Apple's "F1" movie success paved the way for its live F1 coverage in the US

Apple's involvement in the F1 movie played a huge role in the company's choice to pursue the broadcasting rights for Formula 1.

Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange London, Apple's global head of sports, Jim DeLorenzo, outlined the confidence that the success of the movie gave the organisation as it became fully integrated with teams and drivers during live race weekends. This confidence became part of the decision-making behind its move to take on the broadcasting rights for the championship from 2026 in the United States.

"One of the great things about the movie, which has been obviously a huge worldwide success - that part’s been great,” DeLorenzo said. “But really the important thing for us, what got us interested in the live rights, was being able to work with F1, work with the teams, work with the drivers.”

The production team for the film had to work closely with F1 and its stakeholders to embed itself into the real-time action of a race weekend. With actors Brad Pitt and Damson Idris rubbing shoulders with the grid, the process formed by production staff had to align with those managing the weekend from a race perspective. 

Filmed over 2023 and 2024, this became a successful and fruitful partnership, with the movie returning over $630million worldwide since its release. 

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team, Alexander Albon, Williams

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

“For us, we - and we talk about this all the time - are not a transactional company,” DeLorenzo continued. “We really try and focus on the partnership angle of everything.

"So what we think we found and - I gotta tell you - just even since we announced and now working even more closely with F1 and the teams and the drivers,” he explained, “we are almost kindred spirits to a certain extent where there’s that obsession with the customer experience and trying to do what’s right for the fans. And that’s how we think about things.”

It was during the making of the film that they recognised how such a partnership could unfurl. 

"So seeing that as we were making the movie gave us more confidence, then when the live rights opportunity came up to be able to look, to pursue this,” he said. "And sports is really important for our customers, which is why it's important for us."