Formula E has announced a landmark broadcasting agreement with Disney+, which will see the all-electric championship streamed live on the platform and ESPN channels from the start of the Gen4 era later this year. The deal, heralded by the series as a major step forward, will make Disney+ the global streaming home of Formula E across 144 territories, including the United Kingdom and the United States, where races will also be shown on ESPN+.
Under the agreement, every practice session, qualifying session, and race will be broadcast live, complementing Formula E’s existing portfolio of free-to-air and linear broadcast partners. The series says the expanded offering will help it reach millions of new households while ensuring fans in key markets continue to have broad access to the action.
A ‘massive sign of intent’
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds described the announcement as a “massive sign of intent” for the championship as it enters its fourth era with its fastest and most technologically advanced car yet. Speaking exclusively to The Race, Dodds highlighted the significance of partnering with a global player like Disney+.
“There are a small group of organisations you can talk to about doing this, and what you want is global scale, you want somebody that’s going to treat your product in a way that is conducive with what we think it is and what it’s going to become in the future, something super premium and super exciting,” Dodds said.
He added that Disney+ understands the power of sports as appointment-to-view television, noting that sports is one of the only categories that continues to grow year on year. “They understand the tailwinds we’ve got around technology, around innovation, around sustainability, so they’re very interested in being part of a growing sport,” he said.
Disney+ is believed to have been attracted by Formula E’s agility and flexibility as a relatively new and ambitious strand of motorsport, including its willingness to try radical sporting formats such as attack mode, PitBoost energy top-ups, and the unique qualifying duels structure. Dodds said the two organisations share a “willingness to test and learn” to produce the best product together.
What the deal means for Formula E
The Disney+ partnership is a significant milestone for Formula E, which has long sought a spot on a major streaming service. Stakeholders, including teams and manufacturers, have been yearning for such outreach since entering the championship, often struggling for return on investment.
Earlier this year, Porsche’s head of factory motorsport, Thomas Laudenbach, told The Race that broadcasting coverage was “one of the first points that we need to improve.” He said discussions were ongoing with Formula E Operations and CEO Jeff Dodds, adding that in Germany, “we want to have it available for everybody easily.”
The deal has been cultivated over nearly two years, led by Dodds, Liberty executives, and in recent months by former F1 head of media rights Michaella Snoeck, who also has experience with the Olympics and World Rugby. Conversations between Formula E and Disney+ are understood to have begun in 2024, when Dodds was introduced to Andre James, then Disney’s executive vice president and head of corporate strategy.
Senior Disney+ executives visited the Mexico City E-Prix in January this year, and more concentrated talks solidified through the spring, with a deal believed to have been outlined in May. The head of Disney+ Japan attended the Tokyo E-Prix last month, and expansive engagement with local broadcasters has been ongoing. Disney+ UK’s head office is less than a mile from Formula E Operations’ headquarters in Hammersmith, London, where additional meetings took place.
Looking ahead
Joe Earley, co-president of direct-to-consumer at Disney Entertainment, said: “Formula E combines world-class competition, groundbreaking technology, and sustainability in a way that’s unlike any other sport. We’re excited to help power the championship’s next chapter on Disney+ and to give fans around the globe front row access to every adrenaline-fueled race as it happens.”
The full launch of the broadcasting arrangement, including specifics on how races will be presented, is set to happen in the run-up to the official pre-season test at Jarama in November. Commercial details of the deal have not been disclosed by either party.
For Formula E, this partnership represents a major vote of confidence in its product and its future. With the Gen4 car set to be the fastest and most advanced in the series’ history, the Disney+ deal could be the catalyst that brings the championship to a whole new audience, cementing its place in the global motorsport landscape.
