Formula 1 inked a five-year US TV rights pact with Apple, bringing an end to the ESPN era from 2026
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL NEW | Oct 17, 2025, 22:33 IST
Formula 1 and Apple have inked a five-year exclusive broadcast agreement in the United States beginning in 2026, replacing ESPN. The deal—reported to be worth about $140 million annually—will deliver all race weekends via Apple TV, integrating F1 into Apple’s broader digital ecosystem. The move follows the global success of F1: The Movie and aligns with shifting fan demographics revealed in the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey.
TL;DR
From 2026, Apple will be the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for Formula 1 under a five-year deal, replacing ESPN. Reported at roughly $140 million per year, the agreement brings all Grand Prix weekends to Apple TV and reinforces F1’s push into a younger, more digital U.S. audience, following the strong box office performance of F1: The Movie and insights from a global fan survey.
Formula 1 and Apple have formalised a five-year agreement, making Apple the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of F1 beginning in 2026, ending ESPN’s tenure as rights holder. The arrangement, reported by Reuters to be worth $140 million per year, will deliver all Grand Prix race weekends via Apple TV, including practice, qualifying, sprint, and race sessions.
Under the agreement, Apple will not only stream full race weekends to subscribers but also make select content—including some races and practice sessions—available freely through the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium, the league’s own streaming service, will be folded into or accessed via Apple TV for U.S. viewers.
Strategic Shift in U.S. Market
The decision marks a major shift for F1 in the U.S., built on momentum from its growing popularity and Apple’s ability to reach audiences through its ecosystem of apps. Apple plans to amplify coverage using Apple News, Maps, Music, Fitness+, and a dedicated Apple Sports app with real-time updates and leaderboards.
At the announcement, Apple executive Eddy Cue and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali emphasized that the partnership is rooted in shared goals: expanding the sport’s reach in the U.S. and connecting with younger, digitally native audiences.
From ESPN to Apple: Value and Terms
Since 2018, ESPN has been the holder of the U.S. broadcast rights. Its current contract is estimated at around $85–90 million annually. In contrast, Apple’s reported $140 million per year represents a significant leap and underscores the platform’s willingness to invest aggressively in live sports.
Earlier in 2025, reports emerged that Apple had submitted bids of at least $150 million per year for the U.S. rights, a figure that far eclipsed ESPN’s offer and signaled its determination to win the contract. Industry commentators widely viewed ESPN as unlikely to match the bid.
Connection to F1: The Movie Success
The Apple–F1 deal follows the commercial triumph of F1: The Movie, which grossed $629 million globally—becoming the highest-grossing auto racing film to date and the most successful release to date for Apple Studios. The film’s reception is viewed as a strategic springboard that increased mainstream interest in the sport and elevated Apple’s position as a media partner.
Audience Trends and Survey Insights
Central to the rationale behind this deal are evolving fan demographics. The 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, which was done by Formula 1 and Motorsport Network, suggests that Gen Z, females, and the U.S. public are the main drivers of growth. The survey respondents revealed that women take up an incredibly large portion of the new fans: approximately 75 percent of the new fans are females. Also noteworthy: nearly 73 percent of U.S. F1 fans plan to attend a race in the future, and 37 percent have already purchased F1 merchandise.
Separately, Nielsen Sports recently reported that the global F1 fanbase has grown to 826.5 million—an increase of about 90 million over 2023. In the United States specifically, fandom expanded by roughly 10.5 percent year over year.
Questions Ahead
Nonetheless, critical questions arise: in what manner the cost of subscriptions and user experience will be organized, is it going to be the case that F1 will continue to back its standalone F1 TV product, and how much of Apple’s integration of additional content (documents, behind-the-scenes parking, and interactive features) will be?). Some industry insiders have said that F1 is planning to keep F1 TV access for users in the U.S. as part of the new deal.
Furthermore, as Apple takes over the control of the broadcast, the sufficiency of its sports strategy will be evaluated very closely—one that is taking care of exclusivity, monetization, and access to the fans all at the same time.
The U.S. viewers and industry onlookers will be monitoring the situation very closely as the transition takes place: the broadcasting of Formula 1 in America has just started a new chapter.
FAQs
From 2026, Apple will be the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for Formula 1 under a five-year deal, replacing ESPN. Reported at roughly $140 million per year, the agreement brings all Grand Prix weekends to Apple TV and reinforces F1’s push into a younger, more digital U.S. audience, following the strong box office performance of F1: The Movie and insights from a global fan survey.
Formula 1 and Apple have formalised a five-year agreement, making Apple the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of F1 beginning in 2026, ending ESPN’s tenure as rights holder. The arrangement, reported by Reuters to be worth $140 million per year, will deliver all Grand Prix race weekends via Apple TV, including practice, qualifying, sprint, and race sessions.
Under the agreement, Apple will not only stream full race weekends to subscribers but also make select content—including some races and practice sessions—available freely through the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium, the league’s own streaming service, will be folded into or accessed via Apple TV for U.S. viewers.
Strategic Shift in U.S. Market
The decision marks a major shift for F1 in the U.S., built on momentum from its growing popularity and Apple’s ability to reach audiences through its ecosystem of apps. Apple plans to amplify coverage using Apple News, Maps, Music, Fitness+, and a dedicated Apple Sports app with real-time updates and leaderboards.
At the announcement, Apple executive Eddy Cue and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali emphasized that the partnership is rooted in shared goals: expanding the sport’s reach in the U.S. and connecting with younger, digitally native audiences.
From ESPN to Apple: Value and Terms
Since 2018, ESPN has been the holder of the U.S. broadcast rights. Its current contract is estimated at around $85–90 million annually. In contrast, Apple’s reported $140 million per year represents a significant leap and underscores the platform’s willingness to invest aggressively in live sports.
Earlier in 2025, reports emerged that Apple had submitted bids of at least $150 million per year for the U.S. rights, a figure that far eclipsed ESPN’s offer and signaled its determination to win the contract. Industry commentators widely viewed ESPN as unlikely to match the bid.
Connection to F1: The Movie Success
The Apple–F1 deal follows the commercial triumph of F1: The Movie, which grossed $629 million globally—becoming the highest-grossing auto racing film to date and the most successful release to date for Apple Studios. The film’s reception is viewed as a strategic springboard that increased mainstream interest in the sport and elevated Apple’s position as a media partner.
Audience Trends and Survey Insights
Central to the rationale behind this deal are evolving fan demographics. The 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, which was done by Formula 1 and Motorsport Network, suggests that Gen Z, females, and the U.S. public are the main drivers of growth. The survey respondents revealed that women take up an incredibly large portion of the new fans: approximately 75 percent of the new fans are females. Also noteworthy: nearly 73 percent of U.S. F1 fans plan to attend a race in the future, and 37 percent have already purchased F1 merchandise.
Separately, Nielsen Sports recently reported that the global F1 fanbase has grown to 826.5 million—an increase of about 90 million over 2023. In the United States specifically, fandom expanded by roughly 10.5 percent year over year.
Questions Ahead
Nonetheless, critical questions arise: in what manner the cost of subscriptions and user experience will be organized, is it going to be the case that F1 will continue to back its standalone F1 TV product, and how much of Apple’s integration of additional content (documents, behind-the-scenes parking, and interactive features) will be?). Some industry insiders have said that F1 is planning to keep F1 TV access for users in the U.S. as part of the new deal.
Furthermore, as Apple takes over the control of the broadcast, the sufficiency of its sports strategy will be evaluated very closely—one that is taking care of exclusivity, monetization, and access to the fans all at the same time.
The U.S. viewers and industry onlookers will be monitoring the situation very closely as the transition takes place: the broadcasting of Formula 1 in America has just started a new chapter.
FAQs
- What kind of content will Apple broadcasting?
Apple will broadcast through live streaming all the events of a race weekend—practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and races of the Grand Prix. Some races and practice sessions may be available for free through the Apple TV app. - How much is the deal worth?
The deal has been called a yearly $140 million approximate one. The earlier reports had already suggested the possible bids to be $150 million annually. - What is the fate of ESPN’s coverage?
The deal will mark the end of the role of ESPN as F1’s U.S. broadcaster thanks to the agreement. ESPN has been the broadcaster since 2018.