L'Italo-Americano

" We dream that one day, in the United States, people will w a k e u p t o f o l l o w Formula 1 the same way they do the Super Bowl or the NBA." For Stefano Domenicali, President and Chief Executive Officer of the championship, this is not just a v i s i o n s t a t e m e n t . A s h e says, it is a responsibility to the fans of the world's pre- mier motorsport series: to make the sport a consistent, r e c o g n i z a b l e p r e s e n c e i n American culture. Born in 1965, Domenicali assumed his role in January 2021. A n a t i v e o f I m o l a , n e a r Bologna, he discovered his passion for motorsport early on. After earning a degree in Economics from the Univer- sity of Bologna, he joined Ferrari in Maranello in 1991. Last year, Formula 1 and Apple announced a five-year a g r e e m e n t t h a t w i l l m a k e Apple TV+ the exclusive home of Formula 1 in the United States beginning next season, which will kick off with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Mel- bourne from March 6–8. For fans, it means a single plat- form offering every session – practice, qualifying, sprint r a c e s , a n d g r a n d s p r i x – available across devices, from smartphones and tablets to smart TVs and gaming con- soles. Speaking at Apple TV+'s Winter Press Day in Santa M o n i c a a l o n g s i d e A p p l e ' s Senior Vice President of Ser- vices Eddy Cue, Domenicali outlined a strategy that goes f a r b e y o n d b r o a d c a s t i n g rights. At its core is a funda- m e n t a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f Formula 1 from a global rac- ing championship into an always-on cultural and media experience, tailored to a new generation of fans and pow- ered by a long-term partner- ship with Apple. At the center of this shift l i e s a n u n l i k e l y s t a r t i n g p o i n t : a m o v i e , F 1 T h e M o v i e , d i r e c t e d b y J o e Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt. "Just a few years ago, the idea of Formula 1 cross- ing fully into Hollywood ter- ritory seemed far-fetched," D o m e n i c a l i s a i d . T h a t changed in early 2021, short- ly after he took over as Presi- dent and CEO of Formula 1. " I r e m e m b e r v e r y c l e a r l y when the director Joe Kosin- ski and the producer Jerry B r u c k h e i m e r c a m e t o m y office to discuss this new idea," he recalled. "I was fas- cinated, but also worried a b o u t c r e a t i n g t h e r i g h t ecosystem, and making sure that the project was real and authentic." Authenticity, he empha- sized, was non-negotiable. Formula 1 agreed to open its doors in ways it never had before. "For us, it was really i m p o r t a n t t o p r e s e n t o u r world in the context of Hol- l y w o o d , b u t t o b e r e a l , " Domenicali said. "We gave access because we under- stood the value of our collab- oration." That trust paid off. F1 The Movie, produced by Lewis Hamilton and Apple Original Films, became the h i g h e s t - g r o s s i n g s p o r t s movie of all time, Brad Pitt's biggest box-office success, and earned four Academy Award nominations, includ- ing Best Picture. But its most significant impact, Domeni- cali argued, was cultural. He recalled a revealing moment from an early screening. "At the end of the movie, there was a question: how many people in the room followed Formula 1? There were four h a n d s , t w o o f t h e m w e r e m i n e a n d E d d y ' s . " T h e n c a m e a s e c o n d q u e s t i o n . "After this movie, are you going to watch Formula 1? And everyone raised their arm." That moment crystal- lized what Domenicali and F o r m u l a 1 l e a d e r s h i p already sensed: the United States represents the sport's biggest growth opportunity. "The American market for us is a huge opportunity," he said. Formula 1 today counts nearly 900 million fans worldwide and stages 24 races each season across 21 c o u n t r i e s . " E v e r y s i n g l e event is like a Super Bowl," Domenicali noted, under- scoring the scale of the oper- ation. Yet despite its global reach, the US has long been a developing market for the series. "Our fanbase is very young," Domenicali said. "In the United States, it's getting even younger, and forty per- cent is female." That demo- g r a p h i c d i f f e r e n c e , h e believes, requires a different a p p r o a c h t o s t o r y t e l l i n g , accessibility, and technolo- gy. "Our sport is very com- p l i c a t e d , " h e a d m i t t e d . "Therefore, we have the duty to make sure that everyone can understand it." That sense of responsibili- ty is what led Formula 1 to seek not just a broadcaster, but a strategic partner. For Domenicali, the Apple deal is about much more than convenience. "This collabo- ration allows us to explain the sport to different kinds o f f a n s … a v i d f a n s , n e w fans," he said. Apple's tech- nological ecosystem plays a crucial role in that vision. "Apple is the best platform not only on the technological side, but also in the way they c r e a t e t h e r i g h t c o n t e n t , e x p l a i n i n g w i t h d i f f e r e n t angles how to connect with o u r f a n s , " D o m e n i c a l i explained. He was also care- ful to stress accessibility: "For the fans in the United S t a t e s , t h e r e w i l l b e n o incremental cost. The price is that one, no other sur- p r i s e . " T h e p a r t n e r s h i p builds on months of close collaboration between For- mula 1 and Apple teams in b o t h t h e U K a n d t h e U S , aimed at creating an experi- ence tailored specifically for American audiences. Under Domenicali's lead- ership, Formula 1 has under- gone a broader identity shift. "Today, Formula 1 is more than a sport," he said. "It's lifestyle. It's connecting peo- ple. It's a connecting busi- n e s s . " T h a t e v o l u t i o n i s reflected in how the organi- zation operates. "Before, we w e r e a B 2 B b u s i n e s s , " Domenicali explained. "Now we are interested in getting to know our fans better and creating the content they want to receive." Relevance, he said repeatedly, is the k e y : " R e l e v a n c y a n d t h e right platform." The growing American footprint – three US races in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas – is part of t h a t s t r a t e g y , b u t n o t i t s endpoint. "It's not just the fact that we have 24 races during the year," Domenicali s a i d . " W e w a n t t o c r e a t e content." F o r m u l a 1 ' s r e n e w e d a p p e a l i n t h e U S i s a l s o attracting major American companies. Starting this sea- son, Ford and Cadillac will j o i n t h e c h a m p i o n s h i p , a m o v e D o m e n i c a l i s e e s a s s t r o n g v a l i d a t i o n o f t h e sport's direction. "You don't invest if you don't believe t h e s t r a t e g y i s r i g h t , " h e said. The hybrid engines and technological innovations at the heart of modern Formu- la 1, he added, are increas- ingly relevant to the automo- tive industry and its future. Looking ahead, Domenicali sees Formula 1 continuing to e x p a n d b e y o n d t h e r a c e - track. "We are moving the sport into a different cultur- al dimension," he said. "We want to be socially relevant. That's our dream, and that's what we are going to do." As for whether Hollywood m i g h t r e t u r n f o r a n o t h e r chapter after the success of F1 The Movie, Domenicali left the door open. "Never say never," he said with a smile. For now, however, the focus remains firmly on the road ahead: bringing For- mula 1 into American living rooms, devices, and daily conversations. SILVIA NITTOLI S t e f a n o D o m e n i c a l i , t h e I t a l i a n C E O leading Formula 1's American expansion through Apple TV+ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano LIFE PEOPLE PLACES EVENTS Stefano Domenicali (left) and Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services (Photo: Voncella McIntosh)

• Cover