The arrival of the Formula 1 on Apple TV This marks a turning point in how the World Championship is followed via streaming. The pinnacle of motorsport is now relying on one of the major technology players to strengthen its presence in the US market and explore new live broadcasting formats, with a production designed from the ground up for the digital environment.
Although the agreement focuses exclusively in the United StatesIts impact transcends borders: what Apple is testing there largely anticipates how F1 broadcasting rights and the television experience might evolve in the future in Europe and the rest of the world. From a technical and product standpoint, the bar has been set very high.
A historic deal: Apple TV secures Formula 1 in the United States
Starting this season, Apple TV is the new home of Formula 1 in the United Statesreplacing ESPN as the main broadcast channel in the country. The five-year contract is valued at around $ 150 million annually According to various sources, it grants Apple the exclusive rights to broadcast practice sessions, qualifying, sprint races and full Grand Prix races in the United States.
For Apple, this move reinforces a strategy that was already taking shape with the Major League Soccer (MLS) and "Friday Night Baseball". The company uses live sports as lever to grow your streaming serviceNow adding Formula 1 to a catalog that already includes original productions and high-profile films, such as F1: The Movie, one of the biggest recent box office hits.
From F1's perspective, the change involves betting on a platform that doesn't depend on linear television and allows for a fully unified experienceInstead of fragmenting rights by region or channel, the goal is to centralize production and, at the same time, leverage Apple's technological and data capabilities to reach a younger audience with markedly digital consumption habits.
Leaders such as Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, or Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services, underline the idea of ​​a long-term alliance in which sport and technology feed off each other: Apple contributes its ecosystem and production capacity, while F1 offers a growing product with ever-increasing commercial appeal.
This is how Formula 1 looks on Apple TV: 4K, Dolby Vision and 5.1 sound
One of the pillars of the agreement is audiovisual quality. The races are broadcast on native 4K resolution, at 60 frames per second, with Dolby Vision high dynamic range and surround sound Dolby 5.1In practice, this translates into a much sharper and smoother image, with more accurate colors and a contrast far superior to that usually found in traditional HD broadcasts.
In addition to the main signal, viewers have up to 30 additional live streams throughout all sessions, including onboard cameras, real-time telemetry, timing views, and specific tracking options such as Driver TrackerA signal called "Podium" is also offered, which dynamically follows the top three finishers during races and sprint heats.
The platform incorporates a feature of multiview which allows you to view up to four simultaneous signals on screen on compatible devices, such as Apple TV 4K, iPad or apple vision proThe user can choose a default configuration per team or create their own grid, combining, for example, a driver's on-board camera, live map and main broadcast.
For those who cannot Watch the race liveApple TV makes available full replays, spoiler-free summariesHighlights and compressed formats like "Race in 30," which condense the Grand Prix into half an hour, are all integrated into a minimalist interface that's very fast when changing views and designed so that the user always has relevant information about what's happening on the track at hand.
The service offers comments on English and SpanishThis is a key decision for a country with a large Spanish-speaking community and will likely also serve as a testing ground for possible future agreements in other territories where Spanish is the majority language, such as Spain or much of Latin America.
Where and how can you watch F1 on Apple TV
A Formula 1 subscription on Apple TV is available Only for users with accounts in the United StatesAccess is through the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV 4K, as well as a long list of other devices. smart TVs and streaming devices (Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, among others), as well as on the web tv.apple.com.
F1 is part of the general subscription to Apple TVIt costs $12,99 per month and offers a one-week free trial for new subscribers. Apple also runs occasional promotions: those who purchase certain Apple devices (such as iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac) can get three months free available for a limited time.
For Spanish and European fans who live in or travel to the United States, this integration simplifies things considerably: No specific extra package is required For the World Cup, everything is included in the standard service fee. However, access is geo-blocked to the United States, so outside the country, traditional agreements with platforms like Movistar, DAZN, Sky, or ESPN remain valid, depending on the market.
Within the Formula 1 app itself, the offer F1 TV Premium It still exists, but in the United States it's now integrated through Apple TV and offered at no additional cost to subscribers. From there you can also follow support categories such as F2, F3, F1 Academy and the Porsche Supercup, which rounds out the race weekend coverage.
In parallel, Apple maintains agreements with third-party operators and platforms To make the F1 signal available to more places: DIRECTV, Comcast (Xfinity), Roku, Prime Video or EverPass, among others, integrate access to Apple TV into their interfaces, making life easier for bars, hotels and other commercial establishments, as well as for users who are already accustomed to these ecosystems.
Formula 1 is integrated into the entire Apple ecosystem
More than just a broadcasting contract, Apple and F1 have framed the agreement as a cross-cutting collaboration which affects a large part of the company's services. The idea is that fans can follow the championship seamlessly by switching between apps without losing track of what's happening on the track.
The new app Apple Sports The iPhone app is one of the key components. Designed to offer real-time data, it allows you to check driver and constructor standings, practice results, qualifying sessions, sprints, and races, all with tables updated every minuteThrough the Live Activities features, the user can see dynamic notifications on the iPhone lock screen or on the Apple Watch, so they don't miss a change of leader, a red flag, or an important dropout.
Integration with Apple Maps It adds another layer. The maps app will include detailed circuit diagrams of all 24 Grand Prix circuits, with numbered corners, grandstands, access points, and key buildings (such as the pit building) in 3D. For those attending the races, there will be information on road closures, pedestrian entrances, and recommended routes, and even hyperlocal guides with recommendations for nearby restaurants, museums, or bars—something especially interesting for European fans traveling to races like Melbourne, Miami, or Austin.
In the field of audio, Apple Music will offer free broadcasts of live comments The apps feature races for US users, along with themed music collections like "The Sounds of Formula 1" and playlists linked to each circuit. Some drivers, such as Isack Hadjar, Esteban Ocon, and Oliver Bearman, have curated their own playlists, and exclusive mixes have been created with renowned DJs.
The ecosystem is completed with Apple News y Apple podcastsNews will offer a custom coverage F1 with content from media outlets such as The Athletic or ESPN Motor SportIn addition to breaking news alerts, and later, a feature called Live Look In that will allow users to jump directly from a news story to the live stream on Apple TV. A specific collection of official podcasts has been created, including shows such as F1Nation y F1 Beyond The Grid, for those who want to delve deeper into analysis and interviews.
External collaborations: Tubi, Yahoo Sports, TelevisaUnivision, IMAX and more
To broaden the category's scope, Apple has woven a series of agreements with external platforms which complement the main broadcast on Apple TV. One of the most striking is the agreement with TubesA free, ad-supported service will offer free altcasts or alternative broadcasts during several races of the season. These live streams will feature... creators specializing in F1 which will bring a more casual tone, designed to attract young audiences.
Another important piece is the alliance with Yahoo SportsThis will allow viewers in the United States to watch practice sessions and qualifying on Yahoo Sports' platform. Practice broadcasts will include the main Apple TV feed, while qualifying will combine a mixed feed with onboard cameras to follow the action from multiple angles.
For the Spanish-speaking public residing in the United States, Apple has closed a collaboration with TelevisaUnivisionUnivision, a leading network for the Latino audience, will broadcast a race live on free-to-air television. which will be announced later, accompanied by special pre- and post-show programs. In addition, Apple TV coverage will be promoted in spaces such as The Play o Contacto Deportivo.
The agreement with IMAX It adds a big-screen component. Five iconic Grand Prix races—Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza, and Austin—will be broadcast live in more than 50 IMAX theaters across the United States, bringing the Apple TV-developed signal to a format designed to fully exploit the visual and auditory spectacle of the championship.
In parallel, agreements have been activated with DIRECTV, EverPass, Comcast, Roku and Prime Video To facilitate distribution to homes and businesses, bars, restaurants, and hotels will be able to subscribe to Apple TV's live sports offering (F1, MLS, and baseball) through specific packages, while home customers will see the signal integrated into channel guides and apps like Xfinity Stream or The Roku Channel.
Drive to Survive and F1: The Movie, two key levers for expansion
Apple TV's commitment to Formula 1 didn't come out of nowhere; it's built upon several years of growing popularity of the championship in the United States, driven largely by the documentary series 1 Formula: Drive to Survive from Netflix. This production brought the inner workings of the paddock closer to an audience that had barely paid attention to the sport, especially among the younger ones.
As a result of the new collaboration between both companies, the eighth season of Drive to SurviveFocused on the 2025 World Cup, it will be available on both Netflix as on Apple TV in the United States. In this way, users who discovered F1 through the series will be able to continue the experience without changing their environment, while also accessing live broadcasts of the championship.
Apple has also invested heavily in film with F1: The MovieThe film, starring Brad Pitt, has become the highest-grossing sports movie in recent history, earning hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide and receiving several Oscar nominations. It has served as a massive showcase for the sport, bringing the atmosphere of the racetracks to viewers who had never witnessed a Grand Prix.
Executives like Eddy Cue recount that, during the film's theatrical tests, Many attendees who had never seen a race before left wanting to follow the championshipThis reinforces the idea of ​​a virtuous circle: audiovisual content fuels interest in the competition, and the competition, in turn, provides streaming platforms with stories and characters.
In addition, there are specific promotional campaigns, such as videos shared on social media featuring Tim Cook and Max Verstappen...or the presence of devices like the iPhone and Apple Vision Pro at team presentations like Red Bull's. All of this points to a cohesive strategy in which film, television series, live broadcasts, and technological products are intertwined.
Market impact and audience challenges
From an economic point of view, Formula 1 is going through a particularly solid momentThe championship's revenues exceeded $3.900 billion in 2025, a 14% increase over the previous year, driven by television rights, sponsorship, promoter fees and paddock hospitality.
Operating profit has also increased significantly, and team valuations have skyrocketed, with deals placing some teams above the 6.000 millionThe budget cap and the relatively closed grid have contributed to making teams highly coveted assets, although still below the relative valuations used in leagues like the NFL or the NBA.
In terms of viewership, F1 has experienced strong growth in the United States, going from averages around 550.000 spectators per race in 2018 to approximately 1,3 million last season, when the rights were still held by ESPN. However, the move to a paid platform like Apple TV raises uncertainties about the impact on its mass reach.
Apple doesn't participate in traditional audience measurement systems like Nielsen and typically keeps its viewership figures secret, making it more difficult to assess the immediate effect of the change. The comparison with the MLS, whose transition to Apple TV didn't automatically translate into a visible increase in viewers, is a prominent topic in the discussion.
Within the paddock and among business partners, there is confidence that the advanced technological experience compensate for the possible loss of exposure on free-to-air channels, and the synergy with other Apple services (Music, News, Maps, etc.) will help to consolidate a more committed, albeit perhaps less massive, fan base in terms of pure numbers in the short term.
What does this commitment mean for fans in Spain and Europe?
Although the streaming agreement with Apple is limited to the United States, its scope is relevant to the European publicThis includes the Spanish version, for several reasons. First, because it serves as a technological laboratory: everything being tested there in terms of image quality, multiview, data integration, and auxiliary services will likely set the standard that F1 will demand of its partners in other territories in the future.
In Spain and the rest of Europe, the rights remain in the hands of operators such as Movistar, DAZN or SkyDepending on the country, these agreements will remain in effect for the duration of the contracts signed with Liberty Media, so in the short term, Spanish fans will not see a radical change in the main platform they use to access the races.
However, F1's commitment to greater integration with digital services and complementary formats (documentaries, films, social media content) does have an impact on the daily lives of European fans. Series like Drive to Survive, Apple TV productions and the increase in thematic content on global platforms They fuel interest throughout the year, beyond the race Sundays themselves.
Furthermore, the adoption of standards such as native 4K output with Dolby Vision And 5.1 surround sound will put pressure on European operators to keep pace. Viewers who watch what's offered in the United States through Apple TV are unlikely to accept, in the medium term, a return to lower resolution signals, fewer cameras, or less flexible interfaces.
Ultimately, even if Spanish viewers continue to turn on their TVs to watch F1 through the usual channels, Apple's move in the United States acts as a signal of where things might be headed. the overall experience of watching Formula 1: more integrated, more interactive and much more supported by the ecosystem of services and devices than by the old remote control.
The alliance between Formula 1 and Apple TV in the United States combines exclusive broadcasting rights, top-level technical production in 4K with Dolby Vision, and deep integration with the entire Apple ecosystem and external partners, shaping a strategy that aims to reinforce the championship's growth, experiment with new ways of telling the races, and lay the foundations for how F1 could be viewed in other markets, including Europe, in the coming years.
