“F1” movie success leads to Apple bid for US Formula 1 rights

After the success of the F1 film starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, Apple has set its sights on acquiring the commercial rights to Formula 1 in the United States, according to a report from Financial Times.

The current deal with ESPN expires at the end of the 2025 season. The Disney-owned broadcaster did have the opportunity to negotiate a new contract without any competition; however, that window has closed, and Formula 1 is now considering other bids.

This wouldn’t be Apple’s first move into sports streaming. It secured the streaming rights for Major League Baseball in 2022 and Major League Soccer following this. But it’s the success of F1: The Movie, which is said to be motivating the Tim Cook-led company to set its sights on the broadcasting rights for F1.

F1 has generated more than $293 million at the global box office, making it the most successful film released in theatres by the tech giant. The movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, is the product of Apple Original Films, Pitt’s Plan B, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, and Lewis Hamilton’s Dawn Apollo.

Apple CEO Cook discussed the film with Variety ahead of its release.

“To bring something to life that would be authentic to the sport, that would tell a great story as well about the ups and downs of life — ‘F1’ hit on all the things,” Cook explained.

Tim Cook and Eddy Cue at the World Premiere of F1 The Movie

Photo by: Getty Images

“And then we could bring some things that are uniquely Apple to the movie, like our camera technology. And we plan to have the whole of the company support it as well — our retail operation and everything. So it was something that we could get the entire company around. It feels wonderful to be a part of it.”

Apple’s main competitor is thought to be ESPN. However, Netflix is also rumoured to be throwing its hat into the ring for the broadcasting rights after the success of its docuseries Drive to Survive. The Netflix show led to a boom in the popularity of the championship in the United States as it allowed fans to connect with the drivers beyond the track.