Apple TV's F1 home since 2026

Apple TV has been the home of Formula 1 in the United States since the start of the two thousand twenty-six season, offering free coverage to subscribers with extended commentary and original content.

Dolby Vision already part of coverage

Apple's F1 broadcasts include Dolby Vision support and a clean, modern visual presentation with several view options, including the ability to customize your own multi-view setup.

Dolby Atmos comes to F1

Apple is deepening its partnership with Dolby to bring Dolby Atmos to its live broadcast of Formula 1 races, starting with the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

No new microphones needed

The Dolby Atmos implementation does not require changing microphones or the existing race-broadcast setup. Apple is working with the existing microphone array used for the F1 broadcast.

“We don't change the mic array for this.”

Sound makes live events visceral

Jim DeLorenzo, Apple's Global Head of Sports, said sound is a big part of what makes a live event feel different from watching at home. The sound in an F1 race is particularly visceral.

“Because the sound in an F1 race is so visceral... if we can bring a little bit more of this into somebody's viewing experience when they're not at the track, that's going to help connect them a little bit more.”

Bridging the gap for home viewers

DeLorenzo said Apple wants to break down the barrier between people at the event and those watching at home, since the vast majority of viewers are not at the live sporting event they are watching.

“We are always trying to figure out, how do we break down that barrier a little bit between the people who can go to the event and the people who are watching at home?”

Night and day difference in audio

A Dolby Atmos mix of previous races was demonstrated at an event in New York City. The spatial audio adds immersion, especially in a room with a full nine point one point four setup, pulling listeners into the action.

“It's a night-and-day difference”

Cars move through the soundscape

When cars zoom left to right across the screen during a turn, listeners hear them move that way. The audio matches the visuals for a more immersive, closer-to-the-stands feel.

Engines, crowds, and atmosphere

The Dolby Atmos mix lets viewers hear the roar and rumble of engines, the crowd's cheers, and the general atmosphere of the track. It gives a better sense of what is happening in a given scene.

A first for Formula 1

DeLorenzo said the production team was excited about the innovation. Dolby Atmos with Formula 1 broadcasts is a first, and doing something never done before with F1 raises the bar even more.

“This one is pretty cool in that it's never been done before with F1. When you can do something that's never been done before... it raises the bar even more.”

Innovations spread across sports

Whether Dolby Atmos eventually extends to MLS or Friday Night Baseball remains to be seen. However, past innovations like Friday Night Baseball being shot with iPhone seventeen Pro have expanded to other sports.

More innovations in the pipeline

DeLorenzo noted it is still year one for Apple's F1 coverage. The company is trying all kinds of stuff that has not shipped yet and hopes to ship at some point, always trying to innovate and make the experience better for fans.

“We're trying all kinds of stuff that hasn't shipped yet, that we hope to ship at some point.”