Apple is in talks to acquire US streaming rights to Formula 1, according to the Financial Times. The deal would start with the 2026 season, replacing ESPN, whose current agreement expires at the end of this year. ESPN had an exclusive window to renew but let it lapse, citing rising costs. The rights are now open to competitive bidding, with Apple among the frontrunners.
Apple’s interest isn’t coming out of nowhere. The company has shown increasing visibility in the F1 ecosystem, with executives regularly attending races and investing in related content. Its first major F1-related project, F1: The Movie, has generated over $300 million at the global box office, and a Lewis Hamilton documentary is in the pipeline for Apple TV+. The move into live race coverage would be a natural next step.
F1’s current US deal is worth around $90 million annually. New estimates suggest the next deal could climb to between $120 million and $150 million per year, driven by a surge in US popularity. That’s well within Apple’s financial comfort zone. It already holds streaming rights for Major League Baseball’s Friday Night Baseball and has gone all-in with Major League Soccer, making every game available exclusively on the Apple TV app.
What’s unclear is how F1’s direct-to-consumer service, F1 TV, would fit into Apple’s strategy. Priced at about $130 annually, F1 TV offers fans live and on-demand coverage. In several international markets, the service is geo-blocked where exclusive broadcast deals exist. Apple would likely seek similar exclusivity in the US, especially if it’s spending over $100 million a year for the rights.
ESPN remains in contention, but the dynamics have shifted. Since 2018, US viewership of F1 races on ESPN has doubled, and the league has expanded its presence with races in Miami and Las Vegas. But Apple’s deep pockets and cross-platform strategy give it a strong position in the bidding.
Apple’s approach to live sports has been slow but strategic. It’s not chasing everything. It’s choosing rights that align with its broader content ecosystem and cultural footprint. F1 offers both global appeal and rising US relevance. It’s the kind of premium sports property that fits perfectly within Apple’s curated portfolio.
If Apple wins the rights, it would not only disrupt ESPN’s hold on a rapidly growing sport but also accelerate the shift of high-value sports content into streaming-first environments. For Apple, it’s another calculated step into a category that’s becoming a defining battleground in the streaming wars.
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