Apple TV might’ve dropped the “+” from its branding this week but it’s adding to its streaming offer in a big way. By Friday the streamer revved two major moves – most notably the addition of exclusive F1 rights in the U.S.
A day after disclosing a discounted bundle offer with NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Apple TV on Friday officially announced a five-year media rights deal with Formula 1, which will bring all live races exclusively to the streamer in the U.S. starting in 2026.
Sources told CNBC that the tech giant is paying $140 million per year under the deal for rights of the increasingly popular F1 racing sport. Disney’s ESPN previously held F1 rights.
Per the agreement, Apple TV subscribers will get access to all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grand Prix races. Apple also plans to make select races and practice sessions available for free in the Apple TV streaming app throughout the course of the season.
In addition, F1 TV Premium, F1’s premier content offering will continue to be available in the U.S. exclusively through an Apple TV subscription and will be free for those who subscribe.
Apple’s earlier forays into live sports programming include agreements with Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball – although for MLS consumers need to subscribe to MLS Pass via Apple TV at an additional cost (although it offers weekly Sunday night match-ups on Apple TV at no extra cost).
As for the F1, in recent years the racing sport has experienced growing fandom, including with younger audiences, in the U.S. (with the sport getting an earlier Netflix-effect related boost from the SVOD giant’s popular Drive to Survive F1 series). It’s a trend Apple itself has seen with success of its original film F1 The Movie this summer, which the streamer looks to be seeking to capitalize and expand on with live broadcast rights.
In the announcement Apple said F1’s U.S. fanbase reached 52 million in 2024. And the fans skew younger. According to the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey conducted with Motorsport Network, 47% of new U.S. F1 fans who had been following the sport for five years or less are aged 18-24 and over half are female.
Apple’s theatrical release of F1 The Movie starring Brad Pitt, meanwhile, broke records this summer when it debuted at No.1 and generated $629 million at the global box office, representing the highest-grossing sports film ever, per Apple.
“We’re thrilled to expand our relationship with Formula 1 and offer Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. front-row access to one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports on the planet,” said Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Services, in a statement. “2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1, from new teams to new regulations and cars with the best drivers in the world, and we look forward to delivering premium and innovative fan-first coverage to our customers in a way that only Apple can.”
Apple TV is one of the smaller streaming services compared to those from major media companies and other tech giants – but through the deal it looks like F1 will be able to leverage the company’s larger app, services and device ecosystem to drive awareness and ramp up interest for the sport.
In announcing the deal, Apple said it will amplify F1 across its News, Maps, Music and Fitness+ apps and services. In addition, Apple Sports – the free app for iPhones – will feature live updates for all qualifying, Sprint and Grand Prix races throughout the season. It’s also leveraging iPhone device notifications, with real-time leaderboards, season driver and constructor standings, Live Activities to follow on the Lock Screen, and a dedicated widget for the iPhone home screen.
“This is an incredibly exciting partnership for Apple and the whole of Formula 1 that will ensure we can continue to maximize our growth potential in the U.S. with the right content and innovative distribution channels,” said Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 president and CEO, in a statement. “We are no strangers to each other, having spent the past three years working together to create F1 The Movie, which has already proven to be a huge hit around the world. We have a shared vision to bring this amazing sport to our fans in the U.S. and entice new fans through live broadcasts, engaging content, and a year-round approach to keep them hooked.”
Apple’s F1 The Movie will make its streaming debut on Apple TV on December 12.
F1 may sweeten Apple TV, Peacock bundle
And the addition of popular F1 races – and the upcoming streaming debut of its F1 film - may just sweeten an offer Apple TV and NBCU’s Peacock revealed on Thursday that pairs the streaming services together at a discount of 30% compared to purchasing individually.
Starting October 20, consumers can bundle Peacock's ad tier plan and Apple TV in one monthly subscription priced at $14.99 per month, or $19.99 for Apple TV and ad-free Peacock.
The partners said the bundle brings together the services’ complementary offerings of originals, live events and sports, franchises and blockbuster movies.
On the sports front NBCU was among those that previously secured NBA rights, with live games tipping off on Peacock on October 21 – the day after the bundle with Apple TV launches.
The combined offer from Apple TV and Peacock comes as others tee up streaming sports offers, like the launch of Disney’s flagship ESPN streamer and the new Fox One app – which are now offered together in a $40 per month bundle. Disney also offers its ESPN streamer bundled with its more general entertainment Hulu and Disney+ apps.
The collaboration between Apple TV and Peacock goes beyond the bundle to also offer users extensive sampling of each other’s services in each respective app.
At launch, Peacock subscribers can get up to three episodes of Apple TV series Stick, Slow Horses, Silo, The Buccaneers, Foundation, Palm Royale, and Prehistoric Planet for free. Apple TV app users, meanwhile, will be able to watch up to three free episodes of Peacock’s Law & Order, Bel-Air, Twisted Metal, Love Island Games, Happy’s Place, The Hunting Party, and Real Housewives of Miami.
“There is no more perfect combination of entertainment than the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle, with our complementary content portfolios featuring the best shows, movies, sports, and live events,” said Matt Strauss, Chairman of NBCU Media Group, in a statement. “With this first-of-its-kind initiative with Apple, we’re redefining what the customer journey should be for a streaming bundle with rich sampling and a smooth sign-up process, and we’re broadening the reach of Peacock to even more audiences.”