“Wait for Melbourne,” Max Verstappen said at the pre-season press conference in Bahrain, hinting that several teams, including Toto Wolff’s Mercedes, could still hold off on their real pace until the Australian Grand Prix curtain-raiser. Well, the wait is finally over. It’s race weekend!
The biggest change, however, concerns the powertrains. The new regulations introduce a 50-50 split between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, significantly increasing the importance of energy deployment. Now, it’s not as simple as opening the rear wing and gaining ground on the car in front, as drivers need to be aware of how much charge they’re expending.
Another thing we noticed during pre-season testing was the blockages everywhere and how different and difficult the race start procedure is this time around. Mercedes, despite appearing to have one of the most refined packages overall, struggled to launch cleanly. Ferrari, on the other hand, have impressed in testing – and strong starts could become one of their biggest advantages ahead of Melbourne, much to the delight of the Tifosi.
Despite the plethora of changes, the top four remains the same: McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari. However, the Australian GP will likely provide the first real indication of how the hierarchy might evolve, including how newcomers Cadillac and Audi, as well as rookie Arvid Lindblad, go about their business. And while early feelings suggest George Russell could be ready for his first drivers’ championship, it all depends on which team adapts quicker to the new regulations.
Here’s our simple guide on how to watch F1 live online from anywhere, with potential free broadcasts in your country.
How to watch the 2026 F1 season for FREE
The 2026 Formula 1 season is not available for free in all countries. However, in these selected destinations you can attend specific races/highlights or even the entire season for FREE.
- Australia – 10Play (Full Australian GP live, plus highlights from all other races)
- Austria – Servus TV And ORF enabled (free live stream, 12 race weekends each)
- Belgium – RTBF Auvio (free live broadcast of each race)
- Canada – Connected TV (the full Canadian GP live, plus highlights from all other races)
- Luxembourg – RTL Zwee (free live broadcast of each race)
- UNITED KINGDOM – Channel 4 (the full British GP live, plus highlights from all other races)
- WE – Apple TV (free live stream of every practice session and some races)
Are you traveling abroad during the 2026 season? You can use a VPN to watch all the action for free as if you were at home. NordVPN is our top pick among all the options.
How to watch F1 2026 from anywhere
🌎 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 unblock your domestic streaming service, provided it does not violate any terms and conditions.
A VPN will allow you to relocate your device to your home country. NordVPN is our favorite VPN and you can use it to watch the F1 season when you’re away from home.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you want to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you are visiting the United States and want to view your usual UK service, you would select a “UK” server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head over to your usual local streaming service and watch F1 2026 live streams.
How to watch F1 2026 like a pro
In the United States, F1 TV Pro is now available directly via the Apple TV app, but everywhere else it’s still available as a standalone subscription – and arguably the best way for true enthusiasts to watch Formula 1.
With F1 TV Pro, viewers enjoy live broadcasts of every F1 session, as well as access to drivers’ on-board cameras and live team radio during races. It also includes detailed live timing and telemetry, as well as coverage of feeder series such as Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy, making it one of the most comprehensive ways to follow the sport.
Want to know how much this costs where you are? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the latest prices below.
- F1 TV Pro in India – $3.99/month (cheapest)
- F1 TV Pro in South Africa – $4.99/month
- F1 TV Pro in Brazil – $5.99/month
- F1 TV Pro in the Netherlands – €11.90/month
- F1 TV Pro in the United States – $10.99/month
- F1 TV Pro in Mexico – 129 MXN/month
How to watch F1 2026 in the US
How to watch F1 2026 in the UK
How to watch F1 2026 in Australia
How to watch F1 2026 in Canada
Your guide to the 2026 Formula 1 season
Full F1 2026 calendar dates
The 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship racing calendar includes 24 live televised races. We will keep you informed right here.
- March 6-8: Australia
- March 13-15: China
- March 27-29: Japan
- April 10-12: Bahrain
- April 17-19: Saudi Arabia
- May 1-3: Miami
- May 22-24: Canada
- June 5-7: Monaco
- June 12-14: Barcelona
- June 26-28: Austria
- July 3-5: Great Britain
- July 17-19: Belgium
- July 24-26: Hungary
- August 21-23: Netherlands
- September 4-6: Italy
- September 11-13: Madrid
- September 24-26: Azerbaijan
- October 9-11: Singapore
- October 23-25: United States
- October 30-November 1: Mexico
- November 6-8: Brazil
- November 19-21: Las Vegas
- November 27-29: Qatar
- December 4-6: Abu Dhabi
F1 driver line-up (2026 season)
McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Mercedes: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli
Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Williams: Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon
Racing bulls: Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
Haas: Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman
Audi: Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto
Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto
Cadillac: Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas
When are the F1 2026 sprint races taking place?
Six circuits will host F1 Sprint weekends in 2026: Shanghai (China), Miami (United States), Montreal (Canada), Silverstone (United Kingdom), Zandvoort (Netherlands) and Singapore.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
