Apple has secured exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 races in the United States, adding to its sports streaming lineup that already includes Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball.
The iPhone maker has reached a five-year deal, starting in 2026, with F1 owner Liberty Media, according to a statement released on Friday. Disney’s ESPN was the F1 broadcaster in the USA. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple, which will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the US with the right content and innovative distribution channels,” said F1 President Stefano Domenicali.
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The deal comes on the heels of the theatrical release in June of the film “F1,” starring Brad Pitt. The film, which has grossed nearly $630 million to date, according to F1, will be available for streaming on Apple TV on December 12. The sport has also grown in popularity in the US due to the Netflix series “Drive to Survive”.
“We’re excited to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, in the release.
Apple has secured the rights to stream Major League Baseball games on Friday nights in 2022 in its first foray into live sports streaming. Shortly after, it also won long-term rights to broadcast MLS matches.
More broadly, services have become a vital source of growth for the Cupertino, California-based technology giant. They accounted for 28% of revenue in the most recent quarter, up from less than 10% a decade ago.
© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.
