How to Watch Formula 1 in the US in 2026: Complete Guide
Formula 1 in the United States has a single home this season. Apple TV holds exclusive rights to every practice session, qualifying session, sprint, and Grand Prix, under a five-year agreement that began with the Australian Grand Prix on March 7, 2026.
This guide covers everything a US viewer needs: cost, free options, devices, bandwidth, session schedules, and how the package compares to what came before.
The essentials
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Where | Apple TV, exclusively in the United States |
| Cost | $14.99/month or $119/year |
| Free content | All practice sessions; select full race weekends |
| Included extras | F1 TV Premium, F2, F3, F1 Academy, Porsche Supercup |
| Picture | 4K with Dolby Vision, 5.1 surround |
| Devices | Roku, Fire TV, smart TVs, consoles, Android, Windows, web, Apple hardware |
| Deal length | Five years from 2026 |
How the rights changed
ESPN carried F1 in the US from 2018 through 2025, riding the audience surge that followed the sport's American expansion. When the rights came up, Apple won them in a deal reported at approximately $750 million over five years.
The change is total. No cable provider, satellite service, or live TV streaming package — YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, DirecTV — carries F1 races in 2026. Apple TV is the only route.
What it costs
Apple increased its price on August 28, 2026, from $12.99 to $14.99 monthly, and from $99 to $119 annually.
| Plan | Price | Effective per-race cost over a 24-race season |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | $119 | About $4.96 per race |
| Monthly | $14.99 ($179.88/year) | About $7.50 per race |
| Apple One Individual | $21.95/month | Includes Music, iCloud+, Arcade |
New subscribers get a seven-day free trial. Buyers of new Apple hardware have periodically been offered three months free.
The free tier
You can watch a meaningful amount of Formula 1 without paying anything.
Every practice session streams free, no subscription required. On a standard weekend that is two sessions; on a sprint weekend, one. It is genuine on-track running with full commentary, not highlights.
Select complete race weekends are free. Apple made the entire Austrian Grand Prix weekend available to non-subscribers in June 2026 and has designated further free weekends across the season. Watch one before subscribing to see how the stream performs on your hardware.
What is included in the subscription
F1 TV Premium, at no additional cost. This is the most valuable and least publicized element of the deal. Formula 1's own premium subscription — previously an extra monthly charge — is bundled for US Apple TV subscribers. It carries Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy, and Porsche Supercup.
Up to 30 additional live feeds per session: individual driver onboards, the Driver Tracker, live timing and telemetry, mixed onboards, and podium cameras.
Two commentary choices — the F1 TV broadcast team and the Sky Sports feed — in English and Spanish.
4K with Dolby Vision and 5.1 surround sound. The first time American F1 viewers have had a 4K HDR presentation; ESPN's coverage was 1080i.
Multiview, up to four feeds simultaneously on supported devices.
Apple Family Sharing with up to five additional family members.
Devices
The Apple TV app is not restricted to Apple hardware:
- Streaming devices: Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV / Chromecast
- Smart TVs: Samsung, LG, Google TV sets
- Consoles: PlayStation, Xbox
- Mobile: iPhone, iPad, Android phones
- Computers: Mac, Windows, and any browser at tv.apple.com
- Apple: Apple TV 4K, Vision Pro
The Apple TV 4K box offers the smoothest multiview and most reliable Dolby Vision handling, but it is optional.
Bandwidth and setup
| Quality | Recommended throughput |
|---|---|
| HD | 10–15 Mbps |
| 4K Dolby Vision | 25 Mbps or more |
| 4K plus a concurrent household stream | 50 Mbps or more |
Two practical points. First, run Ethernet to your main streaming device if the geography of your home allows it — this eliminates the great majority of 4K stutter complaints. Second, if you dropped cable in the move to Apple TV and kept internet from the same provider, check your rate. Bundle discounts frequently lapse when the TV component is cancelled, and standalone internet pricing varies widely; comparing fiber and fixed-wireless providers serving your address is usually worth more than any hardware upgrade.
Session timing for US viewers
Race start times depend on the venue, and most of the calendar sits in European, Middle Eastern, or Asian time zones. In practice:
- European rounds: races typically start between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. ET
- Middle East rounds: often mid-morning ET, sometimes with evening local starts
- Asia-Pacific rounds: frequently overnight or very early morning ET
- Americas rounds: afternoon or evening ET
Everything is available on demand afterwards, and the app makes it reasonably easy to avoid results while catching up — though social media will not extend the same courtesy.
What about F1 TV subscriptions bought directly?
Existing US F1 TV subscriptions run until they expire and then do not renew. In the United States, F1 TV Premium is now distributed exclusively through Apple TV. Outside the US, F1 TV continues to operate normally; the Apple agreement is US-only.
F1 is not on ESPN anymore: what changed and where to watch now
If you tuned to ESPN for a Grand Prix this season and found something else, the explanation is straightforward: ESPN's Formula 1 rights ended after the 2025 season. Since March 2026, every race in the United States has streamed exclusively on Apple TV.
Here is what changed, what it costs, and what you gain and lose in the move.
What happened to F1 on ESPN
ESPN carried Formula 1 in the United States from 2018 through 2025, largely by simulcasting the Sky Sports F1 world feed. That arrangement grew alongside the sport's American audience boom, but when the rights came up for renewal, Apple outbid the field.
In October 2025, Apple and Formula 1 announced a five-year exclusive US media agreement, reported at approximately $750 million. It took effect with the 2026 season opener — the Australian Grand Prix on March 7, 2026 — and covers every practice, qualifying session, sprint, and race.
ESPN's loss of F1 was not an isolated event. The same twelve-month window saw the network lose UFC to Paramount and substantially restructure its MLB package. If your sports viewing was organized around ESPN, 2026 required rethinking.
Where to watch Formula 1 now
Apple TV, exclusively. No cable provider, satellite service, or live TV streaming package carries F1 races in the United States. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, and DirecTV all lack the rights.
What the Apple package includes that ESPN did not
This is the substantive part. Apple did not simply relocate the old broadcast.
F1 TV Premium is included at no additional cost. Formula 1's own premium subscription product, previously sold separately, now comes with Apple TV for US subscribers. It brings Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 Academy, and Porsche Supercup with it.
Up to 30 additional live feeds per session, including onboard cameras, the Driver Tracker, live timing and telemetry, mixed onboards, and podium feeds.
Two commentary options — the F1 TV broadcast and the Sky Sports feed — plus English and Spanish audio.
4K with Dolby Vision and 5.1 surround sound, a first for American F1 viewers. ESPN's coverage was 1080i.
Multiview on supported devices, up to four simultaneous feeds.
No commercial interruptions during races, a persistent complaint about the ESPN era in its early years.
What you lose
Honesty matters here. Two things genuinely got worse for some viewers.
No broadcast television option. ESPN occasionally placed races on ABC, which was free over an antenna. Nothing equivalent exists now — the free content is limited to practice sessions and select full weekends Apple designates.
Another subscription. If you kept cable for F1 and other sports, you now need Apple TV in addition to whatever else you carry. For fans following the NBA, MLB, and F1, the number of required services in 2026 is higher than it was in 2024.
What happened to F1 TV subscriptions
Existing US F1 TV subscriptions continue until they expire, then do not renew. F1 TV Premium in the United States is now available only through Apple TV, where it is bundled at no extra charge. Outside the US, F1 TV operates as before — the Apple agreement covers the United States only.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch F1 in the US in 2026? Apple TV, exclusively. No cable or live TV streaming service carries the races.
How much does it cost? $14.99 a month or $119 a year, with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
Is F1 on ESPN? No. ESPN's rights ended after the 2025 season.
Do I need Apple hardware? No. The app runs on Roku, Fire TV, smart TVs, consoles, Android, Windows, and web browsers.
Can I watch any races free? All practice sessions are free, and Apple has made select complete race weekends free to non-subscribers.
Is F1 TV Premium extra? Not in the US. It is included with an Apple TV subscription at no additional cost.
Are races available on demand? Yes, along with practice, qualifying, and sprint sessions.
How long does the deal last? Five years from the 2026 season.
Can I watch Formula 1 on cable? No. There is no cable, satellite, or live TV streaming option for F1 races in the US in 2026.
How much is Apple TV? $14.99 a month or $119 a year as of August 28, 2026, with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
Bottom line
One subscription covers Formula 1 in the United States this season, and it delivers more than the ESPN era did — 4K Dolby Vision, thirty extra feeds, and F1 TV Premium with the junior series folded in. Start with a free practice session on the hardware you already own, then take the $119 annual plan if you decide to follow the season.
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