$700 Mn deal becomes inked as Apple secures F1's broadcasting rights in the United States

F1 has inked a whopping broadcasting (US) deal of 700Mn with Apple that will last for five years. In line with this, Apple will replace ESPN as the exclusive broadcasting partner and will pay $140 Mn per year from 2026 onwards.

The pinnacle of motorsport's broadcasting rights has been on the up in the last seven years. ESPN was initially allowed to broadcast the sport for free in the US in 2018; however, in the following year, it turned into 5Mn, and it kept on increasing to around 90 Mn. The recent Apple deal of 140 Mn is the highest it has been.

It has come to light via CNBC that, as per Apple's agreement with the sport, the former will provide coverage of all the important Formula 1 events (practice, qualifying, race, etc.) as part of the existing $12.99 subscription of Apple TV (ad-free). It has been further revealed that certain events (including the race and practice) will also be available for free from next year onwards.

Additionally, Formula 1's own platform (F1TV) will also continue to operate in the US, but will require an Apple TV subscription. As a person subscribes to Apple TV, F1TV Premium will be added to their Apple subscription rather than being provided as a separate offering.

"Incredible partnership": F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali on the mega Apple deal

Stefano Domenicali - Source: Getty

While Apple will be seen bringing smiles to the faces of the fans from 2026 with its exclusive Formula 1 content, on the occasion of the recent announcement, the sport's CEO Stefano Domenicali also expressed his thoughts.

In line with this, Domenicali deemed the partnership as 'incredible' and added the following via the sport's official website:

"This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple that will ensure we can continue to maximise our growth potential in the U.S. with the right content and innovative distribution channels. We are no strangers to each other, having spent the past three years working together to create F1 The Movie, which has already proven to be a huge hit around the world."

"We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked. I want to thank Tim Cook [Apple’s CEO], Eddy Cue [Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services], and the entire Apple team for their vision, enthusiasm and passionate approach to delivering this partnership."

Formula 1 currently hosts three Grand Prix events in the United States. The United States Grand Prix (Circuit of the Americas), Las Vegas Grand Prix (Las Vegas), and the Miami Grand Prix (Miami). In line with Apple's new deal, a few further announcements will be made in the coming months in regard to production and a few other things.