Move over MLS – Apple TV has a new sporting beau to drive its coverage forward

After showcasing its successful approach to covering sports with the MLS Season Pass, Apple TV has picked up another major sporting coup. The brand has just announced a new five-year partnership with Formula One, which will bring the racing franchise to its platform.

The partnership will only be available to those in the USA, with other broadcast agreements presumably still in tact. Apple says that it's looking to build on the growth of the sport in the USA, which roughly mirrors the point where the MLS was when it was picked up.

That growing popularity can also be seen in the success of F1 The Movie, which debuted in the summer. That was created by Apple Studios, and will make its streaming debut on Apple TV in December.

There's no official confirmation of how the setup will look at this stage. Instead, Apple suggests that additional information about the product and how it will operate will be announced in the coming months.

Still, there is a promise of "comprehensive coverage" with all practice, qualifying, sprint races and grand prix races available to Apple TV subscribers. The announcement also notes that a select quantity of races and practice sessions will be made available for free throughout the year.

There's also a promise of integration with the rest of the Apple suite. That includes things like Apple News, Apple Maps and Apple Music, though quite what that looks like remains a mystery. More understandable is the inclusion of race information in Live Activities.

I'm really excited for this. I'm not based in the USA, so I won't have the chance to enjoy it, but I'm confident that the operation would be just as slick as we've come to expect from Apple.

The way it has handled its MLS coverage is, in my opinion, a shining light in the often drab world of live sport broadcast. Giving that treatment to Formula One is likely to be a runaway success.