Red Bull's Max Verstappen is the proud owner of a third straight drivers' championship but the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix is still to come. The Flying Dutchman – show starts on pole, naturally – will be eying his 14th race win of the season.
Below, we'll explain how to watch Qatar Grand Prix live streams from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
The 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix is on Sunday (Oct. 8) at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. BST / 3 a.m. AEST (Oct. 9)
• FREE LIVE STREAM — ORF (Austria) / RTL Zwee (Lux)
• U.K. — Watch on Sky Sports or Now
• U.S. — Watch on ESPN via Sling or Fubo
• Watch anywhere — Try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
After a thrilling Singapore-Japan double-header, F1 is back at Lusail International Circuit for only the second-ever Qatar GP. It’s a Sprint format, starting with first practice and qualifying on Friday (Oct. 6), followed by the Sprint Shootout and Sprint on Saturday (Oct.7). It's lights out for the race itself on Sunday (Oct. 8).
Having dominated in Suzuka to take his 13th victory of the season, helping Red Bull to the constructors' title, Max lost no time in sealing the drivers' championship with a solid performance in yesterday's Sprint race.
Today's race could see some upsets: tire-life limits have been imposed for this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix because of safety concerns. That could mean three pit stops will be needed for the race, which will feature Verstappen on pole.
Read on for details about how to watch, and don't forget to check out our full 2023 F1 live streams hub for more information including the full schedule for the season.
FREE Qatar Grand Prix live streams
How to watch the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream for FREE
Formula 1 fans in in Austria and Luxembourg are among the luckiest in the world, as they get to watch Qatar Grand Prix live streams for FREE.
Both countries show F1 live streams on free-to-air TV. It's RTL Zwee in Luxembourg, while in Austria its ORF and ServusTV stations are sharing the coverage — this weekend for the Qatar G.P. it's the turn of ORF.
Streaming those services will be blocked from abroad. And if you're a resident of either of those countries but are overseas while the Qatar Grand Prix is taking place, we suspect you won't want to shell out again on a streaming service subscription for the duration of your holiday or business trip.
That's where downloading a VPN (virtual private network) could be a great choice, as — using the steps below — they let you watch your F1 live stream as if you were back at home.
The world's best VPN service has to be the ever-reliable ExpressVPN:
It's really ease to setup and use a VPN:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. Our in-depth testing puts ExpressVPN at the top of the podium.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. So if you're travelling to the U.S. but want to watch your usual Austrian stream, simply select an Austrian server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ORF or another website and watch every high-octane second.
2023 Qatar Grand Prix live streams around the world
How to watch the F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream in the U.S.
ESPN2 is the destination to watch the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, including coverage of practice, qualifying, sprint shootout, sprint race and the race itself. Unlike some races on the F1 calendar, this one won't be shown on ABC or ESPN Plus.
ESPN channels are widely available through cable packages, via the best TV antennas or through streaming services such as Sling TV, Fubo, YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV.
Perhaps the most affordable way to do so is via Sling Orange . Its costs from just $40/month and gets you streaming access to a ton of premium channels.
If you do have cable with ESPN, you also have the option to watch F1 action via the ESPN app or the Watch section of ESPN's website. You'll just be asked for your satellite, cable or live TV provider details at the outset.
Or if all you're interested in is the F1 and you really don't want to pay extra for TV channels you won't watch, then you can also opt for F1 TV Pro. F1's own official live stream service is yours for just $9.99/month or $79.99 for the whole season
F1 TV Pro is available to watch via smartphone app, web browser, Roku, Apple TV, Google TV and Fire TV. And, in addition to Formula 1, you also get access to F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup live streams, together with exclusive F1 shows, archive and documentaries.
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 Qatar Grand Prix live stream from anywhere in the world.
How to watch the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream in the U.K.
Sky Sports has long been the home of Formula 1, with its dedicated F1 channel hosting all the weekend's action.
So you'll need Sky Sports F1 to watch F1 live streams from Qatar. It's included in the full Sky Sports package, that can be added to any regular Sky plan and also includes the provider's Premier League, cricket, golf and racing channels.
Assuming you have the necessary Sky box and television, all the F1 action is available to watch in ultra high-definition 4K. And you can watch on the go, to, with its Sky Go app for smartphones, tablets and a selection of streaming devices.
If you don't wish to shell out for a full Sky package, then you could always go for a Now Sports Pass , which features the full suite of Sky Sports channels and is available for £34.99/month or £11.98/day. Just don't expect 4K coverage, as it's not available on Now.
Based in the U.K. but outside the country this weekend? You'll be able to watch on your usual subscription service by using one of the best VPN services.
How to watch the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream in Canada
TSN has the rights to show Formula 1 live streams in Canada, including the Qatar Grand Prix.
TSN4 and TSN5 are showing the practice sessions, qualifying and the race. So if you already get TSN through your cable provider, you'll be able to watch on TV or through its TSN Go app.
If you don't have cable, then you could go for TSN+ instead, which lets you get access to all TSN has to offer on an $8/month or $80/year subscription basis. Or for pure petrol heads, you could alternatively go for F1 TV Pro as described in the U.S.A. section above.
Not in Canada at the moment? Signing up to ExpressVPN will help you access your streaming service while overseas.
How to watch the 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream in Australia
Fox Sports has bagged the F1 rights Down Under, so you'll need to tune into Fox Sports 506 on your Foxtel plan for the Qatar GP.
Don't have Foxtel? Kayo Sports may be a better shout for you, with its affordable, commitment-free plans. Signing up for one month costs as little as just $25, with a whole host of cricket, AFL, rugby and loads of other live sports to enjoy outside of motor racing.
If you want to catch your Foxtel or Kayo F1 live stream when away from Australia, you can use one of the best VPNs to watch as if you were back at home.
F1 Qatar Grand Prix schedule
2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix live stream: Practice, qualifying and race weekend schedule
The Qatar Grand Prix weekend begins Friday (Oct. 6), with practice and qualifying. The Sprint Shootout and Sprint race are on Saturday (Oct. 7), and the race is on Sunday (Oct. 8).
Friday, Oct 6
Practice
- 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. ET
- 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. PT
- 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. BST
- 11:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. AEST
Qualifying
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. PT
- 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. BST
- 3 a.m. – 4 a.m. AEST
Saturday, Oct 7
Sprint Shootout
- 9 a.m. – 9:44 a.m. ET
- 6 a.m. – 6:44 a.m. PT
- 2 p.m. – 2:44 p.m. BST
- 11 p.m. – 11:44 a.m. AEST
Sprint race
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET
- 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PT
- 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. BST
- 3:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. AEST
Sunday, Oct 8
Qatar Grand Prix 2023
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. PT
- 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. BST
- 3 a.m. – 4 a.m. AEST
F1 2023 car and driver line-ups
| Team | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | Sergio Perez |
| Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | Carlos Sainz |
| Mercedes | Lewis Hamilton | George Russell |
| Alpine | Esteban Ocon | Pierre Gasly |
| McLaren | Lando Norris | Oscar Piastri |
| Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | Lance Stroll |
| Alfa Romeo | Valtteri Bottas | Guanyu Zhou |
| Alpha Tauri | Yuki Tsunoda | Liam Lawson |
| Haas | Kevin Magnussen | Nico Hulkenberg |
| Williams | Alex Albon | Logan Sargeant |
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