Neither F1 nor Apple have disclosed the financial terms of the deal but reports are around a $140 million annual fee figure
Formula 1 has confirmed a five-year partnership with Apple that will make Apple the sport’s exclusive broadcast partner in the US from the 2026 season.
Under the agreement announced today (October 17), all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grands Prix will stream on Apple TV. F1 says all practice sessions and a selection of races will also be available free to watch in the Apple TV app. F1 TV Premium will continue in the US but will be delivered via Apple TV and included for Apple TV subscribers, according to the announcement.
The move ends F1’s current arrangement with ESPN after 2025 and represents Apple’s most significant motorsport play to date following its MLS Season Pass and MLB packages.
Neither party disclosed financial terms, but multiple outlets report an annual fee of about $140 million, exceeding ESPN’s current rights value.
Announcing the deal, Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the tie-up would “maximise our growth potential in the US with the right content and innovative distribution channels,” adding that the partnership builds on the three-year collaboration around F1 The Movie.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue said Apple would “deliver premium and innovative fan-first coverage” during what he called a “transformative new era” for F1 in 2026, when new technical regulations take effect.
Apple and F1 indicated the partnership will be amplified across Apple’s wider ecosystem, including Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Sports and Apple Fitness+, with further production and product details to be announced in the coming months.
The deal follows the strong box-office performance of Apple Original Films’ F1 The Movie, which F1 and Apple cite as evidence of broader audience reach. F1 also points to its 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey showing a growing US fanbase that skews younger and more female, aligning with Apple’s distribution ambitions.
Key questions such as full pricing, the exact number of free-to-air windows, and Spanish-language and linear carriage were not addressed in today’s releases.
Both sides said more information will follow.
