Formula 1 has confirmed that Apple will be the sport’s new broadcast partner in the United States on a five-year deal.
Apple has acquired the rights from ESPN – the sports broadcasting giant which has owned the rights since 2018 – as it builds on the success of the F1 film released earlier this year. Apple TV will be the home for F1 in America, while the F1 TV Premium platform will only be available through Apple TV, free to those who subscribe.
F1 sees the partnership as going beyond traditional broadcast deals, stating that Apple will “strengthen the sport through Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports and Apple Fitness+,” while there will also be a Spanish-language offering from Apple.
“This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple, which will ensure we continue to maximize our growth potential in the US with the right content and innovative distribution channels,” said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“We’re no strangers, having worked together over the last three years to create F1 The Movie, which has already proven to be a huge hit around the world. We have a shared vision to bring this great sport to our fans in the US and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content and a year-round approach to keep them hooked.
“I would like to thank Tim Cook [Apple CEO]Eddy Cue [Apple’s senior vice president of Services] and the entire Apple team for their vision, enthusiasm and passionate approach in creating this partnership, and we look forward to the next five years together.”
- Apple can help F1 become part of American culture – Domenicali
Domenicali also paid tribute to ESPN for its role in growing F1 viewership in the United States over the past eight years as the sport transitions from a cable channel to a streaming platform.
“I think without their voices it wouldn’t be relevant as we are today. And that’s why I thank them for what they’ve done so far and what they’re going to do at the end of the year,” Domenicali said. “They were instrumental to our growth, along with the choice of our promoters, and along with the choice of the relevant stakeholders present in the US.
“So in life, never forget who invested in you, who believed in what we were doing, because many years ago there weren’t that many people who would have put any money on the growth that we’re experiencing in the U.S. So thank you very much to them.”
Apple has yet to confirm who will host the races and whether it will produce its own bespoke programming or follow ESPN’s lead by taking over coverage from Britain’s Sky Sports, but senior vp Cue indicated the company’s coverage would be “focused on quality and creating incredible content.”
“From the beginning of our vision for Apple TV, we wanted to give customers the best story from the most creative storytellers,” said Cue. “Since launching in 2019, we’ve launched nine original series. And now we have an extensive library of more than 300 shows and movies and thousands of hours.
“And everyone on Apple TV in the US now gets Formula 1. They get everything Formula 1 has to offer. And it’s going to be great, because we’re focused on quality and creating incredible content. And there’s no more incredible content than Formula 1.”
“It’s loved by viewers. It’s growing tremendously. And now we’ve made tremendous progress, but we’re happy to look ahead. We started this with Brad Pitt’s movie F1, the biggest movie of all time. It’s the biggest sports movie of all time. It was a huge blockbuster this year.”
“I think one of the exciting things is that I went to the cinema and showed this in the US. The number of people who raised their hands when we asked them beforehand if they had seen a Formula 1 race, many had not. And when we asked them after the film if they were going to watch a Formula 1 race, everyone raised their hands.
“During the making of the film, from the teams, the drivers, the fans, this cutting-edge technology, the innovation, everything that goes into it, we think this is a perfect marriage between Apple TV and Formula 1 as an exclusive provider.
“We are very excited about the plans we have to take this to the next level. We have a lot of great ideas that we will be working on together. And I think we will make it a great, transformative year for Formula 1 and Liberty in 2026.”
In a statement following the F1/Apple announcement, ESPN said: “We are incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 have achieved together in the United States and look forward to a strong finish in this final season. We wish F1 all the best in the future.”
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