‘We will bring everything Apple has to bear’ to bolster the viewing experience, new F1 telecast partner pledges

Apple will use all of its touch points to try and bring Formula 1 to as many fans as possible as the new host broadcaster of the sport in the United States, according to its senior vice president of services Eddy Cue, who says plans also are in the works for higher-quality video and enhanced options for viewers.

F1 and Apple announced a partnership last October that will move the television rights from ESPN starting this year, despite attempts from the sports broadcaster to retain the coverage. While further details of Apple’s telecast plans will be made public later this month, Cue acknowledges it will have to use different ways of creating awareness of its coverage.

“We're going to take advantage of everything Apple has,” Cue told RACER. “Whether it's Apple News, we have a great sports app that people use, we have music – music is a big part of Formula 1 – all the touch points. We have retail stores in the United States in every major city. We will bring everything Apple has to bear.

“The ['F1'] movie itself also was another big factor in that. That exposed a lot of people to Formula 1 for the first time. And we know all the people that watched the movie – we're going to let them know that now they can watch the races. So it's a great opportunity.”

For existing viewers, Cue says the quality of the broadcast will increase on Apple TV this year, while there will be further options for fans to choose how they follow a race.

“One of the first things you're going to see is a quality of video you've never seen before. Because we take 4K, but we don't compress it at the levels that people are used to. So the first time you tune in, you're going to go, ‘Wow, I've never seen 4K like this.’

“We're going to have a single button where you can follow not just the race, but the teams. That's your favorite team with the data.

“We’ve got iPhones that we're going to put in different places that you've never been able to… I think one of the things that we learned from the movie is different camera angles that you can use that show the incredible athletes that these drivers are. The G-force that they take, how difficult it is to drive that car for two hours at the speeds that they're doing, it’s amazing.”

Cue also teased potential for a sequel to the F1 movie that was a major commercial success at the box office last year.

“I hope so – the first one was pretty good!” he replied when asked if there could be another movie. “But the good news is we've got 24 movies coming up this year.”

F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali later elaborated that any plans for a second film are a long way from coming to fruition, as lessons are still being taken from last year’s release.

“Stay tuned,” Domenicali said during the Apple TV press day. “We're gonna tell you something more in the future. I would say never say never, but we need to digest still the success of this movie, because it’s something unique.

“And if you want to think of a new one, it has to be really very, very good. Therefore, if this will happen, it will not be for next year. But maybe next year we're gonna be here [at the Apple TV summer previews]. Hopefully we’re gonna have something more to announce on that.”