Honestly, if you’re trying to find the race on ESPN this weekend, you’re going to be staring at a blank screen. It’s wild. After years of the "Mothership" handling everything from FP1 to the checkered flag, the sport has basically uprooted its entire broadcasting life. If you’re a fan in the US, the era of clicking through cable channels is officially dead. Formula 1 has packed its bags and moved to Silicon Valley.
2026 is the year everything flips. We have brand-new engine regulations, a 24-race calendar that spans the globe, and a TV deal that makes the old one look like pocket change. Apple TV is now the exclusive home of F1 in the United States. It's a five-year, $750 million bet that fans are ready to ditch the cord for good.
But it’s not just about the US. From Sky Sports’ iron grip on the UK to the way fans in Australia are juggling Kayo and 10Play, keeping track of the f1 grand prix tv schedule feels like a full-time job. You’ve probably got questions. Is F1 TV Pro still a thing? Can I watch for free? Where do the Sprint races even go? Let’s break down the chaos.
The Big Switch: Where to Watch in 2026
The biggest headline is obviously the Apple deal. If you’re in America, Apple TV is the only place to get every single session live. They aren't just showing the races; they've integrated the whole F1 TV Pro experience into their app. The good news? If you already pay for Apple TV+, the F1 content is included at no extra cost. That’s a massive win for anyone who was tired of paying for both a cable sub and a separate F1 streaming app.
United States (The Apple Era)
Apple is going all-in. They are using their "Multiview" technology—the same stuff they use for MLS—to let you watch four different angles at once. You can have the main broadcast, a driver’s onboard, the live timing, and the pit lane channel all on one screen.
- Primary Broadcaster: Apple TV
- What’s Included: All practices, Qualifying, Sprints, and Grands Prix.
- The "Freemium" Catch: Apple is actually making select races and all practice sessions free to watch within the Apple TV app, even without a subscription. It’s a bold move to hook new fans.
United Kingdom & Ireland
Over in the UK, things are much more traditional. Sky Sports F1 remains the king. They have the rights locked down until 2029, so if you want the Croft-Brundle commentary team, you’re sticking with Sky or the NOW streaming service.
- Primary Broadcaster: Sky Sports F1
- Free Option: Channel 4 still carries extended highlights for every race. They also get to broadcast the British Grand Prix live for free.
Australia
Aussie fans have a similar split. Kayo Sports and Fox Sports handle the heavy lifting with 4K coverage of every session. If you want the "free-to-air" route, 10Play is your best friend for highlights, but they only show the Australian Grand Prix live.
F1 Grand Prix TV Schedule: The 2026 Race Calendar
The 2026 season is a marathon. It kicks off earlier than usual in Melbourne—a return to tradition that fans have been begging for. Because of the Ramadan calendar, the usual early-season stops in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been pushed back to April. This shift has turned the early part of the f1 grand prix tv schedule into a bit of a logistical puzzle for the teams.
The Spring Opener
- Australian GP (Melbourne): March 6–8
- Chinese GP (Shanghai): March 13–15
- Japanese GP (Suzuka): March 27–29
Suzuka in March is always a gamble with the weather. It’s gorgeous, but the potential for rain is high, which usually makes for a legendary race.
The Middle East & North America Swing
- Bahrain GP (Sakhir): April 10–12
- Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah): April 17–19
- Miami GP (Miami): May 1–3
Notice the gap between Saudi and Miami. The teams use this to fly back to Europe or prep for the first US stop. Miami continues to be a celebrity-fueled circus, but the track itself has actually started to produce some decent racing now that the surface has aged a bit.
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The European Heartland
- Canadian GP (Montreal): May 22–24
- Monaco GP (Monaco): June 5–7
- Spanish GP (Barcelona): June 12–14
- Austrian GP (Spielberg): June 26–28
- British GP (Silverstone): July 3–5
- Belgian GP (Spa): July 17–19
- Hungarian GP (Budapest): July 24–26
The Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona is a bit bittersweet this year, as it marks one of the final times we'll race at the Catalunya circuit before the move to the new Madrid street track.
The Final Push
- Dutch GP (Zandvoort): August 21–23
- Italian GP (Monza): September 4–6
- Spanish GP (Madrid): September 11–13 (The debut!)
- Azerbaijan GP (Baku): September 24–26
- Singapore GP (Marina Bay): October 9–11
- United States GP (Austin): October 23–25
- Mexico City GP (Mexico City): Oct 30 – Nov 1
- Brazilian GP (Interlagos): November 6–8
- Las Vegas GP (Las Vegas): November 19–21
- Qatar GP (Lusail): November 27–29
- Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina): December 4–6
What About F1 TV Pro?
This is where it gets a little messy. In many countries—like the Netherlands, Canada, and Mexico—F1 TV Pro is still the "best" way to watch if you want technical depth. You get the data channels and the tracker maps that the big networks sometimes ignore.
However, if you're in the UK, Germany, or now the US, you can't get it as a standalone live service anymore. In the US, it’s basically been swallowed by Apple. If you try to log into the old F1 TV app in America, it will likely just redirect you to link your account with Apple TV.
For those in "open" markets like India or South Africa, F1 TV Pro remains incredibly cheap. We’re talking $4 to $6 a month. It makes the $12.99 price tag of Apple TV feel a bit steep, but then again, you're getting a whole lot more than just racing.
New Rules, New Timing: The 2026 Shift
The cars are different this year. They are smaller, lighter, and rely heavily on manual override boosts—sort of like a high-tech version of the old KERS. Because of this, the FIA has tweaked the session timings slightly for a few races to accommodate "Show Events" and more fan access.
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Sprint races are also here to stay. In 2026, we have six Sprints scheduled:
- China
- Miami
- Belgium
- United States (Austin)
- Brazil
- Qatar
Sprints change the f1 grand prix tv schedule because Qualifying moves to Friday. If you’re a casual fan who only watches on Sundays, you’re going to miss the most intense session of the weekend. Friday is the new Saturday for these six rounds.
How to Never Miss a Session
If you’re anything like me, you’ve missed a race because you forgot the time zone change between Baku and Singapore. It’s brutal. The best way to handle the 2026 schedule is to stop relying on manual calendars.
Sync your phone. The official F1 app has a "Sync to Calendar" feature that automatically adjusts for your local time. If you’re in New York and the race is at 3:00 PM in Barcelona, it’ll tell you exactly when to wake up.
Use the Apple Sports App. If you're on an iPhone, the Apple Sports app is actually pretty slick now. It has a dedicated F1 tab that shows live leaderboards and "Live Activities" on your lock screen. It’s the easiest way to keep track of the gap between Max Verstappen and the chasing pack without having to keep the TV on during a long stint.
VPNs for Travelers. If you’re a US subscriber traveling to the UK, your Apple TV app might block the live F1 feed because Sky owns the local rights. It’s annoying. Most people use a service like NordVPN or Surfshark to set their location back to the US so they can access the content they actually paid for.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Season
The move to streaming is a hurdle, but it’s manageable if you prep ahead of time. Here is how to get your setup ready:
- Check your Apple ID: If you're in the US, make sure your Apple TV+ subscription is active. If you bought a new iPhone or Mac recently, check if you have a "3 months free" offer sitting in your settings.
- Download the "MultiView" Beta: If you're using an Apple TV 4K box, look for the Multiview settings. It allows you to customize your layout so you can see the main feed and the pit lane side-by-side.
- Audit your Data: F1 streaming in 4K eats data. If you’re watching on a mobile plan, a single Grand Prix weekend can burn through 10GB–15GB easily. Make sure your home Wi-Fi is up to the task for the 4K streams.
- Update your Calendar: Don't guess the start times. The 2026 season has more evening and night races than ever before, especially with the Las Vegas and Qatar rounds.
The 2026 season represents a massive technical and cultural shift for the sport. Whether you love the move to Apple or miss the days of flipping to ESPN, the reality is that the digital paddock is here to stay. Grab your subscription, sync your clocks, and get ready for a 24-race slog that promises to be the most unpredictable era of Formula 1 yet.