Apple TV, Formula 1 broadcast partnership to be showcased in Miami

Formula 1’s return from an unexpected month-long hiatus gives Apple TV a fresh opportunity to establish itself as the sport’s U.S. broadcast partner during its inaugural season. With this weekend’s highly anticipated Miami Grand Prix, typically one of the most-viewed races globally, the tech giant sees a chance to attract casual viewers and bolster audience numbers.

“I think it’s a relaunch in a way. We’re treating it and we were treating it in a huge way anyway, and we’ve kind of probably even done a little more, but we’ve got a lot of things coming up for the race, so we’re very excited about it,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services.

The Miami race marks the first Formula 1 competition since the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29. The escalating Middle East conflict forced organizers to cancel April’s scheduled events in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, creating an unusually long break in the racing calendar.

Apple secured a five-year deal with Formula 1 last fall, investing approximately $150 million annually for broadcasting rights. This represents a significant increase over ESPN’s previous arrangement, which cost nearly $90 million during a three-year extension signed in 2022.

The tech company has implemented numerous technical enhancements to differentiate its coverage. Races are broadcast in 4K Dolby Vision with immersive 5.1 surround sound, providing viewers with exceptional visual and audio quality. A standout feature allows fans to watch up to four live feeds simultaneously during practices, qualifying sessions, and races through multi-view displays. These can include in-car cameras and timing and scoring channels.

“I think the first feedback that we’ve gotten in general is how good the video quality is because we do Dolby Atmos and we do 4K and we really don’t compress at the levels that all of the others do,” Cue explained. “The first time you watch a race, you’re like, ‘Wow, this looks amazing.’ The video and sound quality is just really, really good.”

Viewers also have the flexibility to choose between commentary teams from F1 TV or Sky Sports, the latter being the feed ESPN previously utilized. According to Cue, nearly a third of viewers are already taking advantage of the multi-view capabilities.

Apple is expanding its Formula 1 content with new programming surrounding race weekends. “Circuits in Focus,” which debuted Thursday, features 2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg and creator Emelia Hartford previewing each circuit, discussing race strategy and highlighting key track sections. The duo utilizes the EA Sports F1 25 video game to provide viewers with a driver’s perspective on overtaking opportunities and defensive positions.

After races, a new show called “POV” will feature former Red Bull Racing senior technician Calum Nicholas and content creator/engineer Christina Roki analyzing the weekend’s events from a technical standpoint. Apple is also adding a 10-minute on-demand recap of qualifying sessions to complement its existing race reviews.

The company’s Formula 1 integration extends beyond Apple TV, with detailed circuit layouts available in Apple Maps, driver-curated playlists on Apple Music, and related content across Apple News and podcasts.

Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix will receive additional exposure through nationwide screenings at 50 IMAX locations and a public viewing in New York’s Times Square. The streaming platform Tubi will offer “The Fast Lane: Miami,” an alternative broadcast featuring YouTube influencers Michelle Khare and Jeremiah Burton alongside F1 expert Scott Mansell.

While Apple is not part of Nielsen’s ratings system and has not disclosed viewership figures for the first three races of the season, Cue indicated satisfaction with the audience numbers thus far.

“I think fans have in some ways been surprised by how good everything’s turned out. We haven’t released any numbers yet or anything. We’ve been very happy with it and you’ll soon see more about that,” Cue said.

The Miami Grand Prix represents a critical juncture for Apple’s Formula 1 broadcast strategy as the company seeks to capitalize on the sport’s growing popularity in the United States, driven in part by the success of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” documentary series and increased American interest in international motorsports.