How to Watch F1 in the USA (2026): TV, Stream & Schedule
ESPN is gone. From 2026, every Formula 1 session in the United States streams exclusively on Apple TV, with F1 TV Premium included. Here’s what it costs, what you can watch for free, and when every remaining race starts in Eastern and Pacific time.
How to Watch F1 in the USA: 2026 Guide
Apple TV, $12.99/month, F1 TV Premium included. Free options and US race times.
If you watched Formula 1 on ESPN for the last few years, 2026 changed everything. Apple is now the exclusive US broadcaster of F1, under a five-year deal that started this season. There’s no F1 on ESPN, ABC or any cable channel. Every practice session, qualifying session, Sprint and Grand Prix streams on Apple TV, which costs $12.99 a month and now includes F1 TV Premium at no extra cost.
You don’t need an iPhone or any Apple hardware: the Apple TV app runs on most smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, game consoles and in a web browser. And not everything is behind a paywall. All practice sessions are free, and Apple has made selected race weekends completely free, including this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang. For other countries, see our guide to where to watch Formula 1.
Quick Answer: Where to Watch F1 in the US
| Option | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV BEST | $12.99/mo | Every session live and on demand, including F1 TV Premium, 4K and Spanish commentary |
| Apple TV free tier | $0 | All practice sessions, plus selected full race weekends |
| Apple Music | $0 | Free live audio commentary of every race |
| ESPN / ABC / cable | — | No F1 coverage from 2026 |
In short: if you want to watch qualifying and races live, you’ll need Apple TV. If you only want the occasional race, keep an eye on Apple’s free weekends, and new subscribers can use the seven-day free trial for a single race weekend.
Watching F1 on Apple TV
Apple announced in October 2025 that it had won the exclusive US rights to Formula 1 from 2026, ending ESPN’s run as the sport’s American broadcaster. The first race under the new deal was the Australian Grand Prix in March.
An Apple TV subscription costs $12.99 a month, with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Apple has also offered three months free to people who buy certain new Apple devices. The subscription isn’t F1-only: it includes Apple’s films and series, and this season Netflix’s Drive to Survive has also been available on Apple TV.
What’s included
- Every session live: all practice, qualifying, Sprint Qualifying, Sprint and Grand Prix sessions, plus replays on demand.
- F1 TV Premium at no extra cost: in the US, F1’s own streaming service is now only available through Apple TV, and subscribers get it included. That means onboard cameras, team radio and live timing.
- Up to 30 live feeds per session: including the Driver Tracker, real-time telemetry, mixed onboard feeds and the podium feed.
- Multiview: watch up to four feeds at once on compatible devices.
- 4K with Dolby Vision and 5.1 surround sound on supported devices.
- English and Spanish commentary, with Sky Sports’ coverage included.
- Support series: Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy and the Porsche Supercup through the F1 TV app.
How to sign up and watch
Early signs suggest the move has worked for Apple: the Australian Grand Prix drew a bigger US audience on Apple TV than the 2025 race did on ESPN, according to reports in March. For fans, the biggest change is that F1 is now streaming-only in the US, so there’s no channel to find on cable.
Can You Watch F1 for Free in the US?
Apple has kept part of the season free for anyone with an Apple Account, as long as you’re in the US. Here’s what costs nothing:
| Free option | What’s included | Where |
|---|---|---|
| All practice sessions | Every FP1, FP2 and FP3 live | Apple TV app |
| Free race weekends | Practice, qualifying and the race | Apple TV app |
| Live race audio | Commentary of every race | Apple Music |
| Seven-day free trial | Everything, for one weekend | Apple TV (new subscribers) |
Apple is streaming the whole Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia for free, including Sunday’s race at 3:00 a.m. ET / midnight PT on Sunday 4 October. Max Verstappen starts from his first pole of 2026. The first full free weekend was the Austrian Grand Prix in June.
Apple hasn’t published a full list of free weekends in advance. They’ve been announced a few days before each event, so it’s worth checking the Apple TV app’s F1 page during race week. If you’re on the trial, remember to cancel before it renews if you don’t want to keep paying.
What happened to ESPN?
ESPN’s contract ended after the 2025 season, and the 2026 races aren’t on ESPN, ESPN+ or ABC. Older ESPN F1 content and highlights won’t include this season. If you see a website offering “free F1 streams” on other channels, it isn’t licensed, and quality and safety are poor. Apple’s free practice sessions and free weekends are the legitimate way to watch without paying.
F1 2026 Schedule in US Time
Race times swing wildly for US fans. Asian and Middle East races fall overnight or early in the morning, European races mid-morning, and races in the Americas in the afternoon. Here’s when every remaining 2026 Grand Prix starts:
| Race | Date | Eastern | Pacific |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain GP (Sepang) FREE | Sun 4 Oct | 3:00 a.m. | 12:00 a.m. |
| Singapore GP (Sprint) | Sun 11 Oct | 8:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. |
| United States GP, Austin | Sun 25 Oct | 4:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. |
| Mexico City GP | Sun 1 Nov | 3:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. |
| São Paulo GP | Sun 8 Nov | 12:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| Las Vegas GP SATURDAY | Sat 21 Nov | 11:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. |
| Qatar GP | Sun 29 Nov | 11:00 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. |
| Abu Dhabi GP | Sun 6 Dec | 8:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. |
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday 1 November, the morning of the Mexico City GP, so times from then on are in EST/PST. And the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races are still under review because of the situation in the Middle East, with a decision expected by mid-October. See the Qatar and Abu Dhabi decision for what could change.
The two American races are the easiest to watch live. Austin is a Sunday-afternoon race on 25 October; our US Grand Prix guide has the full weekend schedule. Las Vegas runs on Saturday night local time, which puts it in prime time on the West Coast and late at night in the East. Qualifying usually starts an hour or so later in the day than the race, so check our guide to when F1 qualifying is, and our next F1 race page for the upcoming weekend.
Tips for Watching F1 in the US
Use the trial wisely. If you only want one race, start the seven-day trial on the Friday of that weekend. It covers practice, qualifying and the race, and you can cancel straight after.
Try Multiview for the title fight. With Kimi Antonelli and George Russell fighting for the championship in the same Mercedes team, watching both onboard cameras side by side is one of the best uses of the four-feed Multiview. Our Antonelli vs Russell analysis explains what’s at stake.
Switch to Spanish commentary in the audio settings if you prefer it. It’s included at no extra cost.
Watch on the go with audio. Apple Music’s free live commentary is useful if you’re driving or can’t watch the screen.
Plan for the overnight races. Asian races like Singapore fall in the early morning, and full replays are available on Apple TV straight after the session, so you can avoid spoilers and watch when you wake up.
New to the sport? Start with our explainers on what Formula 1 is and how F1 qualifying works, and check the 2026 driver line-up. For NASCAR, the setup is different again: see how to watch NASCAR in 2026.
How to Watch F1 in the USA — FAQ
One app, every session
Watching F1 in the US is simpler than it used to be: there’s one place to go. Apple TV has every session for $12.99 a month with F1 TV Premium included, practice is always free, and some race weekends are free too. The only thing left to work out is how early you’ll have to get up.
We’ll keep this guide updated as Apple announces free weekends and as the calendar changes.
