Apple seals eyewatering $140m-a-year deal with Formula 1 to steal US TV rights away from ESPN

Formula One has a new home in America after Apple announced a new $140 million-a-year deal to broadcast the increasingly popular sport.

The landmark five-year deal, announced Friday morning at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, will see Apple pay significantly more than ESPN’s previous $90 million annual contract.

Apple’s deal will begin in 2026 and will also see a major change to technical regulations that will turn the sport upside down.

ESPN has been broadcasting F1 since 2018 and has experienced a huge increase in ratings following Covid and the popularity of Drive to Survive.

Races have averaged 1.4 million viewers on the Disney-owned channel in recent months, and an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement: ‘We are incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 have achieved together in the United States and look forward to finishing this final season strong. We wish F1 every success in the future.”

Increasingly popular with its viewers, ESPN does not broadcast the races, instead using the feed from Sky Sports UK and simulcasting it to its American viewers.

Apple already had one foot in F1 after producing the popular movie earlier this year.

Viewers in America also currently have the option to subscribe directly to F1TV’s race coverage, but it appears Apple’s deal will put an end to that.

The bombshell, big-money deal is Apple’s latest foray into sports, as they already hold the rights to Major League Soccer and MLB’s ‘Friday Night Baseball’.

Apple has a history with Formula 1, after the company’s Original Films produced the Hollywood blockbuster ‘F1: The Movie’, which starred Brad Pitt and was released earlier this year.

It quickly became the most successful sports film in history, grossing $630 million at the box office and proving the growing popularity of F1 in America.

F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali said in a statement: ‘This is an incredibly exciting partnership for both Formula 1 and Apple and will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the US with the right content and innovative distribution channels.

“We have spent the last three years working together to create F1 The Movie, which has proven to be a massive hit around the world. We have a shared vision to bring this great sport to our fans in the US and attract new fans with live broadcasts, engaging content and an approach that will keep them connected to the sport year-round.

‘I want to thank Tim Cook, Eddy Cue and the entire Apple team for their vision, enthusiasm and passion for making this partnership a reality, and we look forward to our next five years together.’

Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, added: ‘We’re excited to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the US front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet.

‘2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1, from new teams to new regulations and cars featuring the world’s best drivers, and we look forward to providing our customers with world-class and innovative fan-first coverage that only Apple can do.’

It looks like F1 TV’s existing Premium package will be included with Apple TV’s regular $12.99 monthly subscription starting in 2026 at no extra cost.

There are currently 24 races in the season in Formula 1, and an 11th team will be added to the grid in 2026 with America’s Cadillac F1 car.

The new General Motors team, with two drivers in Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, will join MoneyGram Haas F1, becoming the second US team on the grid and further increasing the interest of American audiences.

Haas currently sit ninth out of 10 teams in F1 and Cadillac is expected to be at the back of the field when it first joins the sport in March next year.