Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, officially took over from Tim Cook on September 1 after 25 years at the company, bringing both a mechanical engineering background and an unexpected passion for Porsche racing to one of technology’s biggest leadership roles.
Ternus most recently led Apple’s hardware engineering division and has been involved with products ranging from the iPad and AirPods to the Mac, Apple Watch and iPhone. His engineering background makes him a natural fit for a company known for its focus on highly polished physical products.
John Ternus Takes His Porsche Racing at Laguna Seca
Outside Cupertino, Ternus has a more analog hobby. According to the Wall Street Journal, he races his Porsche at Laguna Seca, where he reportedly records laps below 1:40, a respectable time for an amateur.
The hobby suggests that the engineer now leading Apple also values precision beyond aluminum and glass. However, the exact Porsche driven by Ternus has not been publicly identified.
Tim Cook Also Had a Connection to Porsche
Ternus is not the first Apple CEO associated with German sports cars. Tim Cook was also linked to Porsche, including a first-generation Boxster he reportedly owned early in his Apple career.
Ternus, however, appears to take that interest considerably further. Rather than simply owning a Porsche or occasionally enjoying spirited driving, he is an active amateur racer who takes his car to one of America’s most demanding circuits.
A Major Formula 1 and Motorsport Fan
Ternus is also a dedicated motorsport fan and possibly an iRacing subscriber. Apple services chief Eddy Cue told Sports Business Journal that Ternus is a “huge, huge fan” of Formula 1 and suggested that he could attend even more races than Cook.
When Ternus could have attended the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, he was instead at Laguna Seca.
Apple and Porsche Revived Their Shared Racing History
This year, Porsche and Apple revived an unusual chapter in their shared history with special Porsche 963 race cars carrying an Apple Computer-inspired livery at Laguna Seca.
The design paid tribute to a Porsche 935 K3 that wore Apple colors at Le Mans in 1980, while also celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary and Porsche Motorsport’s 75th.
Apple’s new CEO is therefore taking charge of a company with established ties to automakers and an increasingly serious relationship with motorsport, while personally spending time racing a Porsche at the same circuit where the two brands recently celebrated their shared history.
With Apple now holding the exclusive U.S. Formula 1 broadcast rights, Ternus brings a personal connection to the track alongside his decades of engineering experience at the company.
