Apple Expands into Live Sports with New Formula 1 Partnership

Apple and Formula 1 have annocued that they have a five-year partnership, bringing all F1 races exclusively to Apple TV in the U.S. beginning next year. The deal also extends beyond races, including practice, qualifying, and Sprint sessions. It was built on Apple’s growing relationship with Formula 1, following the success of the F1 The Movie, Apple’s highest-grossing sports film ever.

The new streaming experience will include: full race coverage, free access to select races and practice sessions, all in the Apple TV app. This is a cross-platform expansion with other Apple apps like Apple News, Maps, Music, and Fitness+, which have been featuring F1-related content. The Apple Sports app will also now show live updates, standings, and real-time race tracking through Widgets on the iPhone and Live Activities. The F1 TV Premiere still exists; it’s just now tied into Apple’s subscription model.

Both Eddy Cue from Apple and Stefano Domenicali from F1 talk about how this partnership focuses on innovation, growth, and fan experience. It helps F1’s reach in the U.S, which has seen audience growth, about 52million fans in 2024. The F1 The Movie’s success is a product of F1’s momentum in both entertainment and culture.

This move also fits into Apple’s bigger strategy since launching Apple TV+ in 2019. Making Apple TV have a large library with a mix of sports, entertainment, and original films. Appel Originals has actually had 629 wins and 2,845 award nominations to date. Apple may also see a long-term investment in the partnership with F1’s audience shifting to younger viewers, with nearly half of the new fans aged 18-24. Apple is betting on live sports, and F1 is betting big on digital streaming. Lets see how it goes!

Are you an F1 enthusiast? Do you believe Apple’s move was a good one? Will you give F1 a try on the Apple TV app? Let us know in the comments!

Source and Image: Apple