F1 Ratings Crash After Ditching ESPN for Apple TV
Formula 1’s Move to Apple TV: Why Fewer Americans Are Watching in 2026
The Big Picture
Imagine your favorite show moved from a channel everyone has to a new streaming service that costs extra money. That’s basically what happened to Formula 1 in the United States this year.
After the 2025 season ended, F1 left ESPN and became exclusive to Apple TV+. According to data from analytics firm Samba TV (shared with USA TODAY), this change has led to a significant drop in viewership for most races in 2026.
KEY FINDING: 8 out of 9 races analyzed saw fewer households tuning in compared to 2025. The only exception? The Japanese Grand Prix, which stayed flat.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Race-by-Race Breakdown
The Stable Start (First Three Races)
| Race | Change vs. 2025 |
|---|---|
| Australian GP | -4% |
| Chinese GP | -1% |
| Japanese GP | No change |
The Steep Drops (Everything After Miami)
| Race | Household Reach Drop |
|---|---|
| Miami GP | 68% |
| Monaco GP | 66% |
| Canadian GP | Double-digit drop |
| Spanish GP | Double-digit drop |
| Austrian GP | Double-digit drop |
| British GP | Double-digit drop |
| Hungarian GP | Double-digit drop |
IMPORTANT: "Household reach" means the number of unique homes that watched at least some of the race. This is different from "average viewers" (how many people watched at any given minute), which Nielsen measures.
Why Is This Happening? The "Free Trial" Theory
Samba TV’s VP of Measurement Science, Alyson Sprague, has a hypothesis:
"F1 fans may have activated an Apple TV free trial to watch the race, but didn’t find enough value to keep paying for it."
Here’s how Apple TV+ works:
- 1-week free trial for new subscribers
- $12.99/month after trial ends
- Some content is free: All practice sessions + select race weekends don’t require a subscription
But here’s the catch: The actual races (the main event) require the paid subscription.
ESPN vs. Apple TV: The Distribution Gap
This is where it gets really interesting. Let’s compare reach:
| Platform | U.S. Household Reach | How You Get It |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN | 60+ million homes | Standard cable packages + Fubo, YouTube TV |
| ABC (ESPN’s broadcast sister) | Nearly ALL U.S. TV homes | Free over-the-air antenna or cable |
| Apple TV+ | ~45 million subscriptions (2024) | Paid streaming app only |
Last Year’s Advantage
In 2025, three marquee races (Miami, Monaco, Canada) aired on ABC — free broadcast TV. They each pulled 2+ million average viewers.
ESPN-only races (like Japan, Austria) got ~1 million viewers.
SIMPLE TRUTH: Free TV + massive reach = more viewers. Paid streaming + smaller reach = fewer viewers.
Silver Linings: It’s Not All Bad News
Engagement Is Up for Die-Hards
Even with fewer households tuning in, fans who DO watch are watching LONGER:
| Race | Minutes Watched Per Household (vs. 2025) |
|---|---|
| Australian GP | 127% |
| Monaco GP | 113% |
New Blood for Apple TV+
30% of 2026 F1 viewers had never used Apple TV+ in the second half of 2025.
That means F1 is bringing brand-new customers to the platform — which might be more valuable long-term than raw race-day numbers.
Apple’s Sports Portfolio Is Growing
As of 2026, Apple TV+ also has:
- Every Major League Soccer match (MLS Season Pass)
- Weekly MLB Friday night doubleheaders
- F1 through 2030 (5+ more seasons locked in)
How Samba TV Measures This (The "How We Know" Section)
METHODOLOGY: Samba TV uses Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology built into smart TV chips from 24 top brands across 100+ countries. They track what’s on screen from tens of millions of opted-in TVs, then weight the data to represent the U.S. population.
Translation: They know what real people are actually watching on their living room TVs — not just what they say they watch.
Summary: What Does This All Mean?
- F1 moved from "everywhere" (ESPN/ABC) to "one paid app" (Apple TV+)
- Most races lost 60%+ of their household audience
- The "free trial → no subscription" pattern is the leading theory
- But engaged fans watch MORE, and Apple gains new subscribers
- The deal runs through 2030 — so this is a long game for Apple
BOTTOM LINE: Short-term pain for traditional TV metrics, but potential long-term gain for Apple’s streaming ecosystem. F1 becomes a "loss leader" to sell Apple TV+ subscriptions.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Can I watch ANY F1 for free on Apple TV+?
Yes! All practice sessions (FP1, FP2, FP3) and select race weekends are available without a subscription. But the majority of races require the $12.99/month plan.
Why didn’t F1 stay on ESPN/ABC?
Money + strategy. Apple reportedly paid significantly more for exclusive rights. F1 wants global streaming partners; Apple wants premium sports to drive subscriptions.
Will viewership bounce back?
Maybe. As Apple TV+ grows (bundles with Apple One, hardware promotions, more sports), the subscriber base expands. But it’ll never match free broadcast TV’s reach.
Does this affect F1’s popularity globally?
No. This is U.S.-only data. F1 is booming worldwide. The Netflix Drive to Survive effect still drives global interest.
What should a casual fan do?
Options:
- Free trial for specific races you must watch live
- Watch highlights on YouTube/F1 TV (free, delayed)
- Subscribe monthly only during active race months ($13 vs. $156/year)
- Share a family plan (up to 6 people for $19.95/mo with Apple One)
Data source: USA TODAY analysis of Samba TV household reach metrics (Aug 22, 2026). Nielsen data for historical ESPN/ABC comparisons. Apple subscription estimates from The Information (2024).