Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Hits Apple TV Tomorrow
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December is a busy month for Apple TV, with everything from festive comedies to family favorites for the holiday season. However, this year’s lineup adds something extra: Apple’s hit summer action flick, F1: The Movie, is also coming to the service, beginning tomorrow, December 12.
Of all of Apple’s original films, F1 has taken the longest road from the big screen to the streaming service. Of course, it’s also fair to say that none that came before have come even close to the popularity of the Brad Pitt-led racing flick.
While Apple’s previous three big-budget films took an average of 85 days from their theatrical debuts to Apple TV, F1 doubled that to 168 days. However, it also handily beat out the box office take of every other film Apple has ever produced — combined. F1 grossed over $629 million by the time it finished its theatrical run, nearly triple the $221 million from the distant second-place finisher, Napoleon. So, it’s only fair that it’s taken much longer to make it to Apple TV.
After all, Apple and Warner Bros., which handled the distribution side of things, wanted to give it time to earn more money from eager fans willing to pay higher premium video-on-demand rental prices or pick up the Blu-ray discs. Still, good things come to those who wait, and tomorrow, Apple TV subscribers will be able to enjoy the film at no extra cost. It’s unlikely your home theater setup will deliver the IMAX experience of the theatrical release, but you may still want to ensure your surround sound setup is tuned and in place while you get the popcorn ready, as F1 was produced by the same duo that gave us Top Gun: Maverick: producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski.
The Film is Just the Beginning
If watching Brad Pitt return to glory in F1: The Movie merely whets your appetite for more Formula One racing, then you’ll be delighted to hear that Apple is now the home of US Formula One streaming.
As part of a five-year deal reached in October, Apple is now the exclusive broadcast partner for the sport in the United States, capturing the reins from ESPN, which broadcast its last race — the 2025 F1 championship — this past weekend.
When the 2026 season kicks off with the first Grand Prix on March 7, you’ll be able to find all the action on Apple TV — and it looks like you won’t need to pay extra to enjoy it.
While there was some speculation on whether Apple would add this as a separate tier, like it did with MLS Season Pass, it’s gone the other way, including not only Formula One as part of a standard Apple TV subscription, but even tearing down the MLS paywall. Going forward, it seems that Apple will include all of its live sports streaming as part of the core Apple TV service.
Apple’s F1 deal includes more than just the races. You’ll be able to see streaming of all practice and qualifying sessions, with live onboard driver cams and support for Multiview to show races from several angles at once. Apple has also promised other “innovative fan-first coverage,” suggesting that we’ll also likely see Apple host commentary shows that dissect Grand Prix weekends, interviews with drivers, and more.
While Apple recently increased the monthly price of a standalone Apple TV subscription to $12.99 per month, you can still purchase a full year for the previous price of $99. It’s also available as part of any Apple One bundle, where you can combine it with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and iCloud+ for as little as $19.95 per month.
