Fans of the premiere international racing sport Formula 1 (or F1 for short) have the tendency to go feral when it comes to supporting their favorite teams. Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, F1 delivers the ultimate racing spectacle, where elite drivers battle it out in a thrilling series of global events known as the Grand Prix. With more than 750 million fans worldwide, F1 has evolved into a global phenomenon with a near-cult following.
Filipino fans of the sport are just as devoted as their global counterparts. Despite F1 being one of the most expensive sports in the world, with VIP tickets for events like the Monaco and Las Vegas Grand Prix easily exceeding $5,000 (approx. P286,000), the sport’s hefty price tag rarely deters the most committed Filipino fans from spending exorbitant amounts of money on race passes and official merch. Ramen, a Filipino content creator, revealed in a video that he’d spent P59,000 on F1 caps alone. “Kotse lang yan,” the influencer lamented. “Bakit 59K ‘yung hat nating lahat?” F1 caps sold by official teams currently range from £40 to £45 (around P3,000 to P3,300).
“Once you’re in, it’s hard to stop being a fan,” Filipino F1 fan Regina told Rolling Stone Philippines. Regina is just one of the millions of F1 fans tuning in to this year’s season, which kicked off with the Australian Grand Prix held from March 14 to 16 in Melbourne. The 2025 season consists of 24 races across 21 countries and will conclude in Abu Dhabi in December.
Over the course of four days, more than 460,000 fans braved poor weather and swarmed Albert Park to watch drivers representing teams like McLaren, Red Bull Racing, and Mercedes go head-to-head on the track for the first major race of the season. Despite spending $309 for four-day passes, relentless rain, and a shocking shortage of seating that had attendees standing on tables just to catch a glimpse of the action, fans stood soaked but steadfast as McLaren driver Lando Norris dramatically beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to victory.
Loyal fans follow the scheduled races almost religiously, finding any way to keep track of live updates. “When I was in college, my roommates and I took F1 very seriously,” said Regina. “When the calendar would come out, I’d add all the Grand Prix races to a shared Google Calendar and set up notifications so that we’d know when we needed to wake up and watch a race. We set up an alarm and everything. We’d stay up the whole night just to see our favorite drivers.”
Notice Me
Regina was first introduced to the world of F1 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many fledgling fans discovered the Netflix documentary series, Formula 1: Drive to Survive. The series offered a behind-the-scenes look at the high-stakes world of F1 racing, blending fast-paced action with dramatic personal stories of intense rivalries, racetrack injuries, and a glimpse into the personalities that drive the sport. “That was really the pipeline because there was nothing else to watch,” said Regina. “Obviously, it was all dramatized, but that’s what gets you hooked. It’s the best gateway before you dig your own grave and jump down the rabbit hole of drivers, meets, principles — it just keeps going.”
“I just like knowing the hot goss,” Filipino fan Camille said when asked about what drew her to F1. “Who’s moving from team to team? Who’s doing well this time around? Who’s getting into a fight? It’s just so juicy. iIt’s like watching the Kardashians.”
In recent years, the F1 fandom has seen a significant increase in its fanbase, specifically among women aged 16 to 24 (they’re the fastest growing group). While many female F1 fans have developed a genuine connection to the sport, drawn to the thrill of the races, there is another, more parasocial, side to the fandom that is difficult to ignore.
As F1 drivers increasingly engage with fans through social media, a sense of intimacy is cultivated, allowing fans to feel a personal connection with the drivers, even if it is entirely one-sided. This connection often evolves into thirsting for a driver’s appearance, personality, and lifestyle, which sometimes overshadows the sport itself.
“Honestly, it’s very creepy what some people do,” Norris said in an interview with ESPN, referring to McLaren fans who obsessively scroll through his social media. “The time they spend trying to investigate things or people or whatever.”
Although F1 fans for the most part are harmless, their passion for the sport can sometimes run a little too deep. Camille recalled one moment when one friend, equally devoted to the sport, was stampeded at a driver meet-and-greet. “The gates opened and everyone rushed to the front just so they could get a signature,” said Camille. “But I think while they were running, [my friend] fell down and people just started stepping on her. It was horrible. She was bruised all over.”
“Fans can get crazy, they’ll really do anything to get what they want,” added Camille.
Being a fan in the world of F1 can manifest as an obsession that goes beyond the adrenaline of the races; it’s about the fierce rivalries, the behind-the-scenes drama, and the captivating stories that unfold both on and off the track. As F1’s 2025 season draws millions of fans from around the globe, one thing is certain: Once you’re hooked, there’s no going back.
