simply maximizing revenue.

A Strategic Decision for Formula 1’s Return to Globo

Formula 1’s return to Globo in 2026 comes with a contract that includes broadcasts on open television, SporTV, and Globoplay. The deal will feature 15 Grands Prix aired live on open TV, with the remaining races distributed across subscription channels and streaming services. Even though this means fewer live races than Band, which broadcasts all 24 events, the expectation is that the audience impact will be significantly greater.

Audience Impact Simulation: Globo vs. Band

To illustrate the difference in reach, let’s run a hypothetical audience impact simulation. Assuming Globo maintains an average of 9 points per race, similar to its performance in 2019, and broadcasts only 15 races:

• Globo: (15 races x 9.0 points) = 135 points accumulated audience

Now, if we assume Band retains its current average of 2.73 points in 2025 while airing all 24 races:

• Band: (24 races x 2.73 points) = 65.52 points accumulated audience

Even with nine fewer races, Globo could potentially achieve more than double the accumulated audience on open television, based solely on the average viewership per event. This structural difference translates directly into audience numbers. Networks with greater reach tend to record higher ratings because they are accessible to a larger audience. In the realm of open television—where free access remains critical for a significant portion of the population—this accessibility is paramount.

This factor heavily influenced Liberty Media’s decision to re-engage with Globo for broadcasting Formula 1 starting in 2026: it’s not just about who pays more, but about who can reach a larger audience.

Conclusion

The return of Formula 1 to Globo is not just a mere change in broadcasting rights; it symbolizes a strategic maneuver aimed at restoring the sport’s visibility and audience engagement in Brazil. By tapping into Globo’s extensive reach, Formula 1 aims to recapture the massive viewership it enjoyed in the past, ensuring that the excitement of the championship can once again resonate with millions of fans across the nation. With the combination of open television broadcasts and robust promotion across various platforms, Globo is poised to elevate the profile of Formula 1 in Brazil, bringing the thrill of the racetrack back to the forefront of the national sporting conversation.