Apple's New CEO, Even More of an F1 Fan Than Cook
On April 20, Apple announced a major executive change: John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, will succeed Tim Cook as CEO on September 1; Cook will become Executive Chairman of Apple's board.
What few people know is that Apple's new leader is an amateur racing driver. Under his leadership, Apple's relationship with F1 will grow even closer.
Ternus, now 51, is the same age as Cook when he became CEO in 2011. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 with a degree in mechanical engineering, joined Apple's product design team in 2001, and became Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2021. He has been deeply involved in the development of multiple generations of iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, as well as Apple's custom chip project.
Besides being a seasoned engineer, Ternus is also a sports enthusiast:
During his time at Penn, he won double titles in the 50-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley, and is the most decorated athlete in the history of the university's men's swimming team. In addition to swimming, he is also an avid cyclist and motorsports fan.
At last weekend's F1 Miami Grand Prix, Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, revealed: "John drives a Porsche (race car) and competes in amateur races. He was supposed to come to Miami, but he's at Laguna Seca Raceway. So rest assured, he will definitely watch more races than Tim. He's a huge F1 fan, so you'll see him continue to fully support F1."
* Laguna Seca Raceway is a famous racetrack near Monterey, California, USA. Built in 1957, it is approximately 3.6 km long and known worldwide for its challenging turns.
In October 2025, Apple reached a five-year media rights agreement with F1. Starting from the 2026 season, all F1 events in the US, including practice sessions, qualifying, sprints, and Grands Prix, will be exclusively broadcast on Apple TV. (View related article)
During a panel discussion at Hard Rock Stadium last Friday, Eddy Cue stated that F1 viewership on Apple TV this year is higher than on ESPN last year.
Although Apple did not disclose specific figures, Eddy Cue noted: "The first three races have seen a significant increase in viewership compared to the same period last year on traditional television."
He added: "Apple's global F1 broadcast rights are not worldwide. Do I hope we can expand to other regions and markets? Absolutely!"
| Source: Sports Business Journal, Reuters, Apple official press release
| Image: Apple official press release