Apple and Netflix team up to air Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix

Source: TechCrunch

Apple and Netflix have entered a partnership to co‑broadcast the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, announced by Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue. For the first time, U.S. F1 fans will be able to watch the live race simultaneously on both Apple TV and Netflix.

Live Race Coverage

Netflix subscribers can stream the full race weekend—including practice, qualifying, and the Grand Prix itself on May 24—live on the platform.

“Drive to Survive” Season 8

Beyond live race coverage, the partnership includes cross‑promotion of Netflix’s hit series “Drive to Survive.” The eighth season, consisting of eight episodes covering the 2025 Formula One World Championship, will be available to both Apple TV subscribers in the U.S. and Netflix users globally, significantly broadening its audience.

Season 8 premieres today, on February 27.

F1’s Rise in American Culture

F1’s popularity in the U.S. extends beyond television. Brad Pitt’s F1‑themed film is nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. “Drive to Survive” has successfully attracted a diverse audience, transforming the series from a typical sports docuseries into a compelling narrative that has brought millions of new fans to the sport.

Apple’s Broader F1 Ambitions

Apple plans to promote the sport across its ecosystem, including Apple News, Apple Maps (highlighting F1 tracks worldwide), Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, and its physical retail stores.

Netflix’s Push into Live Sports

The collaboration also underscores Netflix’s continued expansion into live sports broadcasting, moving from a former “no‑sports” stance to securing rights for:

• NFL Christmas games – see TechCrunch coverage here
• WWE Raw – details here
• MLB – see the announcement here

Apple’s Multi‑Year Deal with Formula 1

The joint effort aligns with Apple’s new multi‑year deal with Formula 1, under which Apple TV replaced ESPN as the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for all 24 races beginning this season. The deal is reportedly valued at around $150 million per season, a significant increase from the roughly $85 million ESPN previously paid. All races are available to Apple TV subscribers at no extra charge.

The previous partnership with ESPN achieved an average viewership of 1.3 million in its final year, according to ESPN’s press release.

Notably, Netflix was previously reported to be eyeing U.S. media rights for Formula 1 back in 2022 (source).