Apple is betting big on Formula 1's future in the United States, and early returns suggest the gamble is paying off. Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of services, recently shared his excitement about the championship's explosive growth potential after the tech giant secured F1 broadcasting rights starting in 2026.

The numbers don't lie: viewership for the first three races of the season has already seen a significant spike compared to last year's linear broadcasts. "The ratings were way up over where they were last year on linear for the first three races, significantly," Cue revealed during the Autosport Business Exchange in Miami. "Not only did we see more viewers, but we also saw more viewers throughout the weekend."

What's driving this surge? Cue points to a younger, more diverse audience that's embracing the sport like never before. "It's a much younger audience than any sport. Female participation is way up – both young and female on Apple is way up," he noted. This demographic shift is a game-changer for F1, which has traditionally struggled to break through in the U.S. market dominated by the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

But Cue isn't aiming to dethrone America's gridiron giants just yet. "We are not focused on the NFL," he clarified. "There is the NHL, there is Major League Baseball – there is a lot of stuff to get to the top. My viewpoint around it is there is a huge amount of growth."

The potential is staggering. Cue compares F1's current trajectory to the impact of the recent F1 movie, which turned casual viewers into passionate fans. "I still remember when we did the movie and we used to ask people, 'How many of you have ever seen a race?' and nobody raised their hand. After the movie, you always ask them, 'Would you like to see a race?' and everybody raises their hand."

For Cue, this isn't about incremental gains. "It's not a 10% or 20%. I think it's a 'how many times X can we grow it over the years?'" he said, hinting at exponential growth that could reshape the sport's footprint in America. As F1 continues to build momentum with its younger, more engaged fanbase, the road ahead looks faster than ever.