Apple have secured exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 in America for five years from 2026, paying around $750million total for the privilege, leaving fans feeling frustrated online.
The deal, worth approximately $150m annually, replaces ESPN as F1's US broadcaster. Unlike Apple's Major League Soccer coverage, which requires additional fees, F1 will come included with standard Apple TV subscriptions.
“We are ready to get into more houses and more in the culture of the American fans,” said F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
“This is something that, of course, will represent a big step change in our approach, in the media landscape.”
Apple has secured exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 in America for five years from 2026, paying around $750million total for the privilege.
| APPLE PRESS OFFICEMeanwhile Apple senior vice president of services Eddy Cue said: “The growth opportunity is huge. It's exponentially huge, right? It's not about adding a few. You can exponentially grow the sport.”
The arrangement marks a significant shift in how Americans will watch F1, with the sport becoming fully integrated into Apple's ecosystem.
Formula One has previously been broadcast to ESPN in the US
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Apple TV subscribers will enjoy comprehensive coverage of every practice, qualifying session, sprint and race without paying a penny extra. The deal also includes full access to F1 TV's content library at no additional charge.
In an interesting twist, Apple plans to make select races - likely four or five throughout the season - completely free to watch on the Apple TV app, even for non-subscribers.
F1 TV will continue operating alongside Apple's coverage, giving fans more options than ever.
The Brad Pitt F1 film proved crucial in sealing Apple's interest. The movie has raked in about $630million worldwide, becoming both the highest-grossing sports film ever and Pitt's biggest box office success.
F1: The Movie and its success in cinemas has led to huge revenue growth for the sport and is said to have encouraged Apple to negotiate a deal with Formula One
| GETTYThis massive hit convinced Apple to splash out on F1 rights. The tech company sees huge potential in bringing racing to America's nearly 300 million iPhone users, with plans to push F1 content across Apple News, Maps, Music, Sports and Fitness+ platforms.
ESPN has thanked F1 for their partnership after losing the rights they've held since 2018. The Disney-owned broadcaster had been paying around $90m yearly since 2023, having initially invested when few others would touch the sport.
Fans have disagreed with the decision online, however, with viewers feeling they will be forced to be paid extra for the sport for fans that already have a ESPN membership, not Apple TV.
One fans said: "So we gotta pay extra to watch F1...MLS went exclusive Apple TV and views plummeted."
While another added: "From ESPN to Apple TV+. Because what F1 really needed was another paywall..."
A third wrote: "This is the same mistake Premier league soccer made in this country. As soon as it started to get big, they put it on a pay service and growth stopped."
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Despite this, F1 executives believe the new partnership could transform the sport's American presence. With Apple devices in millions of households, races could become part of daily life rather than just weekend entertainment.
F1’s chief media rights and broadcasting officer Ian Holmes explained: “What I think excites us most about this deal is the fact that it helps us address the fact that more people are consuming content in more different ways, on different devices and in different ways.
“The live coverage will be second to none. It'll be more sophisticated and offer more variety and content than has ever been available in America.
Formula One CEO said :'“We are ready to get into more houses and more in the culture of the American fans'
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“But then, outside of that, being a streaming service as well, it's going to be able to be always on.
“We talk about 'watchers' and 'followers'. Watcher being someone that perhaps sits in the live race and sits there for two hours and will enjoy an incredibly immersive and technically advanced offering.
“But the follower is perhaps a slightly lighter viewer, who maybe wants to dip in and dip out, consuming it with different types of content in different formats.
“We have that all sat in one home, if you like, with Apple. We feel that really makes the difference to how we grow and to be relevant and accessible to the broadest possible audience.”