Apple wants to buy the rights to Formula One in the US after the success of F1: The Movie

Apple is actively negotiating to acquire the rights to broadcast Formula One in the US from current rights holder ESPN, according to the Financial Times. This is due to the success of their film "F1: The Movie" with Brad Pitt - it collected more than $300 million at the box office and became Apple's first major blockbuster.

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Apple TV+ already includes live streaming of MLB and MLS matches, so racing was a logical step in expanding sports content. Of course, you'll have to compete with ESPN/Disney and potentially Netflix - they've also had interest after the success of the "Drive to Survive" series.

ESPN now pays about $85 million a year for the rights, but analysts estimate the next deal at $120-150 million a year. And thanks to the hype surrounding the film and series, demand among younger audiences is growing: viewership in the US has already more than doubled from 554,000 in 2018 to 1.3 million in 2025.

If the deal goes through, Apple will be able to add live racing, exclusive video and documentary projects about teams and drivers to Apple TV+. All of this will strengthen the platform's appeal in "sports circles" in America.

Source: FT