How to watch F1 2026 live online — Formula 1 streams, schedule, Chinese Grand Prix

The 2026 Formula 1 season continues with the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, March 15 as champion Lando Norris seeks to improve after a dissapointing time in Australia last week. Keep reading to discover how to watch 2026 F1 live streams from anywhere with a VPN — potentially for free!

After a few years of Max Verstappen dominating proceedings, it was every F1 fan's dream to have a genuinely competitive title race last year, with the contest going all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi. The McLaren of Norris prevailed over the Flying Dutchman and teammate Oscar Piastri, and now the 26-year-old Brit has the number 1 on his car and a target on his back.

It will be fascinating to see how the regulation changes brought in for 2026 will affect the rankings, with constructors battling to squeeze every last m.p.h. out of their machines. Red Bull (Verstappen & Isack Hadjar), Ferrari (Lewis Hamilton & Charles Leclerc) and Mercedes (Kimi Antonelli & George Russell) will all be hoping to push the McLarens to the checkered flag, while the paddock welcomes two brand new teams to the track: Audi Revolut and Cadillac.

Below is our guide on where to watch live F1 2026 streams online from anywhere, with FREE options explained and a calendar of all this season's races.

Round 2: Chinese Grand Prix

The second Grand Prix of the season takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit built in China, and will be contested over 56 laps of the 5.451km (3.4 miles) long circuit.

After a tough time in Melbourne, Norris and Piastri will be looking to get their McLaren's back on track (quite literally, in the Aussie's case) — they had a 1-2 in Shanghai last year. While Mercedes teammates George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are seeking to continue their perfect start.

Lewis Hamilton has a record six G.P. wins in China, so will be eager to use all that muscle memory to kickstart his and Ferrari's season.

Where can I watch F1 2026 season on free-to-air?

That depends on where you live. Viewers in the following countries can watch free F1 live streams on these TV broadcasters and streaming services. Check local broadcaster details for specific information.

🇦🇹 Austria – ServusTV and ORF (free live broadcast of every race)

🇧🇷 Brazil – Globoplay (free live broadcast of 15 races)

🇭🇷 Croatia – RTL (free live broadcast)

🇱🇺 Luxembourg – RTL Zwee (free live broadcast)

Apple TV (free trial) has confirmed that it will show free coverage of several races across the year in the U.S. (although hasn't confirmed which ones at the time of writing). Plus, it offers a 7-day trial so new subscribers can watch the Chinese G.P. for free.

And many other countries show free-to-air broadcasts of their own Grand Prix. For example, 10 Streaming in Australia, Channel 4 (British G.P.) in the U.K. and CTV in Canada.

Watch F1 2026 from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the Grand Prix on your usual subscription?

Provided terms allow, you can watch your usual stream – whether it's free or paid – from anywhere with a good VPN (Virtual Private Network).

Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review. Better still, we have an exclusive offer including 74% off and a free Amazon gift card up to $50.

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Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.S. and want to view your usual Aussie service, select 'Australia' in the app.

3. Sit back and watch the F1. Head your usual streaming service and watch the racing.

How to watch F1 live streams in the U.S.

Apple TV (7-day free trial to watch F1) is now the exclusive broadcaster of Formula 1 in the U.S. for the next five years. No more ABC or ESPN.

All Practice, Qualifying, Sprint sessions, and Grands Prix will stream live on Apple TV (the app is available for phones, laptops, smart TVs and consoles).

Apple has also confirmed that select TBC races will also be available for free throughout the course of the season.

One race — the Canadian GP — will be simulcast on Apple TV and Netflix.

After you've taken advantage of Apple TV's 7-day free trial, subscriptions cost from only $12.99/month. Or you can combine it with access to Peacock for just a couple of dollars more.

Anybody who buys an Apple device can claim 3 months free Apple TV, too. If you fancy a new Mac, now would be a good time...

U.S. F1 fans abroad can still access their Apple TV stream using NordVPN (try risk-free).

How To Watch F1 in 2026: FREE OPTIONS and Streaming Guide! - YouTube

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Where to watch F1 live streams in the U.K.

Sky Sports has the rights to every race weekend across the season and broadcasts F1 live streams in up to 4K. Sky Sports packages including the F1 channel start from £22/month on top of a regular Sky TV subscription.

The new presenter lineup is out and sadly Danica Patrick has left after five years. Martin Brundle will, however, be back with his legendary — and enjoyably awkward — gridwalks.

• FREE extended highlights: Channel 4 in the U.K. provides full extended highlights of each race in the form of a 2.5-hour show with ad breaks. It's typically available on-demand a few hours after the race and is a favorite way to watch F1 races back
• Traveling outside the U.K.? Download this VPN and use it to unblock your usual F1 stream and watch it as if you were back home.

How to watch F1 online in Canada

All practice sessions, qualifying and races are broadcast in English on TSN in Canada, while RDS provides coverage in French. If you receive the network through your cable or satellite provider, you can use TSN Go by signing in with your TV service credentials to watch online

If you’ve cut the cord you’ll want to check out the TSN Plus streaming platform, which costs $8/month or $80/year. The TSN app will allow you to live stream F1 races from your phone, streaming box or other supported device. F1 TV Pro is another option.

And CTV will show the Canadian Grand Prix absolutely free on May 22-24 this year.

Not back home in Canada at the moment? With NordVPN and other VPNs, you can access the streaming services you already subscribe to (always check the terms and conditions).

How to watch F1 online in Australia

Every Grand Prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season will be broadcast by Fox Sports and Foxtel in Australia.

For a more flexible streaming option, there's Kayo Sports. Rolling monthly subscriptions start at $30 after a 7-day FREE trial or your first month for $1. You can pay an extra $16 for Kayo Premium and watch F1 live streams in 4K.

The Australian Grand Prix, the opening race of the season, was free to watch on Network 10 and 10 Streaming.

Don’t forget you can use one of the best VPN services to follow the action from your home country even when you're overseas.

How to watch F1 online in India

If you're based in India you can live stream the entire F1 season exclusively via the Fancode website and app. Plans start at 49 rupees (around 50 cents) per race or 199 rupees/month (around $2).

If you already subscribe but are traveling outside of India, you can simply choose a top VPN service such as NordVPN to access your usual local stream.

Formula 1 2026 season schedule

Drivers' Championship standings (top 10 only) — Round 1

1. George Russell (Mercedes) — 25
2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — 18
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — 15
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — 12
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) — 10
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) — 8
7. Oliver Bearman (Haas) — 6
8. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) — 4
9. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) — 2
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) — 1

More from Tom's Guide

• How to watch F1 on Apple TV
• Apple announces F1 partnerships with Netflix, Tubi and IMAX for 2026
• The best streaming VPNs