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Apple eyes Formula 1 rights as ‘F1: The Movie; races past $300 million at global box office

Apple eyes Formula 1 rights as ‘F1: The Movie; races past $300 million at global box office

Time of India09-07-2025
is making moves to snag Formula 1's US broadcasting rights, setting up a potential showdown with Disney's ESPN when the current deal expires next year. The tech giant's sudden interest in high-speed racing comes as its Brad Pitt-led F1 film becomes a box office winner, marking Apple's first major theatrical success since diving into original content.
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According to the Financial Times, Apple is challenging ESPN's grip on American F1 coverage, with discussions already underway between the iPhone maker and Liberty Media, Formula 1's US owners. The momentum is clearly on Apple's side; F1: The Movie has raced to roughly $300 million at the global box office, making it the company's highest-grossing film to date.
The streaming wars hit the racetrack
This wouldn't be Apple's first rodeo with live sports.
The company already streams Major League Baseball's Friday night games and has a broader partnership with Major League Soccer, signaling its appetite for premium sports content on Apple TV+.
ESPN currently pays around $85 million annually for F1 rights, but analysts at Citi think the next deal could jump to $121 million per year – and that estimate came before
started burning rubber on the big screen. The sport's US audience has doubled since 2018, now averaging 1.1 million viewers per race, with this year's early races pulling in 1.3 million fans.
Formula 1's American expansion has been aggressive, adding Miami and Las Vegas races to complement the existing Austin Grand Prix. The sport's owners are betting that Hollywood glamour, combined with Netflix's popular Drive to Survive series, will keep attracting younger and more diverse audiences.
ESPN had an exclusive negotiation window that closed without a deal last year, opening the door for rivals like Apple.
Other bidders are expected to join the race, but Apple's deep pockets and growing sports ambitions make it a formidable contender for bringing F1's adrenaline-fueled action to streaming screens across America.
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'I'm dying for GTA 6 to come out': F1 racer Lewis Hamilton vows to 'cancel' his work when game drops; PC fans blast Rockstar for delay
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  • Time of India

'I'm dying for GTA 6 to come out': F1 racer Lewis Hamilton vows to 'cancel' his work when game drops; PC fans blast Rockstar for delay

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time7 hours ago

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