Apple TV Claims First F1 Viewership Victory Over ESPN

[MacRumors]

Apple TV aired the first Formula 1 race of the 2026 season last weekend following an exclusive streaming rights partnership for five years, and Apple senior VP of services Eddy Cue is already calling it a win for the company.

Cue told The Hollywood Reporter that viewership for last week's Australian Grand Prix was up year over year compared to the 2025 race, which aired on ESPN.

"The 2026 Formula 1 season on Apple TV is off to a strong start, with fans responding positively and viewership up year over year for the first weekend, exceeding both F1 and Apple expectations," Cue said.

As is typical for Apple TV, Cue declined to offer specific viewing figures, but we do know that last year's Australian GP garnered an averaged 1.1 million viewers for ESPN on its late-night time slot.

Any increase in viewership over ESPN is a victory for Apple, and with U.S. races like Miami and Las Vegas coming up, the company is likely betting on more ratings improvements over the previous rights holder.

F1 season access is included with every Apple TV subscription ($12.99 per month) in the United States. The partnership allows ‌Apple TV‌ to provide comprehensive coverage of Formula 1, including all practice, qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix.

The Hollywood Reporter's full coverage of Apple TV and F1 is available to read online.

Article Link: Apple TV Claims First F1 Viewership Victory Over ESPN

 

[MayaUser]

Everything is a win....a lost is something that is not included in PR

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I still say all of this media content is a distraction for Apple. Focus on core product, software, hardware and innovation and design in those areas. Allow all the content players to fight in the mud.

"Media content is a different division therefore it's not a distraction for Apple." Keep telling yourself that.

Hit that "Disagree" button on my comment, you know you want to. They do and make too much stuff and quality across the board is suffering, in my opinion. Major software releases should come every two years (tick). New iPhone releases should come every two years (tock). Too many devices in all categories. Not enough sizes for the core devices. Product naming needlessly complex.

Hardware wise?

iPhone: two models and three sizes in each (5.7, 6.3, 6.9 inches). Cut the chaff.
Cleaner easier laptop sizes: 13-inch Neo, 13-inch Air, 14.5-inch Air, 14.5-inch Pro, 16.5-inch Pro.
Simple display size changes to make buying an iPhone and Mac laptop much nicer and easier.
What size do I want (I have three options)? What's my budget and how much power do I want?
Keep MBP chonky and all-powerful. Keep MBA thin and add more useful ports.
Over time as battery tech advances make iPhone thinner. Keep iPhone Ultra chonky and all-maxing.

 

[Deej]

It's a shame they only have rights to broadcast in the US 🙁

 

[Glideslope]

While I like the product so far, in fairness they are simply broadcasting the F1TV Feed.

 

[threesixty360]

I still say all of this media content is a distraction for Apple. Focus on core product, software, hardware and innovation and design in those areas. Allow all the content players to fight in the mud.

"Media content is a different division therefore it's not a distraction for Apple." Keep telling yourself that.

Hit that "Disagree" button on my comment, you know you want to. They do and make too much stuff and quality across the board is suffering, in my opinion. Too many devices is all categories and not enough sizes for the core devices.

That’s all great until the content players start cutting you out on purpose and you start losing hardware sales because you can’t give your customers content and software they want.

We’ve been here before…

 

[conmee]

Montreal isn't a US race... Miami, COTA (Austin), and Las Vegas are.

 

[ChrisMac47]

It's a shame they only have rights to broadcast in the US 🙁

Apple TV is basically a US-centric service, showing third-rate typically-American quality programming. It's a pity they do not give a little more attention to the other 96% of the world. After all, the hardware products sell almost everywhere. (Indeed, that's how Apple makes its money, off the rest of the world.)

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

That’s all great until the content players start cutting you out on purpose and you start losing hardware sales because you can’t give your customers content and software they want.

Yeah, that's not happening like ever. The content apps would fight one another and Apple would stay above the fray and remain focused on hardware and operating system design, reliability and innovation.

We’ve been here before…

Video content in the digital age is app specific, but not operating system specific, and for good reason, the content makers want viewers. Disney, Netflix, ESPN and so forth, care not a shot what popular device you watch their stuff on as long as you give them money every month. Analogy misses.

 

[MacATDBB]

So, in the US, Apple replaces both the F1TV and ESPN viewing options I think. So are the viewing numbers greater than those two combined services, or only ESPN's numbers?

 

[surferfb]

So, in the US, Apple replaces both the F1TV and ESPN viewing options I think. So are the viewing numbers greater than those two combined services, or only ESPN's numbers?

I don’t have an answer to your question about viewership numbers, but it doesn’t replace F1TV. It gives all Apple TV subscribers access to F1TV, but the F1TV service still works like it always has.

 

[svish]

Good for Apple and also good to see more sports and F1 content on Apple TV. Apple will definitely hope to get more subscribers through this.

 

[Biro]

While I like the product so far, in fairness they are simply broadcasting the F1TV Feed.

And they do give one a choice to watch the Sky Sports feed instead.

 

[PachaEOD]

Apple is still allowing me to use my F1TV access. I also subscribe to Apple TV.

 

[rictus007]

While I like the product so far, in fairness they are simply broadcasting the F1TV Feed.

ESPN had the one from Sky

 

[Nada Ting]

Great article. Too bad there's no independent verification.

 

[acuriouslad]

How’s the quality of the stream? Didn’t Apple say they were going to increase bit rate? Is the broadcast not only popular but “better”?

 

[MacATDBB]

I don’t have an answer to your question about viewership numbers, but it doesn’t replace F1TV. It gives all Apple TV subscribers access to F1TV, but the F1TV service still works like it always has.

The nuance here is that former F1TV viewers who subscribed through the F1 website, no longer have that option and many of us have chosen to not watch the live coverage this year because it requires an Apple TV subscription to do so. (I spend enough on Apple hardware without getting dragged into their services ecosystem). In effect then, Apple's coverage is taking on the viewers from both previous platforms even if it still provides coverage from F1TV (and presumably Sky via the international audio option). So my question is more along the lines of whether F1 viewership in the US has increased or decreased this year with Apple as the sole subscription option.

 

[kenta_]

Sadly I had to pay apple jus so I could continue to watch it on F1TV. I’m surprised no one mention that Apple injects ads on the replays in the non-race portion of the broadcast (ie. post-race, etc)

 

[kenta_]

The nuance here is that former F1TV viewers who subscribed through the F1 website, no longer have that option and many of us have chosen to not watch the live coverage this year because it requires an Apple TV subscription to do so.

Those choices are not mutually exclusive. You can have Apple TV subscription AND still watch on F1TV (which is certainly the preferred method).

 

[Onelifenofear]

Apple TV is basically a US-centric service, showing third-rate typically-American quality programming. It's a pity they do not give a little more attention to the other 96% of the world. After all, the hardware products sell almost everywhere. (Indeed, that's how Apple makes its money, off the rest of the world.)

Third rate? All of these have won multiple awards - and there are plenty more. What do you require internationally? I t is an American company? They do make international products and I can assure you a lot are made all shot over the world.

The Studio
Severance
Foundation
Black Bird
Trying
Shrinking
Ted Lasso
For All Mankind
Bad Sisters
Silo
Platonic
Dickinson
Prehistoric Planet
Lessons in Chemistry
Dark Matter
Murderbot

International
Slow Horses
Pachinko
Drops of Gods
Women in Blue (Las Azules)
Acapulco
Midnight Family
Liaison

Movies
CODA
Wolfwalkers
Come from Away
Fancy Dance
Killers of the Flower Moon
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Boys State
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Tetris
Greyhound
Finch
Blitz

 

[ChrisMac47]

Third rate? All of these have won multiple awards - and there are plenty more. What do you require internationally? I t is an American company? They do make international products and I can assure you a lot are made all shot over the world.

The Studio
Severance
Foundation
Black Bird
Trying
Shrinking
Ted Lasso
For All Mankind
Bad Sisters
Silo
Platonic
Dickinson
Prehistoric Planet
Lessons in Chemistry
Dark Matter
Murderbot

International
Slow Horses
Pachinko
Drops of Gods
Women in Blue (Las Azules)
Acapulco
Midnight Family
Liaison

Movies
CODA
Wolfwalkers
Come from Away
Fancy Dance
Killers of the Flower Moon
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Boys State
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Tetris
Greyhound
Finch
Blitz

This is not international.

 

[djphat2000]

Apple TV is basically a US-centric service, showing third-rate typically-American quality programming. It's a pity they do not give a little more attention to the other 96% of the world. After all, the hardware products sell almost everywhere. (Indeed, that's how Apple makes its money, off the rest of the world.)

If you were Apple. Would you want to engage with the EU right now? Last thing we need is for the EU to say "Your a gatekeeper in TV!".

 

[djphat2000]

Yeah, that's not happening like ever. The content apps would fight one another and Apple would stay above the fray and remain focused on hardware and operating system design, reliability and innovation.

While this will be the case forever. Apple sees it as a way to drive sales of their own content, and hardware they sell. At the least, since the App is on many TV's already (without any hardware from Apple). Just getting 1 out of 10 or a 100 people to sign up is worth the effort.

Video content in the digital age is app specific, but not operating system specific, and for good reason, the content makers want viewers. Disney, Netflix, ESPN and so forth, care not a shot what popular device you watch their stuff on as long as you give them money every month. Your analogy doesn't apply.

Apple is in a unique position to attract users to that content. By making it easier to view (ATV hardware and or just the TV app). Mobile devices (many people have iPhones, iPads). So by providing content as well. Especially sports. Will get more subs to ATV. And possibly more hardware sales (iPhones, iPads, ATV). Since you can buy your movies, music, and TV shows. All in one place. Nicely organized, and with you where ever you go.

 

[MacATDBB]

Those choices are not mutually exclusive. You can have Apple TV subscription AND still watch on F1TV (which is certainly the preferred method).

The point is you can't watch F1TV without an Apple subscription, so the Apple subscription count should now equal former ESPN viewers + former US F1 TV viewers + New US Viewers, if the audience size has increased.