Formula 1 looks ready to move from ESPN to Apple’s streaming platform starting in 2026.
Puck’s Dylan Byers reports that Apple has offered Liberty Media $150 million per year for the U.S. streaming rights to F1, hitting the lower end of a previously reported $150–$200 million range. Meanwhile, Business Insider notes Apple is the front-runner in negotiations and that ESPN is unlikely to match the bid, which is nearly double ESPN’s current deal, estimated at around $85 million annually.
Byers confirmed Business Insider’s reporting that ESPN is unlikely to counter, clearly positioning Apple as the new home for F1 in America. In his write-up for Puck, Byers writes, “With ESPN unwilling to match Tim Cook and Eddy Cue’s offer, the U.S. rights to Formula One are almost certainly headed to Apple’s streamer.”
This would be Apple’s third major sports streaming deal, adding to its existing partnerships with Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball. The move also builds on Apple’s recent high-profile involvement in the sport, including the Brad Pitt-led F1 movie.
Formula 1’s American audience has surged in recent years, boosted by Netflix’s Drive to Survive docuseries. ESPN now averages about 1.3 million viewers per race, which is more than twice its 2018 numbers.
With Disney-owned ESPN stepping back and other potential bidders showing limited interest, all signs point to Apple as the next home for Formula 1 racing in the U.S.
As streaming continues to disrupt traditional TV, Apple continues to position itself as a major player. And while Apple
has yet to pursue NFL rights — the crown jewel of American sports broadcasting — this would mark a significant expansion of its sports streaming portfolio.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.