Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali shared his vision for embedding the sport in American culture during an Apple TV press day in Los Angeles. He highlighted the upcoming exclusive US broadcast partnership starting in 2026 and teased a potential sequel to the hit F1 movie. The event featured discussions on the sport's growth alongside Apple executive Eddy Cue.
At an Apple TV press day in Los Angeles on February 4, 2026, Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali outlined ambitious plans for the series amid its new partnership with Apple. The deal, announced in October 2025, positions Apple TV as the exclusive US broadcast partner from 2026, replacing ESPN and covering all free practice, qualifying, sprint sessions, and Grands Prix. Select races and practice sessions will be free in the Apple TV app, while F1 TV Premium becomes accessible at no extra cost with an Apple TV subscription—now $99 annually, down from $129 for Premium alone.
Domenicali, speaking alongside Apple's Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue, emphasized the partnership's potential to integrate F1 into American sports culture. "That’s a beautiful opportunity that we’re going to do with passion, with determination, because we are resilient," he said. "I always said to Eddy, we have a dream that is more than a dream – it’s an obligation to our fans to develop the sport, to make sure that F1 is becoming a part of the culture here in the United States. It’s very respectful of what you love in terms of sports and business, but our dream would be, one day, not only waking up to follow the Super Bowl or NBA or MLS, but also F1. That’s what we’re going to do together."
The event followed the success of F1, the Apple Original Film released in June 2025, which grossed over $630 million worldwide and earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Starring Brad Pitt and featuring real drivers like Lewis Hamilton as an executive producer, the movie also won a Grammy for its soundtrack. Apple will extend F1 content across its platforms, including News, Maps, Music, Sports, and Fitness+.
On the topic of a sequel, Domenicali teased, "Stay tuned. We’re going to tell you something more in the future. Never say never. But we need to digest more the success of this movie... if this will happen, it will not be for next year." Cue highlighted the 24 upcoming races as "unscripted drama" in 4K and Dolby Vision, with pre-season testing broadcasts starting the following week and the season opener in Australia in March.
This collaboration aims to broaden F1's appeal in the US, building on the movie's momentum and regulatory changes for 2026.
