This article has been updated to reflect information from Formula 1 about its Apple TV performance.
Between the disruption of its racing calendar caused by the war in the Persian Gulf, and the difficulty of tempting viewers into watching Grands Prix on Apple TV in its debut season with the streamer, Formula 1 hasn’t had the easiest year so far.
But sports marketing experts say that F1’s growth among American audiences still has plenty of road left before it peaks — and that brands shouldn’t mistake a streaming numbers blip for a slowdown in fandom momentum.
“Whenever you have a major change of rightsholder like this, you always need to take a rounded view,” said James Allen, president of F1 at agency Right Formula.
The season hasn’t wanted for spills and thrills, with an open championship currently led by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, who won the Italian Grand Prix last week at Monza. But viewership estimates published recently by Samba (which is not an official ratings provider for either F1 or Apple TV) suggest that household reach for the Miami Grand Prix fell 68% versus 2025, while the Monaco Grand Prix fell 66%.
Nielsen estimated that at least 2 million viewers tuned into those races last year, when F1 was shown on ESPN and ABC. Under the sport’s five year deal with Apple, most races are available in the U.S. via the iPhone maker’s streaming service.
There are other yellow lights. Recent seasons of Netflix’s Drive To Survive series, credited with energizing interest in F1 in the United States, have seen viewership tail off. Total views fell over 10% for its 2025 season, for example.
Formula 1 executives aggressively dispute Samba’s estimates, pointing out they have no relationship with the service. They argue that Apple TV performance so far has actually attracted a more appealing audience. “In the U.S., Formula 1’s momentum on Apple continues to build, with viewership up year-over-year, season-to-date, and…