Apple officially announces F1 deal
Apple officially announces F1 deal
The company will pay nearly $150 million per season, and will stream all races on Apple TV.
Apple is revving up its sports offerings in 2026. That fact became official on Friday morning, when Apple and Formula 1 announced a deal that will see every single F1 race stream on the Apple TV streaming service starting next year. The deal brings another major sport to Apple TV, as well as its new bundle with the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock.
Key Details:
- Start to finish: Apple TV will offer coverage of practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grand Prix races.
- Some races free: Apple will provide a selection of races free through the Apple TV app.
- Middle ground: F1 TV Premium will still be available, but will require an Apple TV subscription.
Apple will pay $140 million per season to stream F1 races for five years on Apple TV. The streamer will provide comprehensive coverage of these races, including practice and qualifying laps, sprint sessions, and, of course, the Grand Prix races themselves.
Viewers will be able to watch all of this content as part of their subscription, which costs $13 per month and streams without ads. Unlike Apple’s sweeping deal with Major League Soccer, there will not be any need to sign up for a new streaming service to watch all of the F1 content. Apple also says that some races and practice sessions will be available for free via the Apple TV app throughout the season.
One sticking point in the deal had been the fate of F1 TV, the streaming platform operated by Formula 1 that offers live races and other content in the United States. That issue has been solved; F1 TV will continue to exist within the Apple TV service. Customers will now need an Apple TV subscription to use it, but once they have that, all the features of F1 TV will be available at no extra cost. Currently, subscriptions to the service can run from $30 to $130 per year.
“This is an incredibly exciting partnership for Apple and the whole of Formula 1 that will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the U.S.,” F1 president Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.
The writing has been on the wall for a deal between F1 and Apple for some time. Earlier in October, reports indicated that the agreement was all but done, and that the two sides were preparing to announce it at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, TX this weekend. It appears the two sides were too revved up to wait.
The addition of F1 to Apple TV means it will also join the new bundle with Peacock, which was announced on Thursday. This package starts at $20 per month and will include NASCAR Cup Series races provided by Peacock, as well as every F1 race for motorsports fans.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.