F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream — how to watch the race free and online right now

Max Verstappen driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15 on track during qualifying for the F1 Japanese Grand Prix
(Image credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

It's time for the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream, which is kicking off with Max at the Pole. It's practically the first thing of note on Sunday (Oct. 9, or Saturday on the west coast), so if you're in the US we hope you have your coffee.

You'll be able to watch it play out later today, so read on and we'll show you how to watch F1 live streams from anywhere with a VPN, potentially for FREE.

2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream: How to watch live online

The F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream starts at 6 a.m. BST / 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. AEDT on Sunday (Oct. 9).
► FREE LIVE STREAM ServusTV (Austria)
► U.S. — ESPN via SlingTV
► U.K.Sky Sports or Now
► Watch anywhere — Try ExpressVPN 100% risk free

As we saw at Qualifying, Red Bull's Max Verstappen is still focused on taking and keeping the lead. The pole position owner for the Suzuka International Race Course, Max is currently 104 points ahead of Charles Leclerc, who sits at 2. 

Yes, Formula 1's execs couldn't have written the top 2 of the grid better. Verstappen needs a first-place finish in this race in order to clinch the driver's championship, and Charles is the field's best chance to stop him.

If Verstappen doesn't take this race, a finish in slots one through four from Ferrarri's Leclerc would keep things interesting. Oh, and if Charles can take a fastest-lap, that lets him drift as far back as five if he has to.

The Suzuka race starts at 6 a.m. BST / 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. AEDT on Sunday (Oct. 9) and there are multiple ways to tune in, including some free options. So read on and we'll show you how to watch the F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream. 

And don't forget to check out our full 2022 F1 live streams hub for more information including the current standings and the full schedule.

FREE Japanese Grand Prix live streams

How to watch the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream for FREE

If you're lucky enough to live in Austria or Luxembourg then you can enjoy every second of the F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream for FREE.

That's because the free-to-air ServusTV in Austria and RTL Zwee in Luxembourg will be showing every session of the Grand Prix, including qualifying and practice. 

But what if you're usually based in one of those countries but aren't at home for the Japanese Grand Prix live stream? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?

Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. To take Austria as an option, an Austrian who's currently outside of the country could tune into Servus for Japanese Grand Prix coverage simply by signing up for a free account then using one of the best VPN services. 

Our favorite VPN service right now is ExpressVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.

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Safety, speed and simplicity combine to make <a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Fstream-sports%2Fformula-1%2F%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ExpressVPN our favorite VPN service. It's also compatible with loads of devices and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it out.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

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

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Austrian service, you'd select Austria from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ORF or another website and watch the race.

2022 Japanese Grand Prix live streams around the world

How to watch the F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream in the US

US flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream will be on ESPN, with coverage split across the various ESPN channels over the course of the three days.

ESPN is available through most cable packages as well as cable TV replacement services, including Sling TV, Fubo.TV, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.  

Our pick of these would be Sling TV: the Sling Orange package costs just $35 per month and comes with more than 30 channels including ESPN. Plus, right now Sling is offering 50% off the first month

As well as being available through your cable service, you can also stream the action via the ESPN app, or on the Watch section of ESPN's website. However, you'll need to authenticate with your satellite, cable or live TV provider credentials to watch any sessions. 

If you don't want to pay for live ESPN in some fashion or another, your best alternative is F1 TV Pro. This is F1's own official F1 live stream service, and as with ESPN's own coverage, it uses the feed from Sky Sports F1. 

F1 TV Pro costs $10 per month or $80 for the season, which is much better value considering there are 22 races this year. Plus you also get Formula 2, Formula 3 and Porsche Supercup races, and F1's archive of classic Grands Prix.

And remember, if you're usually based in the U.S. but aren't there at the moment, you can still watch the services you already subscribe to via a VPN such as ExpressVPN — meaning you can view the F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream from anywhere in the world. 

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If you're not already a <a href="https://sling-tv.pxf.io/c/221109/1132376/14334?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sling.com%2F" data-link-merchant="sling.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sling TV subscriber, you'll want Sling Orange in order to watch ESPN. This costs $35/month and includes dozens of other great channels. Sling also currently offers 50% off the first month.

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Love sports? Then check out <a href="https://geni.us/YkQAuWd" data-link-merchant="geni.us"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fubo.TV. The channel lineup includes ESPN2 and ABC, plus other top networks including Bravo, FX and MTV. Fubo also has a 7-day free trial.

How to watch the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream in the UK

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As usual, Sky Sports F1 will show the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix live stream, and in up to 4K resolution, with the race itself starting at 6 a.m. on Sunday (Oct. 9). 

You'll need to be a Sky Sports subscriber to watch it: the Sky Sports F1 channel is available for £18 per month, and there are packages available that give you lots more channels for only a bit extra. 

To follow it in ultra high-definition 4K, you'll need to pay a little more: you'll need a Sky Q set-top box or Sky Glass and a package that includes both Ultra HD and Sky Sports F1. In total, that'd come to at least £45 a month, plus a £20 one-off payment if you're not an existing subscriber.

A far cheaper option is to buy a Now Sports Pass. This will give you all 11 of the Sky Sports channels for a limited time, with pricing starting at £9.99 for a Day Pass and £33.99 for one month. There's no 4K available here, though.

Again, if you're usually based in the U.K. but are elsewhere at the moment, you can still watch the services you subscribe to by using one of the best VPN services.

How to watch the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream in Canada

Canadian flag

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TSN has the Japanese Grand Prix live stream in Canada in English, while RDS has coverage in French. F1 TV Pro also remains an option for fans. 

All sessions are broadcast on TSN, and if you receive the network through your cable or satellite provider, you can use TSN Go by signing in with your TV service credentials. Cord-cutters will want to check out TSN Direct, which comes in day- and month-long passes for $8 or $20 CAD, respectively. The TSN app will allow you to live stream the race from your phone, streaming box or supported device.

Not actually in Canada at the moment? ExpressVPN and other VPN services can help you access the services you already subscribe to.

How to watch the 2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream in Australia

Australian flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Fox Sports has the rights to the F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream in Australia, which means you can watch all the action online via Foxtel

Kayo Sports is another option. This service offers new subscribers a 7-day free trial, while one-month subscriptions start at $25 — meaning you could sign up now and watch the Japanese Grand Prix for free.

To use either of these services when you're elsewhere you'll also need one of the best VPN services to follow the action from your home country. We highly recommend ExpressVPN.

F1 Japanese Grand Prix — Starting grid

Swipe to scroll horizontally
POSDRIVERCAR
1Max VerstappenRed Bull
2Charles LeclercFerrari
3Carlos SainzFerrari
4Sergio PerezRed Bull
5Esteban OconAlpine Renault
6Lewis HamiltonMercedes
7Fernando AlonsoAlpine Renault
8George RussellMercedes
9Sebastian VettelAston Martin
10Lando NorrisMclaren
11Daniel RicciardoMclaren
12Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo
13Yuki TsunodaAlphatauri
14Zhou GuanyuAlfa Romeo
15Mick SchumacherHaas
16Alexander AlbonWilliams
17Pierre GaslyAlphatauri
18Kevin MagnussenHaas
19Lance StrollAston Martin
20Nicholas LatifiWilliams

F1 Japanese Grand Prix schedule

2022 F1 Japanese Grand Prix live stream: Practice, qualifying and race weekend schedule

Max Verstappen of Red Bull

(Image credit: Red Bull / Getty)

The Japanese Grand Prix weekend is oddly timed, so it splits apart on different dates. Things begin on Thursday/Friday with Practice 1, then Practice 2 is on Friday (or still on Thursday if you're on the west coast), Practice 3 is on Friday/Saturday, qualifying is Saturday/Sunday and the race is Sunday (Oct. 9) (or on Saturday night if you're west coast).

Thursday, Oct. 6

Practice 1

  • 11 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET
  • 8 p.m. – 9 p.m PT
  • 4 a.m. – 5 a.m. BST (Friday)
  • 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. AEDT (Friday)

Friday, October 7

Practice 2

  • 2 a.m. – 3:30 a.m. ET 
  • 11 p.m. – 12:30 a.m PT (Thursday)
  • 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. BST
  • 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. AEDT

Practice 3

  • 11 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET
  • 8 p.m. – 9 p.m PT 
  • 4 a.m. – 5 a.m. BST (Saturday)
  • 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. AEDT (Saturday)

Saturday, October 8

Qualifying

  • 2 a.m. – 3 a.m. ET
  • 11 p.m. – 12 a.m PT (Friday)
  • 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. BST
  • 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. AEDT

Sunday, September 11

Japanese Grand Prix from Suzuka

  • 1 a.m. – 3 a.m. ET
  • 10 p.m. – 12 a.m PT (Saturday)
  • 6 a.m. – 8 a.m. BST
  • 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. AEDT

F1 2022 car and driver line-ups

Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes will go head to head for the F1 title in the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live stream

(Image credit: Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images / Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Swipe to scroll horizontally

Team

Driver 1

Driver 2

Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton

George Russell

Alpine

Esteban Ocon

Fernando Alonso

Haas

Kevin Magnussen

Mick Shumacher

Red Bull

Max Verstappen

Sergio Perez

McLaren

Lando Norris

Daniel Ricciardo

Aston Martin

Lance Stroll

Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari

Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz

AlfaTauri

Pierre Gasly

Yuki Tsunoda

Alfa Romeo

Valtteri Bottas

Zhou Guanyu

Williams

Alex Albon

Nicholas Latifi

VPN statement

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Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.