Observed Signal · Oct 28, 2025 · Partnership · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Apple TV Becomes U.S. Home for Formula 1
Apple TV will become the exclusive U.S. home for Formula 1 beginning in 2026 under a five-year rights deal that moves live races, qualifying and practice sessions from ESPN to Apple’s subscription streaming service. Reports indicate Apple is paying roughly $150 million per year, up from the approximately $90 million ESPN paid. All F1 content, including the F1 TV Premium service, will be bundled into a standard Apple TV subscription. The deal follows the commercial success of the Apple Original film "F1 The Movie" starring Brad Pitt and is part of a broader industry trend of major sports migrating from linear cable to streaming platforms. The article notes the global rights landscape remains fragmented and that existing Netflix series like "Drive to Survive" are not affected.
A major sport moving exclusively to a large streaming platform shifts premium live-event inventory away from linear TV and into a walled garden, affecting ad reach, monetization models and programmatic/CTV strategies across the industry.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Apple TV becomes the exclusive U.S. broadcaster/streaming home for Formula 1 starting in 2026 under a five-year deal.
- The agreement moves all live races, qualifying, and practice sessions to Apple’s subscription platform and ends F1’s run on ESPN in the U.S.
- Apple is reportedly paying about $150 million per year for the U.S. rights, compared with roughly $90 million previously paid by ESPN.
- F1 content, including F1 TV Premium, will be bundled into a standard Apple TV subscription.
- "F1 The Movie" (an Apple Original film starring Brad Pitt) is cited as a proof-of-concept that helped demonstrate streaming demand for the sport.
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Apple Nears U.S. Formula 1 Broadcast Rights Deal
Formula 1 is reportedly in final negotiations over its next U.S. media-rights agreement, with Apple emerging as the front-runner to replace ESPN after the 2025 season. Reports say Apple has submitted a nine-figure bid in the range of $120–$150 million per year, eclipsing ESPN’s approximate $90 million annual payment. Liberty Media—which owns F1—is said to be seeking a strategic partner that can act beyond a traditional broadcaster to amplify fan engagement. Apple’s recent collaboration on the film F1: The Movie and Netflix’s continued interest (bolstered by Drive to Survive) are both cited as factors shaping bidders. A move to a streaming-exclusive U.S. rights deal would test whether F1’s large U.S. audience will migrate behind a new paywall and could shift distribution and monetization dynamics for the sport.
Apple TV+ Launches F1 Hub Ahead of Exclusive Rights
Apple launched a "Get Ready for Formula 1" hub on Apple TV+, the first visible activation tied to its exclusive U.S. broadcast rights deal for Formula 1. Beginning in 2026 a five-year, multi-billion dollar agreement will make Apple TV+ the sole U.S. home for all F1 races, practices, and qualifying sessions; the deal also incorporates the F1 TV Premium service for subscribers and makes practice sessions freely available in the TV app. The hub is presented as an early step in Apple’s broader live-sports strategy, which already includes partnerships with Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball, and raises questions about the impact of moving F1 off linear TV on reach and audience growth in the U.S.
Apple and Netflix Partner on U.S. Formula 1 Coverage
Apple and Netflix have agreed to a content partnership around Formula 1 in the United States. Netflix will make its docuseries Drive to Survive available on Apple TV, while Netflix will simulcast Apple’s live coverage of the Canadian Grand Prix. The collaboration supports Apple’s role as F1’s exclusive U.S. rights holder—an agreement reported to be worth up to $150 million annually—and forms part of Apple’s broader strategy to integrate F1 across its ecosystem (3D track visuals in Maps, live audio in Music, selectable commentary in 4K broadcasts). F1 executives highlighted the sport’s younger, increasingly female-skewed U.S. audience. The deal also complements plans to bring select races to IMAX theaters.
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