Apple is signaling that its upcoming U.S. Formula 1 broadcast deal will extend far beyond streaming races, positioning the partnership as a company-wide effort ahead of the 2026 season.
Jim DeLorenzo is Apple's global head of sports, managing the company's sports partnerships and broadcast strategy. He spoke at the Autosport Business Exchange in London.
The Autosport Business Exchange is a live industry conference focused on the business side of motorsport, bringing together executives, teams, and media partners. At the conference, DeLorenzo said Apple doesn't treat major sports agreements as siloed arrangements limited to individual services.
Apple wants to expand its presence in Formula 1 coverage, including devices like Apple Vision Pro
Instead, he framed the Formula 1 deal as a broader partnership that draws on Apple as a whole.
"When we do a partnership like this, it's not a partnership with Apple Sports or Apple Video," DeLorenzo said at the Autosport Business Exchange, as reported by Autosport. "It's a partnership with Apple."
He added that Apple intends to apply that approach directly to Formula 1 as it ramps up toward 2026. "That means we're going to bring the entire company to bear to figure out how we grow together with F1, with the teams, and with the drivers," DeLorenzo continued.
The timing and venue of the remarks are notable. Apple rarely discusses broadcast strategy years in advance, particularly outside of product launches or earnings calls, and even less often at industry-only conferences.
Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange places the message squarely in front of teams, partners, and rights holders rather than consumers.
Hardware experiments already visible around Formula 1
DeLorenzo didn't commit to specific broadcast features, but pointed to Apple's recent sports production work as a reference point. He mentioned Apple's use of iPhones as live cameras during MLB games as an example of hardware being deployed when it improves coverage.
"Our hardware - as an example, using another sport for a second - we did something this past baseball season where we used iPhones as cameras during a live game," DeLorenzo explained. "It's the first time that had been done."
He described the experiment as a template rather than a promise, emphasizing Apple's focus on improving the viewer experience instead of introducing technology for its own sake. The same approach, DeLorenzo suggested, will guide how Apple evaluates production tools for Formula 1 as it prepares to take over U.S. broadcast duties in 2026.
The Formula 1 agreement will make Apple the exclusive U.S. broadcaster starting in 2026
Apple hardware is now appearing in Formula 1-adjacent productions. In January, Red Bull's 2026 Formula 1 launch featured Apple technology, including iPhone-shot footage in the broadcast.
Notably, there was also extremely visible and on-stage use of Apple Vision Pro during technical presentations.
The Formula 1 agreement will make Apple the exclusive U.S. broadcaster starting in 2026, ending ESPN's long-running role. When the deal was announced, Apple offered little detail on how its coverage would differ beyond taking over distribution.
DeLorenzo's comments suggest Formula 1 is being treated as a long-term platform rather than a standard rights package. The emphasis appears to be on integrating hardware, production tools, and services into the broadcast itself, instead of limiting the relationship to live race streams.
Recent visibility around Formula 1 teams and events indicates early preparation is already underway. More specifics are expected as the 2026 season draws closer and Apple begins outlining its broadcast plans in more detail.
