Formula 1 — Where to Watch

Formula 1 is one of the few sports where the same championship is sold in strikingly different ways from country to country. In some markets the rights sit with a pay-television broadcaster on a long contract; in others the whole season has moved to a streaming platform; and in a handful there is no traditional broadcaster in the chain at all. There is also a dedicated service, F1 TV, which is available in some countries and blocked in others precisely because a local broadcaster holds the rights.

Country	Who shows it	Free option
UK	Sky Sports shows every race live, contracted to 2034. A cheaper F1-only package has been offered at around £15 a month.	Channel 4 carries the British Grand Prix live, plus highlights of every other race. Contracted to 2026, so verify before relying on it.
US	Apple TV holds the US Formula 1 rights from 2026. It is not sold in Canada, where the rights sit elsewhere.	None confirmed.
Canada	TSN carries Formula 1, and its streaming tiers include it.	None confirmed.
Australia	Kayo Sports — Formula 1, Supercars and the wider motorsport calendar.	None confirmed.
Germany	Sky Deutschland, through WOW, carries Formula 1.	None confirmed.
France	Canal+ holds Formula 1 rights reported to run to 2029. Treat the end date as needing verification.	The French Grand Prix, when it is on the calendar, must be free to air under French law.
Italy	Sky Italia and NOW hold Formula 1 exclusively to 2027.	Italian Grands Prix fall under Italy’s listed-events rules, which require free coverage of motor races held in the country.
Spain	DAZN holds Formula 1 in Spain, reported to the end of 2026; the position from 2027 has not been confirmed.	Spanish Grands Prix fall under Spain’s listed-events rules, though no permanent catalogue had been adopted at the time of our research.
Netherlands	Viaplay carries Formula 1 with Dutch commentary, alongside access to F1 TV Pro; the Dutch Grand Prix is on NOS.	NOS carries the Dutch Grand Prix live, and Viaplay TV is a free channel carrying some races and highlights.
New Zealand	Sky Sport carries Formula 1, which moved there from Spark Sport when that service closed in 2023.	None confirmed.
India	FanCode sells Formula 1 as a race-weekend pass at ₹99 or a season pass at ₹899, covering F2, F3 and F1 Academy as well.	None confirmed.
MENA	beIN Sports has held Formula 1 rights across the region, reported through 2033.	None confirmed.

Can you watch it free?

Only at the edges. The UK is the clearest case: Channel 4 shows the British Grand Prix live and highlights of every other race, which means one race a year is free and the rest are not. The Netherlands has the Dutch Grand Prix on NOS, plus a free Viaplay channel carrying some races and highlights. France, Italy and Spain all have listed-events rules that can pull a home Grand Prix onto free television.

Everywhere else, Formula 1 is a paid product. It is also one of the sports where the “free” question has a second layer, because Formula 1 runs its own streaming service, F1 TV. Whether you can buy it depends on whether a local broadcaster holds exclusive rights. In markets with a strong pay-television deal it is restricted; in others it is the cheapest way to watch.

Apple TV holds US rights, not Canadian. Apple’s Formula 1 deal is a US agreement. Canadian viewers get Formula 1 through TSN, not through Apple TV, and guides that describe it as a North American deal are wrong about half the continent.

The cheapest legal route

UK, one race. Channel 4, free, if it is the British Grand Prix.
UK, the season. Sky’s F1-only package at around £15 a month is cheaper than full Sky Sports, and cheaper again than a NOW month pass at £34.99.
India. FanCode’s season pass at ₹899 covers Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy. A single race weekend costs ₹99.
Where F1 TV is sold. Usually the cheapest complete option, because it is the rights holder selling direct. Check availability for your country first.
Australia. Kayo Standard at A$29.99 a month, though the day-pass equivalent is not offered.

A note on the prices here: Formula 1 rights move faster than almost any other sport in this guide, and several of the arrangements above have end dates in 2026 or 2027. Where we have said a contract runs to a particular year, that is the information we were able to verify — not a promise that nothing will change before then.

Is Formula 1 free on Channel 4?

The British Grand Prix is shown live, and every other race gets highlights. It is not the full season. The arrangement was contracted to 2026, so check its current status before relying on it.

Does Apple TV show Formula 1 in Canada?

No. Apple’s deal covers the United States. In Canada, Formula 1 is on TSN.

What is F1 TV and why is it not available everywhere?

F1 TV is the championship’s own streaming service. Its availability depends on local broadcast deals: where a broadcaster holds exclusive rights, the direct service is restricted or unavailable.

Where can I watch Formula 1 in the UK?

Sky Sports has every race live to 2034, sold as a dedicated F1 package or as part of the wider sports bundle. Channel 4 has the British Grand Prix live and highlights of the rest.

Where to go next

Watching sport in the UK in the US in Canada in Australia Motorsport generally Free live streams