AppleTV is the exclusive home for F1 in 2026: What does that mean?
In 2026 Formula One isn’t just evolving on track, it’s evolving on screen too. As AppleTv+ becomes the exclusive home of F1 in the United States.
This new deal marks the end of ESPNs 8 consecutive seasons of exclusive broadcasting in the US. The 5 year deal is worth $750 million, a significant increase from ESPNs prior $90 million per year fee.
The Business of F1 Media Rights
Media rights have become the most valuable asset across modern sports and F1 is no different. By selling their broadcasting rights Liberty media has been able to expand globally and grow financially.
Importantly, the US market now sits as the center of their expansion strategy. Over the past decade, the sport has seen massive growth in American viewership, fueled in part by Formula 1: Drive to Survive and the addition of races in cities like Miami and Las Vegas.
Why Apple?
This deal follows Apple’s $350 Million investment into F1: The movie which has since become one of the most successful sports movies of all time, generating over $600 Million in the box office. Additionally, for Apple, the move into the live production side of Formula 1 isn’t just on a wim, it’s strategic as sports is one of the few things audiences still consume in real time.
Over the past few years they’ve began increasing their investment in life sports such as Major League Soccer (MLS). But Apple didn’t just acquire broadcasting rights, it built an entire ecosystem around the MLS, from production to distribution.
Unlike traditional broadcasters, Apple can control production quality, and user experience all in one place. From multi-angle viewing and real-time data overlays to seamless integration across devices, Apple has the ability to redefine how fans experience race weekends.
What This Means For Fans
For fans who previously watched races on ESPN this shift will have pros and cons.
The pros, a better viewing experience with mult-cam and data overlays. The cons, races are now behind a $12.99 per month paywall which may lead casual fans to drop off.
On the other hand, for fans who previously watched races on F1TV the transition will likely be much smoother. Press releases from both Apple and F1 seem to indicate that F1 on AppleTv+ will have a very similar look and feel to F1TV.
PR Communications Angle
For F1 a new platform also means a new messaging strategy as streaming platforms allow for more personality, experimentation, and niche storytelling.
For it’s teams and drivers this now means they must maintain visibility outside of the paywalled system and ensure that they’re content is still engaging for fans who may not be able to watch the races live.
