Formula 1 will see an unprecedented streaming crossover in 2026 as Apple and Netflix align around both documentary and live race coverage in the United States.
As Apple becomes the exclusive US broadcaster for all F1 sessions from the Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix onwards, the companies have confirmed that the eighth season of Drive to Survive will be available globally on Netflix and, for the first time, within Apple TV in the United States.
The collaboration goes further still with the Lenovo Canadian Grand Prix on May 22 streaming live on both Apple TV and Netflix in the US, creating a direct bridge between documentary-led storytelling and real-time race coverage.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, said the crossover was designed to expand access rather than fragment audiences.
“We’re excited to announce something I think that no one was expecting, and that is that we’ve teamed up with Netflix,” he said.
“We’re going to make the entire season of F1 Drive to Survive, the new season, available to stream right within Apple TV itself.
“This is the new season eight. It drops tonight at midnight. In addition to that, we’ve collaborated together so that the Canadian Grand Prix, which is on May 22nd, is also going to stream on Apple TV and Netflix in the US.”
Netflix, I think, has played a pivotal role in growing F1 since the launch of Drive to Survive.
Eddy Cue
Drive to Survive has been widely credited with accelerating F1’s audience growth in the US and Cue acknowledged the impact the documentary has had on the sport’s trajectory.
“Netflix, I think, has played a pivotal role in growing F1 since the launch of Drive to Survive,” he added.
“We’re thrilled to make F1 content more broadly available to new and existing U.S. fans on both Netflix and Apple TV.”
The move comes as Apple’s exclusive US rights deal begins, covering practice, qualifying, Sprint events and grands prix, and forms part of what Cue described as a broader partnership approach.
“We look at F1 and Apple TV as a true partnership where we’re going to amplify the sport across all of our Apple services,” he said, adding that the relationship goes “beyond just a rights deal.”
Last week, F1 President and Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali explained why partnering with a streaming platform was a key move for the sport in the US.
It is a move that will draw a lot of attention in the opening weeks of the 2026 as F1 looks to continue its progress in the US.
“We see this step, this new relationship that we have with Apple in the U.S. as the next big iteration for the sport and the U.S. market,” said Ian Holmes, Chief Media Rights and Broadcasting Officer at F1, who joined Cue on the media call.
“We see a relationship with Apple and the way that Apple is able to offer its content as the most forward-looking approach that we could pursue.”
