Eleven teams raced in each of the first two seasons of the American version of The Amazing Race.
The first season premiered in 2001 and sent eleven two-person teams around the world. The route covered approximately 35,000 miles over 13 legs, visiting locations across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America before finishing in New York City. The winners were lawyers and best friends Rob Frisbee and Brennan Farris.
Season two also began with eleven teams. It premiered in 2002 and followed the same basic format: pairs with an existing relationship traveled between destinations, solved clues, completed Roadblocks and Detours, and faced elimination at Pit Stops. Chris Luca and Alex Boylan won the season, which traveled through several countries and ended in Hawaii.
The number can be confused with the show’s original development plans. CBS initially discussed a format involving eight teams, but the first broadcast season ultimately expanded to eleven. “The Amazing Race” has also produced international editions and later American seasons with different team counts, so the answer applies specifically to the first two seasons of the original U.S. series.