Apple and Netflix have entered a unique partnership to jointly stream both the upcoming Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix and the eighth season of Netflix’s documentary series F1: Drive to Survive. This collaboration begins with the Canadian Grand Prix taking place from May 22 to 24, followed by the Drive to Survive season 8 premiere on Friday, available on both Apple TV and Netflix platforms.
How the Partnership Supports Streaming Strategies
Apple, which secured exclusive U.S. rights to Formula 1 last year, aims to supplement its live race broadcasts with related programming that maintains fan engagement between events. This includes practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and sprint races, all accessible to Apple TV subscribers without requiring a separate service subscription. Netflix, on the other hand, is expanding its sports portfolio by acquiring rights to major events like the NFL, Major League Baseball, and the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup as part of its push into live sports streaming.
Drive to Survive’s Influence on Sports Streaming
The success of Drive to Survive has become a template for Netflix’s approach to sports documentary storytelling, offering behind-the-scenes access that resonates with viewers. Seven seasons in, the series continues to perform strongly, accumulating 10.4 million views in the first half of 2025 alone. Its popularity encouraged Netflix to pursue broadcasting rights for Formula 1 as early as 2022, even though ESPN retained those rights at that time.
Implications for Formula 1 Fans and Streaming Services
This collaboration between Apple and Netflix is notable for bridging two competing streaming platforms to enhance the Formula 1 viewing experience. It offers fans integrated access to both live racing and exclusive documentary content, creating a more immersive fan engagement. The arrangement underscores the growing importance of sports content in streaming service competition and signals potential future cooperative deals to broaden audience reach.
