How to Watch the United States Grand Prix 2026
Updated 19 June 2026- 25 October 2026 · Circuit of the Americas, United States
- Free options where available + your home feed from abroad
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The 2026 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin runs on Sunday, October 25, and the cheapest way to watch it live is free-to-air through Austria's ORF/ServusTV or Belgium's RTBF Auvio — reachable with a VPN — while F1 TV Pro streams the race in most other markets. New for 2026, US rights moved exclusively to Apple TV. Travelling away from home? A VPN connected back to your own country restores your usual broadcaster, and a VPN into Austria or Belgium unlocks a legitimate free live stream from almost anywhere.
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How to watch the United States Grand Prix live
Watch free with a VPN (Austria or Belgium)
The most reliable free live feeds come from Austria and Belgium. Austria splits the whole season free across ORF (ORF On) and ServusTV (ServusTV On), so the United States GP airs free on one of them; Belgium streams every race free on RTBF Auvio. From abroad these services geo-block you, so connect a VPN to an Austrian or Belgian server, then open ORF On, ServusTV On or RTBF Auvio in your browser. Commentary is German or French rather than English, but the live race is completely free and legal in-region. Pick a VPN with fast, reliable servers in both countries.
United States: Apple TV (new for 2026)
There's a big change in 2026: Apple TV holds exclusive US F1 rights under a five-year deal, replacing ESPN and ABC, which no longer carry the sport. Every practice, qualifying and race — including the US GP in Austin — streams on Apple TV. Practice sessions and a few select races are free with just an Apple account, but most races, this one likely included, require an Apple TV subscription (around $12.99/month or $99/year). Apple TV subscribers also get F1 TV Premium bundled in free, giving you onboard cameras and extra data feeds at no extra cost.
UK: Sky Sports F1 and Channel 4
In the UK, Sky Sports F1 is the exclusive live broadcaster and shows every session of the United States Grand Prix — practice, qualifying and the race. If you don't want a full Sky contract, NOW offers no-contract day or month passes that include Sky Sports for live access. Free-to-air Channel 4 carries highlights of every round, usually on Sunday evening, but it does not show the US GP live — under the current deal the only race broadcast live and free on Channel 4 is the British GP at Silverstone. For the Austin race live in the UK, you'll need Sky or NOW.
Watching from abroad with a VPN
Travelling during race weekend? Streaming services check your location and block or swap your usual coverage when you're outside your home country. A VPN fixes this: install the app, connect to a server back home, and your normal service behaves as if you never left. UK fans abroad connect to a UK server for Sky Sports or NOW; US fans connect to a US server for Apple TV; F1 TV Pro subscribers connect home too. Want it free instead? Connect to Austria or Belgium for ORF, ServusTV or RTBF. Choose a VPN with servers in your target country and consistent streaming speeds.
United States Grand Prix 2026: weekend schedule and start times
The US Grand Prix weekend at Circuit of the Americas runs Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Austin's Central Time zone (CDT, UTC-5 in October). Expect the usual format: two practice sessions on Friday, final practice and qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday, October 25, with lights-out in the early afternoon local time. To convert: Austin is six hours behind the UK, so a Sunday early-afternoon US start lands in the evening UK time; mainland Europe is generally one hour ahead of the UK again. Always confirm exact session clock times nearer the event on the official F1 schedule, as start times can shift.
United States Grand Prix 2026 — FAQ
Can I watch the United States Grand Prix for free?
Yes. The race is free-to-air in Austria via ORF (ORF On) and ServusTV (ServusTV On), which split the season between them, and in Belgium on RTBF Auvio, which shows every round free. From outside those countries the streams are geo-blocked, so a VPN connected to an Austrian or Belgian server unlocks a legitimate free live feed (commentary in German or French). In the US there's no traditional free broadcast feed in 2026 — Apple TV holds exclusive rights, with only practice and select races free.
Which VPN works best for streaming F1?
The best VPN for F1 is one with fast, reliable servers in the countries whose feeds you want — Austria and Belgium for free coverage, plus the UK (Sky/NOW) or US (Apple TV) for home access. Look for consistently high streaming speeds, servers in those specific markets, apps for your devices, and a money-back guarantee so you can test it risk-free before the race weekend. See our top VPN picks on vpnrank.io for streaming-tested recommendations.
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch the United States Grand Prix?
Using a VPN is legal in the US, UK and most countries. A VPN simply changes the server location your connection appears to come from. Accessing a genuinely free public broadcaster like ORF, ServusTV or RTBF this way is legitimate, though using a service outside its intended region may breach that platform's terms. Always keep any paid subscriptions you rely on (such as Sky, NOW or Apple TV) active and within their rules.
What time does the 2026 United States Grand Prix start?
The race takes place on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, with lights-out expected in the early afternoon local Central Time (CDT, UTC-5). That works out to the evening in the UK (about six hours ahead) and later still across mainland Europe. Exact session times can change, so confirm them closer to the weekend on Formula1.com or your broadcaster's schedule.