Formula 1 on Apple TV: How to Watch the Australian Grand Prix Live and On Demand

The 2026 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix, marking a significant shift in how American fans can watch the world's premier motorsport. Apple TV has secured exclusive streaming rights for Formula 1 races in the United States, making it the new home for all F1 action throughout the season.

How to Watch Formula 1 on Apple TV

If you're in the United States, watching Formula 1 has never been more streamlined. All you need is an Apple TV subscription, which costs $12.99 per month or $99 per year. You can also access it through the Apple One bundle if you're already subscribed to other Apple services.

The service is available across a wide range of devices, making it accessible whether you prefer watching on your phone, tablet, computer, or TV. You can stream through the Apple TV app on iPhone, Android devices, Mac computers, Apple TV 4K set-top boxes, Windows PCs, PlayStation consoles, Xbox, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku devices, and more. For those who prefer watching in a web browser, you can access content directly at tv.apple.com.

However, there's an important caveat: this service requires a US region Apple Account and you must be physically located within the United States for it to work. This geographic restriction means international fans will need to explore other options for watching the races.

If you're new to Apple TV, you can take advantage of a free seven-day trial to test the service before committing to a subscription. This is particularly useful for F1 fans who want to experience the new streaming platform before the season gets fully underway.

Free Practice Sessions Available

One of the most appealing aspects of the new Apple TV Formula 1 offering is that all practice sessions are streaming for free, without requiring a subscription. This gives fans the opportunity to get a taste of the action and familiarize themselves with the new platform before deciding whether to subscribe for the full race coverage.

Enhanced Viewing Experience

The Apple TV app features a dedicated Formula 1 section that makes it easy to find and watch all the racing content. During race weekends, this section provides quick links to start watching current live sessions, ensuring you never miss the action.

One of the standout features is the ability to watch in up to 4K HDR quality with surround sound audio tracks. This high-quality streaming experience brings the intensity and excitement of Formula 1 racing right into your living room with crystal-clear visuals and immersive sound.

Viewers can choose between different video feeds, including the F1.TV feed and the international Sky video feed. This flexibility allows you to listen to your preferred commentary team, whether you enjoy the technical analysis of F1.TV or the international perspective offered by Sky.

For those who want even more control over their viewing experience, the platform offers driver onboard views and alternate streams as additional options. These features let you follow your favorite drivers throughout the race or switch between different camera angles to get a comprehensive view of the action.

Multiview Mode for Ultimate Race Day Experience

Apple TV 4K, iPad, and Vision Pro users get an exclusive feature that takes race watching to the next level: Multiview mode. This functionality allows you to watch multiple streams simultaneously, perfect for following different parts of the track, comparing driver performances, or keeping an eye on multiple sessions happening at once.

Australian Grand Prix Schedule

Here's the complete schedule for the Australian Grand Prix, all times in Eastern Time:

• Practice One: Thursday, 8:30 PM ET
• Practice Two: Friday, 12:00 AM ET
• Practice Three: Friday, 8:30 PM ET
• Qualifying: Saturday, 12:00 AM ET
• Race: Saturday, 11:00 PM ET

The unusual timing, with the race on Saturday night rather than the traditional Sunday, is due to the time difference with Australia. This schedule allows American viewers to watch the entire race weekend without staying up extremely late into Sunday morning.

On-Demand Content and Account Integration

If you can't watch the sessions live, Apple TV has you covered with comprehensive on-demand content. Simply open the Apple TV app at any time to find replays of all completed sessions. This flexibility means you can watch the races on your own schedule, whether that's catching up later the same day or revisiting classic moments from earlier in the season.

For fans who are accustomed to using the F1.TV app or website, there's good news: you can continue using these platforms just as before. The only additional step is linking your Apple and F1.TV accounts together, which ensures your preferences and viewing history remain consistent across platforms.

Alternative Ways to Follow the Action

Even if you can't watch the races directly, Apple provides several ways to stay connected to the Formula 1 action. You can tune into audio commentary through the Radio tab in Apple Music, perfect for listening while commuting or multitasking.

For those who want real-time updates without watching, the Apple Sports app offers live timing information for free. This feature lets you track lap times, positions, and other race statistics as they happen, keeping you informed even when you can't watch the full broadcast.

The Future of Formula 1 Broadcasting

This partnership between Apple TV and Formula 1 represents a significant shift in how major sporting events are distributed to American audiences. By moving to a streaming-first model, Formula 1 is following the trend of other sports leagues that are recognizing the growing preference for on-demand, device-agnostic viewing experiences.

The comprehensive coverage, multiple viewing options, and integration with Apple's ecosystem suggest that this could be a model for how other sports might approach their broadcasting strategies in the future. The ability to watch on virtually any device, combined with high-quality streaming and flexible viewing options, sets a new standard for sports broadcasting.

For Formula 1 fans in the United States, this change means more control over how and when they watch races, along with enhanced features that weren't previously available through traditional broadcast television. The free practice sessions alone represent a significant value addition, allowing fans to engage with the sport more deeply without additional cost.

As the 2026 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix, American F1 fans have a new, comprehensive way to experience the thrill of Grand Prix racing, all through the convenience of their Apple TV subscription.