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Historic weekend in Melbourne brought motorsport fans something more than just the roar of engines (or, maliciously, one could say batteries). With the start of the 2026 season, Apple TV officially took the wheel of Formula 1 broadcasts in the United States, providing fans with a technological leap that others can only dream of. For the first time in history, every Grand Prix race is broadcast in 4K Dolby Vision with 5.1 surround sound. Eddy Cue from Apple does not hide his pride, emphasising that this is a "new era" that aims to fully leverage the potential of the Cupertino giant's ecosystem and respond to the massive rise in F1's popularity across the ocean.
30 additional cameras
What sets Apple’s offering apart from other broadcasters in different countries is its unprecedented interactivity. Thanks to the Multiview feature, viewers can follow the competition from multiple perspectives at the same time, with as many as 30 additional live channels available. Among them, the Driver Tracker stands out – a bird's-eye view allowing real-time monitoring of each driver’s position on the track.
Interestingly, Apple has opted for an unusual alliance with Netflix: as part of one subscription, fans will gain access to Season 8 of “Drive to Survive,” and the May Canadian Grand Prix will be broadcast simultaneously on both platforms.
IMAX and the Untapped Potential of Vision Pro
Despite the technological showcase, the debut was not without controversy in the VR community. While races can be watched in the super expensive Apple Vision Pro goggles, they are only available in the form of a “flat” 4K image, which many consider an untapped opportunity to create a fully immersive experience, for instance from the driver's cockpit. On the other hand, Apple strongly bets on the traditional big screen – as many as five races this season will hit over 50 IMAX cinemas across the United States.
Stefano Domenicali, head of F1, sees this opening as the perfect moment to welcome Apple into the family of broadcasters, especially in light of the debut of new teams and engines. Although in Europe the rights still belong to local players like our Eleven Sports or Britain's Sky, American Apple clearly shows the direction in which the future of sports broadcasting is heading: it should be sharp, multi-channel, and uncompromising in terms of quality.
Source: flatpanelshd
