Apple TV is leveraging the Miami Grand Prix weekend to highlight its inaugural season as the U.S. broadcaster for Formula 1, following an unexpected month-long break in the racing calendar. The hiatus, caused by the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the Iran conflict, ends with the Miami event—traditionally one of the most-watched races globally.
Strategic Relaunch for Apple TV
Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, described the Miami race as a relaunch opportunity. “I think it’s a relaunch in a way. We’re treating it hugely, and we’ve even ramped up our efforts. We have many exciting features for the race,” he said. Apple secured a five-year, $150-million-per-year deal last fall, replacing ESPN, which had paid $90 million annually under its previous contract.
Technical Enhancements and Viewing Options
Apple is broadcasting races in 4K Dolby Vision with immersive 5.1 surround sound. Viewers can access up to four simultaneous live feeds during practice, qualifying, and races via multi-view displays, along with in-car cameras and timing channels. Audio options include commentary from F1 TV or Sky Sports. Cue noted that nearly a third of viewers use multi-view, praising the uncompressed video quality.
New programming includes “Circuits in Focus,” a pre-race show featuring 2016 champion Nico Rosberg and creator Emelia Hartford, who use the EA Sports F1 25 video game to analyze track strategy. Post-race, “POV” offers technical breakdowns from former Red Bull technician Calum Nicholas and engineer Christina Roki. Apple also provides a 10-minute qualifying recap on demand.
Cross-Platform Integration and Public Screenings
Beyond its sports app, Apple integrates F1 content across its ecosystem: detailed circuit maps in Apple Maps, driver-curated playlists in Apple Music, and coverage in Apple News and podcasts. Sunday’s race will also be screened at 50 IMAX locations nationwide and in New York’s Times Square. Tubi will stream an altcast titled “The Fast Lane: Miami” featuring influencers Michelle Khare and Jeremiah Burton alongside F1 expert Scott Mansell.
Apple has not released viewership data, as it is not part of Nielsen’s ratings system, but expects to publish its first numbers in May.
