How to watch F1 2026: Live Streams, TV Channels for Australian GP 2026 | Tech Radar
Overview
How to watch F1 2026: Live Streams, TV Channels for Australian GP 2026
The ultimate guide on where to watch and stream F1 races in 2026
Details
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Watch F1 online from anywhere with Nord VPN (try risk-free)
Live Stream: Apple TV (US) / Sky Sports (UK) / Kayo Sports (AUS)
“Wait for Melbourne,” is what Max Verstappen said during the Bahrain pre-season press conference, hinting that several teams, including Toto Wolff’s Mercedes, may still be holding back their true pace until the curtain rises at the Australian Grand Prix. Well, the wait's finally over. It's race weekend!
The 2026 Formula 1 season is shaping up to be one of the most transformative in recent memory. A sweeping new set of technical regulations has fundamentally changed the cars and how they behave on track. One of the most noticeable changes is the smaller, more compact chassis. With a shorter wheelbase, the cars are expected to be more nimble in corners, even if their absolute top speeds are slightly lower than in previous years.
The biggest shift, however, is in the power units. The new regulations introduce a 50-50 split between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, dramatically increasing the importance of energy deployment. Now, it’s not as simple as popping that rear wing open and gaining on the car in front, as drivers have to be mindful of the charge they spend.
Another thing we saw in pre-season testing was lockups everywhere and just how different and difficult the race start procedure is this time around. Mercedes, despite appearing to have one of the most refined packages overall, have struggled to launch cleanly off the line. Ferrari, on the other hand, have impressed during testing – and strong starts could become one of their biggest advantages heading into Melbourne, much to the delight of the Tifosi.
Despite the plethora of changes, the top four remains the same: Mc Laren, Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari. However, the Australian GP will likely provide the first real indication of how the pecking order might shape up, including how new entrants Cadillac and Audi, as well as rookie Arvid Lindblad, go about their business. And even though early sentiments suggest George Russell could be poised for his first Drivers’ Championship, it all comes down to which team adapts fastest to the new regulations.
Here's our easy guide on to how to watch F1 live online from anywhere, with potential free streams in your country
The 2026 Formula 1 season isn't available for free in every country. However, in these select destinations you can catch specific races/highlights or even the full season for FREE.
Australia – 10 Play (full Australian GP live, plus highlights of every other race)
Austria – Servus TV and ORF On (free live broadcast, 12 race weekends each)
Belgium – RTBF Auvio (free live broadcast of every single race)
Canada – CTV (full Canadian GP live, plus highlights of every other race)
Luxembourg – RTL Zwee (free live broadcast of every single race)
UK – Channel 4 (full British GP live, plus highlights of every other race)
US – Apple TV (free live broadcast of every Practice session and select races)
Traveling abroad during the 2026 season? You can use a VPN to watch all the action free of charge as if you were right at home. Nord VPN is our top pick of all the options.
🌎 ABROAD? F1 is broadcast in many countries around the world but if you are traveling outside your country you should consider using one of the best VPNs to unlock your domestic streaming service provided it does not infringe any terms and conditions.
A VPN will allow you relocate your device back to your home country. Nord VPN is our favorite VPN and you can make use of it to watch the F1 season while you're away from home.
Not having a VPN is like leaving your front door wide open in a busy city – anyone can walk right in and take a peek.
Tech Radar regularly reviews all the biggest and best VPN providers and Nord VPN is our #1 choice.
Get Nord VPN and stream the F1 2026 season from anywhere.
-
Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Nord VPN is our favourite.
-
Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US and want to view your usual UK service, you'd select a 'United Kingdom' server from the list.
-
Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your usual local streaming service and watch F1 2026 live streams.
In the US, F1 TV Pro is now available directly through the Apple TV app, but everywhere else it's still available as a standalone subscription – and is arguably the best way for true enthusiasts to watch Formula 1.
With F1 TV Pro, viewers get live streams of every F1 session, plus access to onboard driver cameras and live team radio during races. It also includes detailed live timing and telemetry, along with feeder series coverage such as Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy, making it one of the most comprehensive ways to follow the sport.
Want to know the cost of this where you are? Don't worry, we've got you covered below with the latest prices.
It isn’t just the cars that are changing for the 2026 season. Apple TV is taking over exclusive U. S. broadcast rights through 2031.
If you want to catch the F1 but are traveling outside America right now, make sure to use Nord VPN to watch your usual services.
In the UK, Sky Sports is the home of F1 with a dedicated channel for all the action.
Sky Sports packages start from £22 per month. Or you can use a more flexible streaming option, Now, (formerly Now TV). Now sports passes start at £14.99.
As well as this, Channel 4 will broadcast the British Grand Prix live from Silverstone and you can catch highlights of every Grand Prix on their Channel 4 on demand platform.
Outside the UK for the race? Use Nord VPN (try risk-free) to watch while on your travels.
Fox Sports via Kayo is the main option for Australian viewers with full HD coverage and multi-screen viewing options.
Kayo offers two plans: Standard and Premium. The Standard plan starts at AU
Outside Oz? Australian F1 fans can still watch Kayo by using Nord VPN.
For Canadian F1 fans, everything you need to watch every single Grand Prix is on TSN.
If you’ve ditched the cord, you’ll want to check out TSN Plus, which costs
Use Nord VPN to if you're outside the country for one of the races.
The 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship race calendar features 24 live televised races. We'll keep you updated on them right here.
Six circuits will host F1 Sprint weekends in 2026: Shanghai (China), Miami (USA), Montreal (Canada), Silverstone (UK), Zandvoort (Netherlands), and Singapore.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Krishi covers buying guides and how-to's related to software, online tools, and tech products here at Tech Radar. Over at Tom's Guide, he writes exclusively on VPN services. You can also find his work on Techopedia and The Tech Report. As a tech fanatic, Krishi also loves writing about the latest happenings in the world of cybersecurity, AI, and software.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1I upgraded to this 27-inch 1440p 180 Hz curved gaming monitor and I've never looked back — and it can now be yours for a record-low price
2 Open AI introduces new Chat GPT 5.3 Instant to ‘reduce the cringe’ for users
3 How to watch South Africa vs New Zealand: Free Streams, TV Channels & Preview for T20 World Cup semi-final 2026
4AI adoption is soaring - but many businesses don't have the infrastructure or governance to support it
5VPN deal of the week: Express VPN returns to its lowest ever price just in time for the T20 Cricket World Cup Semi-Final — here's the plan you should claim
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
-
How to watch F1 2026: Live Streams, TV Channels for Australian GP 2026
-
The ultimate guide on where to watch and stream F1 races in 2026
-
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission
-
Watch F1 online from anywhere with Nord VPN (try risk-free)
-
Live Stream: Apple TV (US) / Sky Sports (UK) / Kayo Sports (AUS)
