“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 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: McLaren, 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
How to watch F1 2026 Season for FREE
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 – 10Play (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. NordVPN is our top pick of 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 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. NordVPN is our favorite VPN and you can make use of it to watch the F1 season while you’re away from home.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, NordVPN is our favourite.
2. 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.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your usual local streaming service and watch F1 2026 live streams.
How to watch F1 2026 like a pro
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.
- 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 Netherlands – €11.90/month
- F1 TV Pro in USA – $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 One World Championship race calendar features 24 live televised races. We’ll keep you updated on them right here.
- 6-8 March: Australia
- 13-15 March: China
- 27-29 March: Japan
- 10-12 April: Bahrain
- 17-19 April: Saudi Arabia
- 1-3 May: Miami
- 22-24 May: Canada
- 5-7 June: Monaco
- 12-14 June: Barcelona
- 26-28 June: Austria
- 3-5 July: Great Britain
- 17-19 July: Belgium
- 24-26 July: Hungary
- 21-23 August: Netherlands
- 4-6 September: Italy
- 11-13 September: Madrid
- 24-26 September: Azerbaijan
- 9-11 October: Singapore
- 23-25 October: USA
- 30 October–1 November: Mexico
- 6-8 November: Brazil
- 19-21 November: Las Vegas
- 27-29 November: Qatar
- 4-6 December: Abu Dhabi
F1 driver lineup (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 Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto
Alpine: Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto
Cadillac: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas
When are the F1 2026 sprint races?
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.
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