Sky Sports sign £1bn Formula 1 deal to freeze out Netflix and Apple
Sky Sports have moved to secure Formula 1 rights in a £1bn deal that freezes out Netflix and Apple.
The rights upgrade sees the partnership between the British broadcaster and global motorsport series extend an existing deal that already ran to 2029 through to 2034. Sky became the home of Formula 1 in 2019.
The move ensures that Sky Sports fends off streaming players Netflix and Apple, who have both made moves into Formula 1 in recent years.
Netflix has been the host platform for Drive to Survive, the fly-on-the-wall docu-series credited for a bump in audience numbers across the sport.
Apple, on the other hand, entered into Formula 1 rights at the start of the season in a deal worth $150m per year. The Sky Sports deal is reported to be worth £1bn all in.
Total viewing in the UK and Ireland has increased by 90 per cent since Sky Sports took over the broadcast rights, according to a statement, with under-35s up 120 per cent and female viewership has more than doubled. The new deal also covers Sky’s broadcasting capabilities in Italy, with a deal running through until 2032.
Formula 1 stays on Sky Sports
Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali said: “Sky has always been a dedicated, trusted, and passionate partner since we began our relationship many years ago.”
Lando Norris won Great Britain’s first F1 world champion since 2020 last season, and features on the 22-driver grid along with compatriots seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and youngsters Oliver Bearman and Arvid Lindblad.
Cadillac joined the grid ahead of the 2026 season with Formula 1 having 11 teams for the first time in a decade.
Dana Strong, Sky chief, said: “We’re proud of the role we’ve played in supporting the sport’s growth through world-class storytelling, innovation and long-term investment. This new agreement secures Sky as the home of Formula 1 for years to come, as the sport enters an exciting era with more British talent on the grid and rising stars like Kimi Antonelli.”