Apple Secures $750 Million F1 U.S. Streaming Rights for 5 Years
▼ Summary
– Apple and Formula 1 have signed a five-year agreement making Apple TV the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of all F1 races starting in 2026.
– The deal is valued at approximately $750 million, with Apple paying around $150 million annually, a significant increase over ESPN’s previous $90 million per year contract.
– U.S. subscribers will receive all F1 sessions and races for $12.99/month, with select free content available without subscription through the Apple TV app.
– Apple will integrate F1 content across multiple platforms including Apple News, Maps, Music, Fitness+, and the Apple Sports app with real-time updates.
– This partnership expands Apple’s sports streaming portfolio, which already includes MLB and MLS deals, and follows their collaboration on the successful “F1 The Movie.”
Starting in 2026, Formula 1 racing will stream exclusively in the United States on Apple TV following a landmark five-year agreement between Apple and the motorsport organization. This partnership promises a more dynamic and elevated viewing experience for fans, aiming to draw new audiences to the sport across the country. As part of the arrangement, Apple will also drop the plus sign from its streaming service, which originally launched in 2019 as Apple TV+.
This marks another significant step for Apple in the sports broadcasting arena, where it already holds streaming agreements with Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. The new F1 deal builds on their existing collaboration for the original film “F1 The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt. That film earned $629 million globally this year, setting a record as the highest-grossing sports movie ever and becoming Pitt’s most successful feature to date. “F1 The Movie” is scheduled to premiere on Apple TV on December 12, 2025.
While the companies have not publicly disclosed financial specifics, a source familiar with the arrangement confirmed that Apple will pay an average of around $150 million per year to Formula 1, bringing the total value of the contract to roughly $750 million. Earlier reports from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Formula 1 had been seeking up to $180 million annually for U.S. broadcast rights. Apple’s offer represents a notable increase over the $90 million per year currently paid by ESPN, whose rights are set to expire at the end of 2025 after holding them since 2018.
Beginning next year, Apple TV will provide U.S. subscribers with access to every Formula 1 practice session, qualifying round, Sprint event, and Grand Prix race as part of the standard $12.99 monthly subscription. Broadcasts will be available in both English and Spanish. Additionally, a select number of races and all practice sessions will be offered for free through the Apple TV app, with no subscription necessary, throughout the F1 season.
The partnership extends well beyond streaming on Apple TV. The company plans to amplify Formula 1’s presence across Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, and Apple Fitness+, while also promoting the sport inside its physical retail stores. The free Apple Sports app for iPhone will deliver live updates for every qualifying, Sprint, and race event, featuring real-time leaderboards and season standings for both drivers and constructors. The app will also allow users to follow F1 directly from their iPhone lock screen, and a dedicated F1 widget will be introduced for the smartphone’s home screen.
Apple has committed to sharing more details about the Formula 1 collaboration in the coming months, including production enhancements, product updates, and new ways for fans to engage with F1 content across Apple’s ecosystem of devices and services.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, described himself as a lifelong F1 enthusiast during a call with reporters, recalling his childhood in Miami when the sport was rarely televised in the U.S. He expressed confidence that the partnership would help attract a new generation of fans. Cue emphasized that Apple aims to deliver a unique and immersive experience, stating, “I hope we’re doing this forever.”
Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali highlighted the existing three-year collaboration on “F1 The Movie” and expressed optimism that the expanded partnership would help embed the sport deeper into American culture. He praised Apple’s ability to connect with audiences, calling the company “more than a platform, it’s a social movement.”
Under the new arrangement, the F1 TV Premium streaming service, priced at $16.99 per month, will remain available in the U.S. only through an Apple TV subscription. Formula 1 executives framed this as a value-add for subscribers, who will receive both Apple TV and F1 content at a reduced monthly rate.
Apple TV has historically offered limited sports programming. Since 2022, it has streamed two regular-season “Friday Night Baseball” games each week through its MLB partnership. In 2023, it introduced the “MLS Season Pass” as part of a ten-year agreement with Major League Soccer.
Looking forward, Apple intends to pursue additional sports rights, but Cue stressed that any future deals must allow the company to bring something “unique and special” to its production and presentation of live events. He noted that Apple has the financial strength to make bold moves in the sector, reporting a net income of $23.4 billion for the June quarter and holding $55.4 billion in cash and equivalents as of midyear.
ESPN, which is owned by Disney, chose not to bid on renewing its F1 rights beyond 2025. Domenicali acknowledged ESPN’s role in helping grow the sport’s popularity in the U.S., thanking the network for its support during a period when few were willing to invest. Formula 1, now owned by Liberty Media following a $4.4 billion acquisition in 2017, has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, with its U.S. fan base reaching 52 million in 2024.
![Sparks fly behind Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 car during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore on Oct. 4, 2025]
(Source: Variety)
