Lights Out and Away We Go: F1 Arrives on Apple TV This Weekend
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The green flag is now waving on Apple’s second big streaming deal with the 2026 Formula 1 season set to begin streaming in the US exclusively on Apple TV.
The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will air tomorrow, Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. PT, with all sessions available to stream both live and on-demand for viewers in the US. This marks the first major broadcast in the landmark F1 deal that Apple announced in October to make Apple TV the new US home of F1 racing — and there’s much more to come.
For US fans, Apple TV will be the place to watch every Grand Prix, including not only the races themselves, but also all practice, qualifying, and Sprint sessions, for the 2026 season and onward until at least 2031.
“This weekend marks the start of a new era for Formula 1 fans in the U.S.,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services said in a press release. “We’re excited to bring every moment of the season to Apple TV, delivering an immersive experience designed entirely around fans. Formula 1’s growth in America has been extraordinary, and we’re proud to build on that momentum — combining the power of Apple TV with the broader Apple ecosystem to create even more ways for fans to connect with the sport.”
The races will be streamed in Apple’s TV app — the same place where you’ll find the company’s blockbuster F1 movie, plus hit originals like Pluribus and The Studio — and Apple is upping the game by presenting them in “stunning 4K with Dolby Vision” with 5.1 surround sound.
Coverage of every Grand Prix will feature English and Spanish commentary, along with access to up to 30 additional live feeds across all sessions. These include Driver Tracker for a bird’s-eye view of the race; real-time telemetry and timing; a mixed onboard feed that automatically switches between onboard cameras as the race unfolds; and Podium feeds that dynamically follow the drivers running in P1, P2, and P3 throughout.
Apple is also taking full advantage of the Multiview experience it debuted in early 2023, with the ability to watch up to four live race feeds at once on the Apple TV 4K, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro. Fans can configure their own custom Multiview or choose from preconfigured Multiview layouts to get started as quickly as possible.
There’s also more to enjoy than just the races themselves. Apple TV subscribers can also explore extensive programming adjacent to the Grand Prix experience, including Sky Sports broadcasts, coverage of rule changes, new cars, team updates, and exciting highlights from last season.
Apple TV subscribers can also access F1 TV Premium at no extra charge, providing access to Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy, and Porsche Supercup events on the Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone. Plus, in a surprising partnership, season 8 of Netflix’s Drive to Survive will be streaming on Apple TV to take viewers “through the thrills, shake-ups, and triumphs of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship.” In exchange, Apple is allowing Netflix to simul-stream the Formula 1 Grand Prix Du Canada from Montreal on May 22.
The best part is that this is all included with an Apple TV subscription. Unlike Apple’s foray into Major League Soccer three years ago, which initially required a separate MLS Season Pass, F1 will be available at no extra charge from the very start — a deal that may have inspired Apple to renegotiate its MLS deal to also remove the paywall there. In 2026, a single Apple TV subscription now encompasses everything that Apple’s video streaming service has to offer, from F1: The Movie to Formula 1 racing.
Granted, that will now set you back $12.99 a month following a price hike last summer, but that’s only if you’re unwilling to make a long-term commitment. Apple only raised the monthly price, likely in a move to reduce subscriber churn, so you can save quite a bit if you’re willing to pay $99 for a whole year up front — and even more if you use enough Apple services to combine them all in an Apple One bundle.
