IndyCar Series Ratings: A Mixed Picture at Midseason
As the IndyCar Series continues its inaugural season on FOX, audience ratings have proven unpredictable. The initial trio of races—held at Indianapolis, Detroit, and outside St. Louis—garnered over 1 million viewers each, signaling strong early momentum.
However, this trend did not hold during the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, where viewership declined to 781,000. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou secured his sixth victory of the season, but the race’s ratings represented a 10% decrease compared to the 2024 event, which attracted 863,000 viewers when Will Power claimed victory on NBC.
Notably, viewership peaked at 934,000 during the final minutes of the race, demonstrating capacity for engagement even amidst the downturn. Despite this recent dip, FOX reports that overall viewership for the current season is up 25% compared to last year’s average of 626,000 for non-Indy 500 races broadcast on NBC/USA/CNBC.
This season’s fluctuating ratings underscore both the challenges and opportunities facing the IndyCar Series as it seeks to establish a stable audience on its new network platform.
