Apple TV will be the new home of Formula 1 in the United States starting in 2026 after closing an exclusive broadcast agreement with the category. The alliance, officially announced, grants the platform the exclusive rights in the USA for the live broadcast of the entire weekend of each Grand Prix.
The pact will last for five years and covers all sessions: free practice, qualifying, sprint races, and Sunday's race. This move concludes the run with ESPN and opens a model in which Some of the content will be offered free of charge within the Apple TV app.
What's changing for fans in the US?
Formula 1 will be included in the subscription Apple TV in the United States, without the need to purchase an additional pass like other sports, reflecting the Apple's interest in F1. The platform maintains its current price of 12,99 dollars per month in the US market.
During the season, Apple will offer some races and several free practice sessions from the app itself, with additional audio options to reach a wider audience. All other sessions (free practice, qualifying, sprints, and Grand Prix) will be part of the service's regular catalog.
The official service of the category, F1 TV Premium, will continue to operate in the country but will operate through Apple TV. Apple TV subscribers in the United States will have access at no additional cost to F1 TV Premium, thus integrating data, on-board cameras and replays in the same environment.
The change also implies the end of the relationship with ESPN after seven years of broadcasting in the country. The announcement came in the run-up to the Austin Grand Prix weekend, a timeline conducive to raising awareness for the new television partner in the North American market.
Neither Apple nor Formula 1 have revealed official amounts, but various industry headlines point to a figure. around $140 million per seasonIf confirmed, the amount would represent a significant increase compared to previous contracts in the country.
A boost for F1 and the Apple ecosystem
The top category has been experiencing a growth cycle since Liberty Medium took the reins in 2018: the community on social networks went from 18,7 to 107,6 million followers, supported by the pull of Drive to Survive on Netflix. The bid for Apple seeks to consolidate that momentum in the world's largest advertising market.
According to a recent F1 survey, 47% of new fans in the US are between 18 and 24 years old And more than half are women; a young and diverse profile that Apple will try to engage with formats and features adapted to digital consumption.
Formula 1 itself has announced that Apple will amplify the reach of the championship with integrations across Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports, and Apple Fitness+, creating a consistent presence beyond race Sundays.
The collaboration comes after the film's premiere F1: The Movie, produced by Apple, which has raised about 628 million dollars globally. For that shoot, it was developed a specific camera for filming from the single-seaters, technology that the company could adapt to its broadcasts along with virtual reality experiences and new live views.
From the championship and from Cupertino they agree that it opens A new age for coverage in the country: with the arrival of an American team like Cadillac and with new technical regulations Just around the corner, the goal is to offer a production richer in data, angles, and formats focused on the fan, without losing focus on sustained growth.
With exclusivity in the United States, a contract of five years and the integration of F1 TV Premium, Apple TV is positioned as a key partner for Formula 1 in a priority market, combining live streaming, proprietary technology, and a presence across its entire ecosystem to strengthen coverage of the championship.
