Apple TV scores its first F1 victory over ESPN viewership

Apple TV just landed its first F1 victory over ESPN. Eddy Cue says that last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix race saw more viewership on Apple TV than the same race received on ESPN a year ago.

Alex Weprin at The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop.

“The 2026 Formula 1 season on Apple TV is off to a strong start, with fans responding positively and viewership up year over year for the first weekend, exceeding both F1 and Apple expectations,” Cue says.

Weprin reports that Apple declined to provide viewing data, but ESPN’s ratings a year ago provide some insight:

As is typical for Apple, the company declined to give any specific numbers, though last year’s Australian GP averaged 1.1 million viewers for ESPN. The Australian GP is something of an unusual race, given its late-night timeslot, but any ratings improvement is nonetheless an encouraging sign, especially with more U.S.-friendly races like Montreal and Miami coming up.

Apple TV isn’t the only service breaking records. Cue tells THR that the Apple Sports app also had its “biggest week ever” since launching:

“Fans are loving the enhanced viewing experience, including Multiview, Podium View, driver cams, and the ability to watch Formula 1 in stunning 4K with Dolby Vision for the first time,” Cue says. “The AUS GP also coincided with the biggest week ever for the Apple Sports app since its launch. We’re just getting started and are incredibly excited about what lies ahead.”

You can read the full report at THR. The next F1 race weekend starts tomorrow with the Chinese Grad Prix in Shanghai.

Apple TV will be home to F1 for the next five years after Apple acquired the rights for half a decade last fall. F1 streaming is included with every Apple TV subscription ($12.99/month after free trial) at no additional charge.