Apple spent Thursday walking media through its Formula 1 coverage plans, showing off a viewing experience that’s everything, everywhere, all at once.
The briefing featured Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, Craig Mahonchak, who leads product for sports at Apple, and F1’s Ian Holmes. They described everything from multi-view capabilities to Apple Maps circuit enhancements to partnerships with Netflix and IMAX ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on March 7 in Melbourne.
Apple officially announced its F1 deal in October, paying a reported $150 million per year for U.S. broadcasting rights after ESPN declined to match the offer. The deal nearly doubled what ESPN had been paying — around $85 million annually — for coverage that helped F1 set viewership records in 2025, averaging 1.3 million viewers per race.
All F1 coverage will live in the Apple TV app. Every practice session, qualifying, sprint race, and Grand Prix will be available there. Apple is producing 4K broadcasts with Dolby Vision and 5.1 audio using the F1 TV feed as the primary source. Fans who prefer Sky Sports’ broadcast can select that option and integrate it into multi-view setups alongside onboard cameras and live data.
The centerpiece of Apple’s approach is multi-view. Fans can watch up to four feeds simultaneously on Apple TV 4K, iPad, and iPhone, or up to five feeds on Vision Pro. Apple has created preset configurations that activate with a single tap, rather than requiring fans to assemble custom layouts manually. There are team-specific layouts that automatically display the main broadcast alongside both drivers’ onboard cameras. A “tracker and data” option pairs the race feed with live telemetry and a bird’s-eye driver tracker map of the circuit. Apple will offer 30 additional feeds beyond the primary broadcast during each session, including data channels and exclusive podium feeds that automatically shift to whichever driver is running in P1, P2, or P3.
Apple isn’t building this for just the living room. The company is integrating F1 across its entire product line in ways ESPN couldn’t. The Apple Sports app — which launched in February 2024 — will function as F1’s mobile companion, with live leaderboards, timing data, and a one-tap jump into the broadcast. Live Activities will push updates to iPhone lock screens and Apple Watch. Customizable widgets will let F1 data live across iPhone, iPad, and Mac home screens.
Apple News will introduce a dedicated F1 feed with standings, schedules, results, and race-specific landing pages for every Grand Prix. Later this season, Apple News plans to roll out a “live look-in” feature that lets fans glimpse real-time track action while reading, with one tap sending them directly into the live stream. Apple Maps is getting detailed track layouts for select circuits, beginning with Melbourne’s Albert Park, featuring labeled turns, grid positions, and 3D renderings of landmarks. For fans attending races in person, Maps will layer in road closures, pedestrian routing, entry gates, and event amenities.
Even audio is getting folded into the rollout. Apple Music will stream live race commentary for free on Apple Music Radio beginning with Melbourne, giving fans a listen-only option when they can’t watch. The platform will also house a dedicated F1 hub with playlists and driver-curated mixes. Apple Podcasts will pull together race previews, analysis shows, and original storytelling collections in one place.
Apple is also leaning into partnerships with outside companies to widen F1’s reach. The eighth season of Drive to Survive will be available on Apple TV in the U.S. in addition to Netflix, with the new season dropping at midnight Thursday. The Canadian Grand Prix on May 22 will stream on both platforms domestically as part of that collaboration. Apple executives said during the briefing that they’re working on additional unscripted storytelling projects but weren’t ready to announce specifics.
Beyond that, Apple outlined distribution deals with IMAX, Tubi, and bars and restaurants to extend F1’s reach beyond personal devices. Select IMAX locations will carry multiple races live during the 2026 season, while Tubi will offer exclusive live F1 ULTcast coverage for several events.
Apple also knows availability alone isn’t the issue with a global sport that often airs live at inconvenient hours in the U.S. Executives emphasized that fans entering the Formula 1 hub to watch a delayed race won’t see results or highlights upfront. Full replays post immediately after each broadcast, and condensed “Race in 30” versions follow within hours. Push notifications in the Apple Sports app can be turned off for anyone watching on delay.
The Australian Grand Prix on March 7 will show whether any of this matters. Apple has built F1 into every corner of its ecosystem. Whether fans want 30 feeds and telemetry data or just want to watch cars go fast will become clear pretty quickly.
