The alliance between Formula 1 and Apple TV will make the Apple platform the new home of the championship in United States with exclusive rights Starting with the 2026 season, the move reorganizes the audiovisual map of motorsports in the country and opens a new chapter for fans, with an offering designed to follow each weekend session.
The agreement will have a duration of five seasons and covers free practice, qualifying, sprint races and Grand Prix. It arrives at a time of growing interest in the category in the US market, with a strategy that focuses on wide access and comprehensive coverage.
What the agreement includes
Apple TV will concentrate on its platform all the broadcast of F1 in USA exclusively, with no changes in the remaining territories where rights are already committed to other operators. Coverage will cover the entire Grand Prix weekend and will provide options for Share your iPhone screen with TV.
In addition to the full broadcast for subscribers, the company plans to enable free content windows within its app with some races and practice sessions, a formula aimed at attracting new followers and making the championship more accessible.
The official service F1 TV Premium will continue to be available in the United States, but integrated into the Apple ecosystem: Apple TV subscribers will have access to F1 TV Premium at no additional cost, bolstering the offering with multiple camera angles, real-time data, and on-demand replays. It will also offer guides for Stream video and audio from your iPhone.
Impact on the television landscape and audience
The arrival of Apple TV means the end of the stage with ESPN after seven years. The Disney chain had been paying around $85–90 million per year for rights in the country, according to widely cited figures.
On this occasion, the parties have not disclosed the amount, but various specialized media speak of around $ 140 million per season, with other sources slightly raising this estimate. The commitment covers five campaigns.
The context helps to understand the operation: since the acquisition of F1 by Liberty Media in 2018, followers on social networks have gone from 18,7 to 107,6 millionThe Drive to Survive phenomenon has especially boosted popularity in the US, with an increasingly diverse and youthful fan base.
In fact, a survey by F1 itself indicates that the 47% of new fans Americans with less than five years following the championship are between 18 and 24 years old, and that more than half are women, a sign of the demographic change that sport is experiencing.
Price, access and availability of content
Apple TV is currently priced in the US at 12,99 dollars per monthAs announced, Formula 1 coverage will be part of the subscription to the platform, without the need to hire a specific additional pass to watch the championship.
Along with full broadcasts, Apple will enable in its app some open races and practice sessions, and audio options in multiple languages ​​are planned to be available, including Spanish, to bring the experience to a wider audience.
Technology and synergies of the Apple ecosystem
The company will strengthen the championship's presence in its service environment: Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports and Apple Fitness+ will be used to distribute complementary information, content and experiences throughout the year.
The deal is announced after the premiere of F1: The Movie, an Apple production starring Brad Pitt and filmed on Grand Prix weekends, which grossed around 628 million global with a budget close to 200 million.
For the film were developed onboard cameras and specific filming techniques that Apple is considering bringing to live broadcasts. Possible integrations of virtual reality to enrich the viewer's experience.
Voices and sports context
From the organization, Stefano Domenicali describes the alliance as an opportunity to maximize growth in the US with appropriate content and innovative distribution channels, taking advantage of the momentum the category is experiencing in the country.
Eddy Cue, head of services at Apple, frames the movement in a new era for F1, with the entry of teams such as Cadillac and relevant technical changes, and promises coverage innovative and fan-focused from the start of the rights cycle.
The move positions Apple TV as a major player in live sport, while Formula 1 secures a strategic showcase: fans in the United States will have territorial exclusivity, access to all sessions, free content windows and F1 TV Premium integrated, awaiting further technical and operational details before the start of the new phase.
