#usf1

It's not over.

Apple is poised to redefine how Americans watch Formula 1. In a bold move, the tech giant has secured a five-year, $700 million deal to take over U.S. streaming rights starting in 2026, replacing ESPN as F1’s American media partner. The shift signals a new era of sports broadcasting, merging elite motorsports with Apple’s ecosystem—and putting the spotlight firmly on how much a modern sports channel experience is evolving.

A Streaming Giant Takes Over the Grid

The deal grants Apple exclusive U.S. streaming rights for all Formula 1 content: practice sessions, qualifying, Sprint races, and Grands Prix. Current fans accustomed to watching on ESPN will likely need to pivot to Apple TV’s platform when the agreement kicks in. Some races and all practices will be available for free in the Apple TV app, while full access comes via subscription.

This isn’t Apple’s first foray into sports. It already has stakes in Major League Soccer and Friday Night Baseball, and this acquisition adds high-speed motorsport to its portfolio. The move underscores the growing competition for live sports rights among streaming platforms, where securing marquee content becomes a differentiator.

Why $700 Million? The Value Behind the Numbers

Reports suggest Apple is paying roughly $140 million per year under the deal, which outpaces ESPN’s previous rights fee, estimated at $85–$90 million annually. The bump reflects not just the rising value of premium live content but also F1’s surging popularity in the U.S. over recent seasons.

Part of Apple’s pitch is synergy: the company intends to weave F1 content across its services—News, Maps, Music, Fitness+, and its Apple Sports app. Real-time leaderboards, live updates, standings, and interactive widgets are expected to enhance the viewing experience beyond a simple broadcast.

What Changes for Fans & the F1 Ecosystem

Fans will face both changes and opportunities. On one hand, the shift may break habits. Viewers used to tuning in via cable, traditional TVs, or ESPN’s platforms will now need to embrace streaming. On the other hand, Apple’s deep resources could amplify F1’s reach in the U.S., drawing in new fans and younger audiences.

F1’s leadership has expressed enthusiasm: they see the deal as an opportunity to grow the sport’s cultural relevance in America. With Apple’s devices already ubiquitous in many households, bringing F1 into that ecosystem is a strategic play. For broadcasters and legacy networks, it also signals that the cost of staying out of premium streaming rights may be steep.

Challenges, Risks & Power Plays

Transitioning to an exclusively streaming model doesn’t come without hurdles. Apple must ensure smooth live delivery, low latency, reliable access across devices, and robust infrastructure for peak demand. Any technical failures will draw heavy scrutiny from fans accustomed to instant race coverage.

Another challenge lies in metrics and accountability. Apple TV isn’t rated by traditional television audience measurement tools like Nielsen, which complicates how viewership will be tracked and reported. Will Apple disclose granular race-by-race numbers? So far, executives have remained noncommittal.

ESPN, meanwhile, has acknowledged its exit from F1 coverage, offering praise for the years of partnership. The departure underscores shifting media strategies and the growing tilt toward streaming over linear sports channels.

What This Means for the Future of Sports Broadcasting

Apple’s entry into major live sports rights is not just about F1—it’s a statement about where media consumption is headed. As more fans expect personalized, cross-platform engagement, legacy sports channel models must adapt or lose relevance. The traditional cable networks may feel the pressure as streaming players chase premium content to anchor subscriptions.

For Formula 1, this deal could mark a turning point in its U.S. trajectory. By placing itself in the Apple ecosystem, F1 gains not just a broadcaster but a tech partner capable of innovating how racing is consumed. For viewers, the race isn’t just on track—it’s in how seamlessly, engagingly, and accessibly fans get to see it, and how the sports channel narrative evolves beyond traditional networks. Every season from 2026 onward will be watched for more than checkered flags—it will be watched for how this new streaming frontier performs under pressure.

The whole notion of signing new teams up for the series in 2009-10 was part of a cost-cutting scheme that was never implemented; the testing bans and development freezes were really only half-measures, and with the failure of HRT in 2012, the (at least temporary) closures of Caterham and Marussia, and the precarious state over the last few seasons of Lotus and Sauber, this should be obvious.

Formula One is broken, and there are two solutions that I see:

Move to three-car teams, ensuring that even if the field consists solely of big-spending factory teams, at least there will be a decent grid, or

Install significant financial reforms in Formula One. Is enough being done to cut costs in the sport? And for that matter, for all the exotic locales and petrodollars coming into the sport for to going places like Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Russia, etc., how much is going to the teams vs. how much is going to FOM?

Peter's personal blog, he is an absolute wealth a knowledge well worth spending some time to read the articles, the historical ones are the best.