If you want to watch Formula 1 racing in the United Kingdom or Italy, you will have to stick with Sky Sports for a long time. The broadcaster just locked down a massive television rights deal that blocks tech giants from taking over European coverage. Apple recently grabbed the rights to stream races in the United States, and it wanted to expand across the ocean.
However, this new agreement keeps the sport tied to traditional cable packages and shuts the door on a global streaming model for the foreseeable future.
Sky keeps exclusive broadcast rights to avoid a tech takeover
Sky secured a massive extension with Formula 1 before any other tech company could make an offer. The new deal keeps the broadcaster in charge of live coverage across the UK and Ireland until the end of 2034. It also holds onto the Italian broadcast market until 2032.
The deal guarantees financial safety for the sport while keeping races on traditional television. The UK portion alone costs around 270 million dollars every single year. For that price, Sky gets to show every practice session, qualifying round, sprint event, and Grand Prix race. The package also covers junior racing series like Formula 2, Formula 3, and the F1 Academy.
The renewal forces Apple to focus only on the USA
The massive European extension stops Apple from building a single worldwide home for motorsport fans. The iPhone maker recently signed a five-year deal to show Formula 1 to American viewers starting with the 2026 season. After that deal closed, executives hinted that the company wanted to grow into other regions.
With the largest European markets now locked away, the tech brand has to stick to its strategy in the United States. It already puts race updates inside Maps, Sports, and News apps. It also built a dedicated racing section inside its TV app.
Traditional television still rules the European sports market. Tech brands have plenty of cash to spend, but major racing leagues prefer the safety of long-running broadcast deals that guarantee huge local audiences.
