Americans flocked to Formula One at the height of the pandemic, when a Netflix docuseries showcased the series as the sexiest thing in sports. The new audience was rewarded by an epic 2021 title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. But Verstappen has won 21 of 31 races since and Red Bull has totally dominated the series. Verstappen's 9.5-second win over Fernando Alonso in Canada on Sunday was the closest race so far this season — and that's not going to hold the attention of a fickle American audience very long.
This cycle happens all the time in F1. A couple of seasons after new rules are introduced, one team dominates and everyone screams “boring, fuck this” and the fanbase drops. Then after the rules have been stable for a while and the field closes up, the championships are closer and everyone loves F1. Rinse repeat.
Drive to survive coincided with the rules having been largely the same for a while. Merci were still clearly the best team, but there was at least competition from Ferrari and later Red Bull, so they had some decent material.
For casual fans thinking this, I recommend following F2 if you have the time at the weekends. The two F2 races plus the F1 sessions make for a good weekend of motor racing, and the F2 is normally actually good for racing.