Apple will make the upcoming Formula One Austrian Grand Prix available free of charge to viewers in the United States as part of its efforts to attract new fans to the championship.
Anyone in the US with an Apple ID who downloads the Apple TV app will be able to watch the entire race weekend from 26th to 28th June, including practice sessions, qualifying and the Grand Prix itself.
The race at the Red Bull Ring will begin at 6am Pacific Time and 9am Eastern Time on Sunday, offering a more accessible viewing window for American audiences compared to several other European races.
The initiative represents the latest step in Formula One and Apple’s strategy to broaden the sport’s appeal after Apple secured the US broadcasting rights at the start of the 2026 season in a deal reportedly worth US$150 million annually.
Earlier this season, Apple partnered with rival streaming platform Netflix to simulcast the Canadian Grand Prix. As part of that collaboration, Netflix’s popular “Drive to Survive” documentary series was also made available to Apple TV subscribers in the US.
Apple has experimented with several promotional initiatives to boost Formula One’s visibility, including screenings on Times Square billboards in New York, showings at IMAX cinemas and creator-led alternative broadcasts distributed through Fox-owned free ad-supported streaming service Tubi.
Despite these efforts, critics argue that Formula One’s shift to streaming has reduced the sport’s overall exposure in the United States, particularly after leaving ESPN, long regarded as the country’s most influential sports broadcaster.
While Apple maintains that its audience figures are comparable to those recorded during Formula One’s final season on ESPN, the company has yet to publicly disclose detailed viewership data. ESPN averaged a record 1.32 million viewers for Formula One coverage last season.
However, Formula One previously reported that global audiences across its major markets showed positive growth following the opening races of the 2026 campaign.
By removing the paywall for one of the season’s race weekends, Apple is aiming to convert casual viewers into long-term subscribers and maintain the momentum of Formula One’s recent popularity surge in the United States.
Whether the free Austrian Grand Prix broadcast can replicate the broad reach once achieved through linear television remains one of the key questions surrounding Formula One’s evolving media strategy.