Why is social media so important to racing drivers? Why do we post about it so often? It is actually quite simple. Views. Marketing. It all began years ago as mostly rivalries poking at rivalries, nothing more than sharing a few great shots of the drivers or racing action. Today, it has turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry.

It’s all about growing a name, whether that’s a brand or a driver name. Social Media can play a pivotal role in whether a driver succeeds or fails in their rise to the top, thanks to the visibility it provides to sponsors. We’ve shown the combined follower counts for NASCAR drivers; now, let’s look at Instagram alone. And let’s take a look at the largest racing series in the world. Formula 1 and its global superstars.

Image Credit: Getty Images/ Red Bull Content Pool

rank	driver	followers
1	Lewis Hamilton	42.2
2	Charles Leclerc	22.5
3	Max Verstappen	17.9
4	Calos Sainz	12.4
5	Lando Norris	11.6
6	George Russell	8.6
7	Sergio Perez	8.6
8	Fernando Alonso	7.9
9	Oscar Piastri	6.1
10	Pierre Gasley	6
11	Valtteri Bottas	5.5
12	Fanco Colapinto	5.3
13	Kimi Antonelli	4.6
14	Alexander Albon	4.1
15	Oliver Bearman	3.5
16	Nico Hulkenburg	2.9
17	Esteban Ocan	2.9
18	Gabriel Bortoleto	2.2
19	Lance Stroll	1.7
20	Isack Hadjar	1.7
21	Liam Lawson	1.3
22	Arvid Lindbald	611K