Apple was announced as the exclusive Formula 1 broadcast partner in the United States from the 2026 season in October 2025, and while the new deal is understood to be worth $50million more than ESPN's previous contract, questions have been raised about whether it was the right call for Liberty Media.
During a Q&A session with analysts following the release of Liberty Media's earnings report, the American media company faced questions about whether the new deal with Apple would lead to the continued growth of F1.
The new contract with the technology giant means that F1 TV, F1's own streaming product, will now be absorbed into Apple TV in the US to no additional cost for the viewer.
In response, Liberty Media president and CEO Derek Chang explained that he met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and senior vice president of services Eddy Cue at the 2026 Super Bowl and was assured that the company was putting enough of its resources into the project.
According to Sports Business Journal, F1 revenue was up 14% from $3.411billion in 2024 to $3.873billion in 2025. The jump in revenue was partly due to sponsorship deals, media licensing fees and the success of the F1 movie.
Apple recently announced that it would join forces with Netflix to stream the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix. The Cook-led company is also collaborating with IMAX theatres across the US to broadcast a select number of races live.
“F1 is a rapidly growing force in sports and culture in the US, and by bringing F1 on Apple TV live to IMAX theatres nationwide, we’re delivering the energy and excitement to even more screens in a truly immersive way,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of music, sports, and Beats.
“We’re excited to collaborate with IMAX to expand access to F1 on Apple TV and give fans across the US a powerful new way to experience the speed and spectacle that the sport delivers.”
