Apple TV's $750M F1 Bet Begins in Miami — And It's Bigger Than Streaming
F1 left ESPN. Apple is treating the Miami Grand Prix as a relaunch — IMAX screenings, Times Square watch parties, and a complete reinvention of how Americans watch racing.
For the first time since 2018, Formula 1 in the United States doesn't live on ESPN. It lives on Apple. And the way Apple is rolling out the Miami Grand Prix this weekend makes one thing very clear: this isn't a media-rights deal. It's a brand campaign that happens to include a sport.
The Deal
Apple's five-year exclusive U.S. deal is reportedly worth around $150 million per year. Every practice session, every qualifying, every Sprint, and every Grand Prix streams live on Apple TV. F1 TV Premium — the league's own deep-cut subscription product — comes bundled in. And select races, including all practice sessions, will be free in the Apple TV app, lowering the barrier for casual viewers in a way ESPN's cable wall never could.
The Spectacle
Apple is treating Miami as a launch event. The race will be shown live in over 50 IMAX theaters across the country. There's a free public screening in Times Square. Tubi is hosting an alt-broadcast called The Fast Lane: Miami, hosted by YouTubers Michelle Khare and Jeremiah Burton alongside racing analyst Scott Mansell. Apple's own coverage features up to 30 additional live feeds — driver tracker, dynamic onboard cameras, a podium feed that auto-follows the top three — plus English and Spanish commentary built in by default.
Why It Matters
F1's American boom — built largely on Drive to Survive and the post-pandemic Miami and Vegas grands prix — was always going to need a long-term broadcast home that took the audience seriously. ESPN treated F1 like an obligation. Apple is treating it like Ted Lasso with engines. Apple TV chief Eddy Cue noted that Australia's season opener was up year-over-year against ESPN's 2025 numbers despite the early-morning U.S. start. Multi-view usage is already running at roughly a third of viewers. The bet isn't whether F1 grows in America. It's how fast.
If Miami delivers on Sunday, this becomes the moment F1 stopped being a niche American sport. Apple needs the numbers. F1 needs the audience. Both can win.
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