​Netflix is expanding its reach into Formula One by simulcasting the Canadian Grand Prix in May as part of a broader strategic move that could signal more cross-platform collaboration with Apple. The arrangement, which comes amid Apple’s ongoing five-year media rights partnership with F1, granted Netflix the rights to stream the May race while Apple TV continued to broadcast the event as part of a sublicensing deal. This collaboration also supports Apple TV’s access to season eight of Netflix’s popular F1 docudrama, Drive to Survive, further intertwining the two streaming catalogs in a way that benefits both brands.
In a recent conversation with Axios’ Sara Fischer, Netflix’s president of advertising, Amy Reinhard, hinted at the potential for expanding this simulcast model to include additional races. “I would imagine there’s going to be more possibility there,” Reinhard said, underscoring Netflix’s interest in leveraging live sports to attract both dedicated F1 fans and casual viewers who might be drawn in by the drama surrounding Drive to Survive.
The deal structure appears to deliver clear advantages for both Netflix and Apple. For Netflix, the simulcast of a live sporting event adds a notable one-off live component to its slate, a move that can attract F1 enthusiasts who are already invested in the Drive to Survive narrative. This strategy not only broadens Netflix’s live programming portfolio but also taps into a dedicated audience that follows F1 season by season. For Apple, the arrangement serves to deepen engagement with F1 fans who subscribed to Apple TV specifically to follow the races, thereby increasing platform stickiness and reducing churn by offering high-demand content on a single service.
Apple pays a reported $150 million per year for the U.S. broadcast rights to all Formula One races, a figure that marks a roughly $60 million increase from F1’s prior deal with ESPN. That uptick reflects the premium value of F1’s live racing content in today’s streaming ecosystem, where exclusive access to marquee events can drive subscriber acquisition and retention. Netflix, meanwhile, has not released official viewership numbers for May’s Canadian Grand Prix. Given that the race was simulcast on Apple TV, many of the most loyal F1 fans likely followed the race there, but Netflix’s presence may have attracted casual viewers who otherwise would not have tuned in. The positive signals from the May event — particularly in terms of engagement and potential reach — appear to have given Netflix the confidence to pursue additional simulcast opportunities going forward.
The broader takeaway is that this collaboration could represent a new path for how streaming platforms leverage live sports without fully displacing each other. Netflix’s willingness to simulcast F1 content alongside Apple TV suggests a cautiously optimistic strategy that prioritizes cross-pollination between the platforms and the sustained popularity of Drive to Survive. For Apple, the deal reinforces the value of its ecosystem by piggybacking on Netflix’s documented success with the docuseries, while ensuring that F1 fans remain within the Apple environment for the duration of the racing season. If the momentum continues, viewers may see more synchronized distribution of Formula One races across Netflix and Apple TV, with potential expansions into additional races and even more integrated promotional campaigns that capitalize on the intertwined appeal of live action and behind-the-scenes storytelling. The evolving arrangement signals a growing appetite for collaboration in the streaming space, where live sports and serialized documentary content can coexist to broaden audiences and maximize engagement. The original reporting on Netflix’s anticipatory stance toward further opportunities to simulcast F1 races from Apple came from Awful Announcing, highlighting how media rights and strategic partnerships continue to reshape the streaming landscape.