How Apple TV deal helps F1 tap into US sports culture

Formula 1's Apple TV deal is just the beginning of a long-term aim to become part of US sports culture, says F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, as he evaluates replicating the deal in other territories and mulls over the prospect of competing with the country's biggest stick and ball sports.

F1's landmark five-year deal with the US tech giant which started this season, understood to be worth north of $140m per annum, follows on the heels of Apple's F1 movie blockbuster as the series aims to capitalise on unprecedented growth in North America across the past decade.

While removing F1 from free-to-air television would be expected to sting in the short term, Apple TV chief Eddy Cue told reporters that viewership of the season opening Australian Grand Prix was up year-on-year, a race that drew 1.1 million viewers on ESPN in 2025. And although Apple never tends to reveal audience figures, the deal goes far beyond media rights alone.

"Despite the very unfriendly [timezones] of racing, the Apple coverage has been very, very positive,” Domenicali told Motorsport.com. "We are extremely happy with the way that Apple is promoted."

But by growing F1 in the US, the championship will inevitably face the conundrum of whether or not it wants to go up against the behemoth that is the NFL, which dominates TV programming.

IndyCar has long been reluctant to try, deciding to curtail its season in September right before the NFL campaign starts - so would F1 be willing to do something different?

IndyCar race start

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

The answer is complicated because of the intricate logistics of putting together an F1 calendar that works for a worldwide fanbase. The timing of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which falls very late on the US east coast and early in the European morning, shows how difficult an exercise it is for F1 to have its cake and eat it too.

"I think that is a relevant question. We know that you cannot defeat the NFL in prime time or on certain days of games because it's too big," Domenicali acknowledged.

"We are not blind to that. We are not stupid enough to be at the same time on the same day with the NFL or big games on the NBA too.

"But we are a worldwide sport, we need to protect our own business. We cannot change too many things because we have to take care of all our interests across the world. To organise a calendar is the most difficult thing that you have to do.

"Definitely, the more we are able to be not in the same spot at the same time, the better it is, there's no doubt. But we have certain complexities to consider. Of course, the stronger we are, the more we are able to be close together with the other games."

Can Apple TV be a blueprint for other markets?

As soon as the Apple TV deal was announced, speculation was rife of the streaming model being replicated outside of the US.

Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1

Photo by: Motorsport Network

But according to Domenicali, every market has to be judged on its own needs and requirements, so what works in the well established North American streaming market doesn't necessarily play elsewhere.

The leverage Apple has in the US is not as strong as in some of F1's other key markets, where legacy broadcasters have built up a long-term relationship with the series and its domestic fans.

"There are different ways to promote the sport, different ways to live the sport, through social media, through a live feed that is either broadcast in a sort of traditional way or in a streaming way," Domenicali explained.

"Every country has a different speed in terms of [streaming] being the right platform to develop the sport, but I would say the decision to go with the streaming in the US has been very thoughtful because that's a market that is the most mature.”