Apple has big plans for its F1 streaming service. Image source: Apple
Apple and Formula 1 executives say streaming races on Apple TV has boosted viewership and engagement in the United States, alleviating fears that the move from ESPN would drive away fans.
Derek Chang, CEO of Liberty Media, said Formula 1 did not face the “backlash” feared by executives after US broadcast rights moved to Apple TV in 2026. Chang reported stronger engagement, higher viewership and positive consumer response in the first few race weekends, despite the transition from traditional cable distribution.
“Early results have been promising,” Chang said in a conference call with Wall Street analysts. He credited Apple’s “technology platform” and new visualization tools, including multi-view presentations, data feeds and in-car camera features, for helping to create a more immersive Formula 1 experience.
The comments come just months after Apple replaced ESPN as the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of Formula 1 in a five-year deal worth between $140 million and $160 million a year.
Apple’s deal marked one of the most aggressive sports rights campaigns in the company’s history. Alongside live racing coverage, the company is committed to promoting Formula 1 across Apple News, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, retail stores and other services within its ecosystem.
Chang said Apple was using its retail stores, apps and services to heavily promote Formula 1 around the Miami Grand Prix through nationwide Apple Store campaigns, Apple Maps racing integrations and new race weekend programming. Apple turned the Miami event into a company-wide marketing campaign across several of its largest consumer platforms.
Formula 1’s younger audience aligns with Apple’s strategy
Formula 1 executives say Apple’s platform is helping the sport attract younger viewers and more women in the United States. Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang said Apple’s reach was already attracting “a younger, more female audience” as the company expands Formula 1 across its entire ecosystem.
CEO Stefano Domenicali said women now make up about 40% of the sport’s fans in the United States. Demographic change has become a crucial aspect of Formula 1’s growth strategy in the United States.
Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” helped propel Formula 1 beyond its traditional motorsport audience and accelerate the sport’s growth among younger American viewers. Reuters reported that 47% of new American Formula 1 fans are between the ages of 18 and 24, and that women now make up more than half of these new fans.
Formula 1’s global audience and strong engagement across mobile devices, streaming platforms and social media make it a natural fit for Apple’s ecosystem-focused services business.
Apple bets that streaming can further develop Formula 1
Apple has already deeply integrated Formula 1 into its entertainment strategy. The company produced the Brad Pitt-directed “F1” film before securing U.S. broadcast rights, creating an unusually close link between sports media coverage and Apple’s content business. Apple has also expanded the movie to make it an immersive experience for Apple Vision Pro users.
The broader question surrounding the deal was never whether Apple could improve the visual experience. Critics have instead questioned whether moving Formula 1 behind a streaming paywall could limit casual audience growth relative to ESPN’s traditional television reach.
ESPN’s final Formula 1 season averaged approximately 1.3 million viewers per race across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, the highest U.S. audience average in the sport’s history.
Formula 1 executives believe Apple’s ecosystem could reach more people than cable TV because it can market the sport across multiple products and services at once. Domenicali said Apple’s platform gives Formula 1 “a more dynamic way to experience our sport.”
The first results, however, remain limited. The 2026 season has only four races and executives acknowledged that the first three events were held in Australia and Asia at difficult viewing times for American audiences.
That makes Miami the first major U.S. test of the new partnership.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said on May 1 that TV audience growth remains Formula 1’s next major challenge in the United States, despite the sport’s recent momentum.
“I think the TV ratings are still relatively low compared to NFLs around the world,” Brown said at an Autosport Business Exchange event in Miami.
Apple executives appear determined to treat Formula 1 as a long-term investment rather than a short-term media acquisition. Domenicali said Eddy Cue attended the Miami Grand Prix and described Apple as being “full” in the partnership.
Cue also referred to Apple’s new CEO John Ternus as a motorsport enthusiast who supports the company’s Formula 1 ambitions. Apple’s long-term interest in Formula 1 became more visible after Eddy Cue discussed possible future expansion related to the sport and the success of Apple’s F1 strategy.
Formula 1 is becoming more than a standalone sports rights deal for Apple, as the company becomes more invested in live sports on Apple TV. Apple already uses MLS Season Pass and Friday Night Baseball to drive subscriptions, and Formula 1 adds a globally recognized sport with a younger audience and year-round reach.
Apple has also expanded sports streaming to restaurants and bars while ramping up its live sports strategy.
It is unclear whether this strategy can expand Formula 1 beyond its niche in the United States. Early engagement metrics are strong, but the biggest test will come over a full season as Apple attempts to convert casual viewers into long-term subscribers without the exposure advantage of ESPN.