Starting this year, Apple has exclusive streaming rights for Formula 1 racing in the United States, where every race streams on Apple TV. Both Apple and the league have reported a very positive response in terms of viewership and subscriber acquisition, although exact viewing figures are not published. On the latest earnings call for F1's parent company Liberty Media, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said both parties are happy with the US deal.
He expects that Apple will bid for rights in more countries as opportunities become available. F1 has previously expressed they are not looking for one media partner to take global broadcast rights, but want a portfolio of deals picking the best partners for each geographic market. In the United Kingdom, broadcaster Sky renewed its deal for F1 rights through 2034, seemingly locking Apple out of that region.
Despite this, the league is open to striking more deals with Apple in certain markets. Domenicali stated that if there are opportunities in other markets, Apple will do it as soon as these opportunities are open. Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang noted that Apple as a potential bidder in other markets is helpful for their business.
All Formula 1 races are available live and on-demand with an Apple TV subscription in the United States. The company recently launched a Dolby Atmos audio track for its F1 streams and expanded support for Multiview on more platforms, including iPhone Duo.
Source: 9to5Mac · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing