Apple Secures Exclusive 5-Year Deal to Stream Formula 1 Races on Apple TV in the U.S.
Apple has struck a major deal with Formula 1 to bring every race to Apple TV beginning in 2026.
The five-year agreement will make Apple TV the exclusive home of F1 coverage in the United States, marking another big step in Apple’s push into live sports streaming.
Starting with the 2026 season, Apple TV subscribers will be able to watch every Grand Prix, along with practice, qualifying, and Sprint sessions, all included in the standard $12.99 monthly plan.
The coverage will be ad-free. Some races and all practice sessions will also be free to watch in the Apple TV app during the season, according to the companies.
Formula 1 has a new home in the US. Watch every Grand Prix of the 2026 season live on Apple TV. Don’t miss it. pic.twitter.com/tgXI8NkGWe
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) October 17, 2025
The deal differs from Apple’s current setup with Major League Soccer. While Apple also has exclusive MLS rights, fans must pay extra for a separate “Season Pass.” Formula 1, however, will be part of the main Apple TV subscription, with no added fee.
Sources familiar with the deal say Apple will pay about $140 million per year for the rights. That’s a sharp increase from the roughly $85 million per year ESPN has been paying under its current contract, which ends after the 2025 season.
ESPN, the outgoing broadcaster, thanked F1 for their years of collaboration and said it looks forward to finishing its final season strongly. “We wish F1 well in the future,” the network said in a statement.
Formula 1’s own streaming service, F1 TV Premium, will remain available in the U.S. but will now be tied to an Apple TV subscription. Instead of paying separately, fans will access it through Apple TV as part of their plan.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, explained that Apple’s approach to sports isn’t about volume, but about control and quality. “We don’t have to do sports the way that they are,” Cue said at a motorsport business event in New York. “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.”
The new agreement follows the success of F1: The Movie, produced by Apple and starring Brad Pitt, which became the highest-grossing sports film of all time earlier this year. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali called the partnership “an incredibly exciting moment” that will help the sport continue to grow in the U.S.
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