How To Watch Every Formula 1 Race for the 2026 Season

It’s 2026, and ESPN is no longer the go-to place for the most exciting sports. Instead, Apple TV is positioning itself as a premium place for elite athletics — first with MLS, and now with Formula 1.

Apple TV is Formula 1's new U.S. broadcaster. It’s the latest battle won in the streaming wars and a big bet by Apple TV on U.S. interest in F1.

With a brand new Cadillac F1 team entering the grid, it’s prime timing for a U.S.-streamer to take the reins and draw more fans to the sport. The cherry on top? U.S. fans will also get to watch five races and the FIA Formula One World Championship at IMAX theaters.

The 2026 F1 season brings new drivers, a new team, new regulations, a new track, and a new way to watch it all from home. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know and how to watch Formula 1 in the US going forward.

Formula 1 and Apple have announced a new partnership for the 2026 Formula 1 season (and the four following). The deal follows Apple Original Films' record-breaking summer blockbuster, "F1 The Movie."

You can now catch every F1 race and practice session, plus documentary, post-show analysis, and archive content on Apple TV. And yes, that does include Netflix's “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” docuseries. 

No. Starting with the 2026 season, you won’t be able to view any Formula 1 content on ESPN or ABC. Formula 1 officially ended its Disney deal and announced a five-year partnership with Apple TV. 

An Apple TV subscription of $12.99 per month or $99 per year is required to watch the 2026 Formula 1 season. It’s a pretty straightforward subscription with no tiered plans. There is also a 7-day free trial you can utilize if you’re eager to catch a specific race but aren’t ready to commit to a plan.

If you’ve purchased a new Apple device, you get 3 months of Apple TV for free. And if you subscribe to Apple One for $19.95 per month, Apple TV is included in the bundle.

Yes. You can watch F1 on Apple TV via Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and even a web browser. The Apple TV streaming app is available in all the same places you use other streaming apps.

You will need to create an Apple Account if you don’t already have one to sign in and subscribe.

The F1 TV app is moving to Apple TV. While F1 TV will continue to operate as usual in other regions, U.S. viewers will access all F1 TV content through Apple TV.

This integration will actually end up saving most users money — especially if you previously subscribed to both F1 TV Premium and Apple TV.

All the best viewing content and features from F1 TV Premium will now be integrated into the Apple TV F1 hub. This includes custom multiviews, team radio, onboard cameras, real-time telemetry, and live driver maps.

You can catch live races, sessions, and recaps in the Apple TV app — including on mobile if you want to watch while traveling.

For U.S. users, existing F1 TV Pro standalone subscriptions will be phased out, and your old login will be integrated with an Apple account. Subscriptions won’t automatically renew, and access will end at your plan’s current expiration date.

If you’d like to retain access to F1 content, you’ll need to create an Apple account and subscribe to Apple TV. You can use your Apple TV account to watch Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 ACADEMY, and Porsche Supercup events in the F1 TV app.

If Apple TV’s free trial doesn’t leave you satisfied, there are still a few ways to catch Formula 1 content for free in the U.S.

Apple announced they’ll be partnering with Tubi to offer free alternative telecasts, or ‘altcasts,’ for select races, featuring commentary from experts and prominent Formula 1 content creators.

Typically, it can be tricky to watch a live race for free, but there are plenty of other ways to tune in to the excitement.

All live practice sessions will be available for free in the Apple TV app; you’ll just need an Apple login. There will also be select races in the 2026 season available for free on Apple TV, but Apple hasn’t confirmed which ones.

You can also watch practice sessions and qualifying sessions for free on Yahoo Sports.

Netflix and Apple TV created a special agreement as part of the new 2026 partnership. While Apple TV will get to air the Netflix show “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” Netflix will be broadcasting the Canadian Grand Prix live.

Netflix subscribers can watch the Canadian GP on May 24th live, including all practice and qualifying sessions over the weekend. The race will simultaneously be available on Apple TV.

The new Formula 1 and Apple TV partnership isn’t just making F1 races more accessible; it's also delivering them in better quality than ever before.

Apple TV is equipped to stream races in peak high definition and is planning to bring races to IMAX theaters.

Apple TV offers a pretty significant quality upgrade from F1 TV, if you have the right equipment.

Every Grand Prix this F1 season is available on Apple TV in 4K with Dolby Vision. Colors are sharper, contrast is higher, and visuals are more dynamic. You’ll need a 4K TV that supports Dolby Vision HDR at 60Hz.

The streaming app is also equipped for 5.1 surround sound with a compatible surround sound system.

If you’ve got the upgraded system to support the 4K Dolby Vision live races, well, your movie nights just got a lot better, too. The vast majority of Apple TV’s originals and content selection are available in 4K Dolby Vision — a high-def perk you have to pay extra for at an AMC theater.

If your home viewing system isn’t quite up to snuff for an epic viewing experience, maybe try your local movie theater.

IMAX and Apple TV announced five F1 races will be airing live at select IMAX theaters:

• Miami, May 3
• Monaco, June 7
• Silverstone, July 5
• Monza, September 6
• Austin, October 25

Apple has also announced that the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship will be featured live in IMAX theaters.

The 2026 Formula 1 season will feature three exciting U.S. races fans won’t want to miss.