Apple TV F1 streaming deal
Well, it’s official: Apple TV just pulled off one of its boldest streaming moves yet.
In a headline-grabbing deal reportedly worth a jaw-dropping $750 million, Apple has secured exclusive global streaming rights for Formula 1 races for the next five years. Yep — all the drama, speed, and champagne showers of F1 are headed straight to your Apple devices starting next season.
This is a huge win for Apple and a potentially seismic shift for sports broadcasting.
The Race to Own Sports Streaming Just Got Interesting
Let’s be real: Apple’s been dipping its toes into live sports for a while now — from Friday Night Baseball to Major League Soccer — but this F1 move feels like the company officially saying, “We’re not here to play around.”
Formula 1 isn’t just any sport. It’s a global spectacle with a fanbase that spans continents and cultures. Over the past few years, thanks in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive, F1 has become a full-blown pop culture obsession. From celebrity-studded paddocks to billion-dollar sponsorships, the sport has exploded in popularity — especially among younger audiences that Apple would love to keep glued to its ecosystem.
So, What’s Actually Included?
According to sources close to the deal, Apple TV will now hold exclusive streaming rights to every single Grand Prix race weekend — that means practice, qualifying, sprint races (if they stick around), and, of course, the main events.
It’s not yet clear if Apple will offer races as part of its base Apple TV+ subscription or if it’ll spin off a separate sports package (a la MLS Season Pass). Either way, this deal is designed to lock fans into Apple’s growing content universe — and it definitely raises the bar for competitors like Netflix, Amazon, and even ESPN.
Is This Good News for F1 Fans?
Honestly, it depends on where you’re watching from — and how much you’re willing to pay.
If you’re already living that Apple ecosystem life (iPhone, MacBook, Apple TV 4K, etc.), this might feel seamless. If you’re not, well… welcome to the paywall. While Apple hasn’t announced pricing or package details yet, there’s already chatter online about potential exclusivity concerns and accessibility for fans in regions where streaming infrastructure isn’t quite there yet.
But Apple being Apple, expect a very polished viewing experience. Think slick camera work, live stats, driver bios, behind-the-scenes features — maybe even some AR or Vision Pro integrations down the line? They didn’t drop three-quarters of a billion dollars just to slap a feed on screen.
A New Era for Sports Streaming?
Make no mistake, this isn’t just about F1. This is about the future of sports viewing in general. As traditional TV continues to lose ground, tech giants like Apple are reshaping how we consume live events. And with this deal, Apple just sent a loud, turbocharged message: they’re in it to win it.
Formula 1’s next chapter is officially streaming — and it’s brought to you by Cupertino.
