Overview
- The agreement begins in 2026 and ends ESPN’s run since 2017, making Apple the exclusive U.S. home for all practice, qualifying, Sprint and Grand Prix sessions.
- Access will be through Apple’s $12.99-per-month streaming service, and some events at launch will stream in front of the paywall, according to F1’s Ian Holmes.
- Variety reports Apple will pay roughly $150 million per year for the rights, valuing the deal at about $750 million over five years.
- F1 held talks with Netflix but rejected splitting rights, opting for a single-package approach as Holmes described the Apple deal as better suited to the sport’s limited live inventory.
- Executives tout Apple’s reach and promotion across its ecosystem as a growth catalyst, while industry peers cite recent gains tied to stable media homes, even as fans voice concerns about another subscription paywall.