Apple rival ESPN in the US after success of F1 movie

Apple is poised to bid for streaming rights to Formula 1 in the US following the early success of F1: The Movie.

Apple Original Films was behind the Brad Pitt-starrer movie on modern day grand prix racing, which hit theatres late last month and grossed over $300 million in its first two weeks, becoming the most successful movie for the studio.

Now, the tech giant is seeking to extend its involvement in F1 and bid for the US broadcasting rights from 2026, according to the Financial Times.

ESPN, now owned by Disney, has been Formula 1’s official US broadcaster since 2018 and is currently paying around $85 million per year under its existing deal.

That agreement granted ESPN an exclusive negotiation window to extend the rights, but that period has now expired, opening the door to rival bidders.

Apple has already entered discussions with F1, although no decision has been made and ESPN remains in contention to retain the rights.

Should Apple win the bid, F1 races would be streamed on its streaming platform, Apple TV+.

Apple has made significant moves into live sports broadcasting in recent years, including a 10-year-old $2.5 billion deal to stream Major League Soccer from 2023. It also holds rights to air select Major League Baseball games on Friday nights.

According to Citi estimates, F1’s US broadcast rights could rise to $121 million annually, a near 50% increase over ESPN’s current outlay.

F1’s US audience has grown significantly under Liberty Media’s ownership, with average viewership per race doubling from 554,000 in 2018 to 1.1 million in 2023. That number has climbed further to 1.3 million across the first 10 races of 2025, with several rounds posting record highs.