Apple and Formula 1 announced a landmark five-year media rights deal on Friday that will bring every F1 race to Apple TV starting in 2026. This new partnership means Apple TV will provide comprehensive coverage of all Formula 1 events, including practice sessions, qualifying, and Sprint races, all included in Apple TV’s existing $12.99 per month subscription — which is ad-free.
The companies also revealed that certain F1 races and all practice sessions will be available for free through the Apple TV app throughout the season. This approach differs from Apple’s previous partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS), where Apple TV holds exclusive rights to every MLS game but charges an additional fee through the MLS Season Pass.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is paying approximately $140 million per year for the F1 racing rights. This represents a significant increase compared to Disney’s ESPN, the current media partner for the league, which has been paying about $85 million per year on average. ESPN, in a statement, expressed pride in its collaboration with Formula 1 and wished the sport well for the future, while looking forward to a strong finish of the current season.
F1 TV Premium, the league’s direct-to-consumer content service that is popular among racing fans, will continue to be available in the U.S. However, from 2026 onward, it will require an Apple TV subscription. Subscribers to Apple TV will have F1 TV Premium included within their subscription, rather than as a separate standalone offering.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, spoke to CNBC about Apple’s evolving role in live sports. He emphasized that Apple seeks to enter sports broadcasting only when it can fully control the user experience. “We don’t have to do sports the way that they are,” Cue said at Motorsport Network’s Autosport Business Exchange in New York City. “There’s plenty of people doing that, so the world doesn’t need us to do that. And so our view around it is, if we can do something unique, then we’ll do it.”
Apple plans to announce additional production details and product enhancements for F1 fans in the coming months, aiming to deliver a fresh and engaging viewing experience.
This deal builds on Apple’s relationship with Formula 1 following the success of “F1: The Movie,” starring Brad Pitt, which became the highest-grossing sports movie of all time at the box office this year, according to Cue.
Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1’s president and CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “This is an incredibly exciting partnership for Apple and the whole of Formula 1 that will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the U.S.”
With this partnership, fans can look forward to a new era of Formula 1 coverage that combines Apple’s innovation with the excitement of one of the world’s premier motorsport leagues.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/17/apple-f1-media-deal-streaming.html