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In a rare convergence of streaming titans, Apple TV and Netflix have announced a groundbreaking content-sharing partnership that fundamentally reshapes how American audiences access Formula 1 programming. The deal represents a strategic move to maximize F1's reach across the U.S. market, with Netflix streaming the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix live on its platform while Apple TV simultaneously carries the eighth season of the acclaimed documentary series Drive to Survive—marking the first time the show appears on multiple streaming services simultaneously in the United States.
This partnership comes after Apple secured exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights in a five-year deal valued at approximately $150 million annually, taking the sport away from ESPN starting in 2026. Rather than monopolizing all F1 content, Apple has strategically collaborated with Netflix, recognizing the streaming giant's pivotal role in building American F1 fandom through Drive to Survive over the past several years.
The agreement establishes a mutually beneficial arrangement: Netflix subscribers gain access to live race coverage of May's Canadian Grand Prix, while Apple TV users receive Drive to Survive Season 8 at launch on February 27, 2026. This cross-promotional strategy acknowledges Netflix's significant contribution to F1's explosive growth in the American market, where the docuseries has cultivated legions of casual viewers eager to engage with the sport beyond behind-the-scenes storytelling.
Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, emphasized this symbiotic relationship, stating that Netflix "has played a pivotal role in growing F1 since the launch of Drive to Survive, and we're thrilled to make F1 content more broadly available to new and existing U.S. fans."
This partnership represents just one facet of Apple's comprehensive strategy to become the definitive home for Formula 1 in America. Beyond Netflix, Apple has inked deals with Tubi for select free altcasts, IMAX for live theatrical simulcasts, and Amazon Prime Video, DirecTV, and Comcast for additional F1 content access. All practice sessions and select races will be freely available through the Apple TV app, with F1 TV Premium included free for Apple TV+ subscribers.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali echoed Apple's ambitions, suggesting the partnership will establish F1 as "bigger than it ever was while airing on ESPN," underscoring the American market's untapped growth potential in the streaming era.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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