Formula 1 on Apple TV to Revolutionize Viewership

Formula 1 is about to get the biggest platform boost in its U.S. history. Starting with the 2026 season, Apple TV becomes the exclusive home for every practice, qualifying, sprint and Grand Prix in America. The numbers already tell a compelling story: even modest engagement from Apple’s subscriber base would push live viewership past the record ESPN set in its final year.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

A March 2025 report pegged Apple TV+ at 45 million subscribers. Apple executive Eddy Cue later confirmed the real figure is “significantly more.” Using the conservative 45 million baseline:

– 3% = 1.35 million viewers per race
– 4% = 1.8 million viewers per race

For context, ESPN’s 2025 season—F1’s most-watched on U.S. television ever—averaged 1.3 million viewers per race across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. That was a 20% increase from 2024 and a new all-time high. So 3% on Apple TV would already beat the record. Four percent would blow it out of the water.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali made the expectation crystal clear on February 23, 2026, at the Apple TV press day.

“Apple’s reach through its streaming and connectivity platforms will be bigger for Formula 1 in the future than ESPN’s was.”

He repeated the point in multiple outlets: the U.S. streaming market is mature, Apple’s tools reach deeper into households than linear TV ever could, and the partnership is built to test exactly how far F1 can grow in America.

Why Apple changes the game

ESPN delivered strong live numbers, but once the checkered flag fell, the audience largely disappeared. Traditional cable doesn’t excel at on-demand or time-shifted viewing. Apple TV does the opposite.

Fans can:
– Watch races live in pristine 4K
– Pause, rewind, or catch up hours (or days) later
– Dive into full replays, onboard cameras, and extended highlights
– Access every session without flipping channels or hunting DVR recordings

Add in free access to select practice sessions and qualifying in the Apple TV app, seamless integration with F1 TV Premium, and promotion across Apple News, Apple Sports, Apple Maps, Apple Music and Apple Fitness+, and the total addressable audience expands dramatically.

Domenicali’s vision is even bolder. He wants F1 to sit alongside the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and MLS as part of everyday American sports conversation.

“I always said to Eddy, we have a dream that is more than a dream—it’s an obligation to our fans to develop the sport, to make sure that F1 is becoming a part of the culture here in the United States.”

The demographics are already shifting in F1’s favor: the U.S. audience is younger, more diverse, and nearly 40% female. Apple’s user base—tech-forward, affluent, and global—aligns perfectly with that growth curve.

Low bar, massive upside

Three percent isn’t a stretch. It’s the floor. With Apple’s marketing muscle, the halo effect of premium original programming, and the sport’s surging popularity (fueled in part by the success of “Drive to Survive” and the upcoming F1 feature film), many analysts expect engagement to land well above that mark.

Even at 3%, U.S. live viewership sets a new record. At 5–6%, F1 becomes a legitimate primetime player on the level of major U.S. sports leagues. And because Apple measures success in total engagement hours, not just peak linear ratings, every replay, every highlight clip and every new fan converted counts.

The 2025 ESPN season proved F1 has momentum in America. The 2026 Apple TV season has the potential to turn that momentum into a full-scale explosion.

If just 3% of subscribers watch, TV viewership will already be up.

And nobody at Apple or Formula 1 expects it to stop at 3%.