F1 on Apple's streaming platform: free events and a big sign

After years of ESPN holding the broadcast rights for Formula 1 in the US, the competition will move to Apple TV for the upcoming season, beginning on 12 December 2025.

F1 becomes the third headline product for the company after Major League Soccer (MLS) and Friday night Major League Baseball games (MLB).

Apple’s competitors are also investing in sporting events. Netflix holds broadcasting rights to select events, including NFL games and the ongoing Six Kings Slam in tennis, while Disney+ streams UEFA Women’s Champions League matches depending on your region.

Formula 1 was relatively quick to recognize the importance of streaming, launching F1 TV back in 2018, although it's not available in every country. Among the top five football leagues and the UEFA Champions League, none had their own streaming platform, except for France’s Ligue 1, which launched one as it struggles to sell broadcasting rights.

Of course, broadcast rights differ from country to country, but this model is common in US sports, such as the NFL Game Pass, NBA League Pass, and MLB.tv.

Now, streaming platforms are acquiring these products, with NFL’s international rights moving to DAZN, Apple TV holding the MLS Season Pass, and soon, F1 TV joining the lineup.

American fans with Apple TV subscriptions will have access to all events, with select weekends and practice sessions available for free.

F1 is on the rise thanks to 'Drive to Survive' and 'F1: The Movie.' Therefore, it’s the perfect moment to negotiate. With the regulation change ahead and the series' growing popularity, F1 can be a flagship product.

Joining forces with Apple TV also makes sense for F1, given their existing relationship through the Lewis Hamilton co-produced F1 movie, as well as F1 TV being named 'Apple TV App of the Year' in 2024.

This is not what fans are used to yet in Europe, but the first signs are already emerging, with DAZN holding rights in Spain and Portugal. Streaming platforms are becoming major players in the battle for broadcasting rights against traditional networks, which are now trying to build their own platforms.

The streaming expansion has now reached F1 in the US, and they are likely ready to expand their portfolio globally as well.

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