Just follow the steps below: With superstar drivers like Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton taking to the circuits, it should come as no surprise that Formula 1 racing has become a worldwide phenomenon. Between Leclerc hopping into Ferrari’s newly-revealed SF-23, and Hamilton looking to bounce back in the new W14 after a disappointing showing last season, both drivers and constructors are looking to knock Verstappen‘s RB19 and Red Bull off their pedestals in 2023. Fans in some countries can watch F1 live streams online for free — Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium, for example. But you may hit a wall — these F1 streaming websites usually block outsiders from accessing their content. Wondering where to watch F1 races this season? We’ll show you how to unlock access to foreign sites that stream Formula 1 racing for free by using a virtual private network (VPN).
Best Free F1 Live Streams (2023)
The F1 Australian Grand Prix is just days away. The race has its usual 3:00 PM AEDT start in Australia on Sunday, April 2. The race starts at 1:00 AM ET / 10:00 PM PT / 6:00 AM BST on Sunday, April 2, in other parts of the world. You can watch F1 for free on RTL ZWEE in Luxembourg or Servus TV in Austria. Try to connect through your home internet connection, though, and you’ll be blocked access to foreign sites thanks to geo-restrictions. This is where a good VPN comes in. With a couple of clicks, you can connect to websites in any country you like. VPNOverview has found and tested a carload of free streams that work with a VPN in the table below.
How to Watch F1 Free (2023)
Websites (like the ones listed above) block geo-restricted visitors based on their IP addresses. Whether it’s your home or office internet connection, this virtual marker is a dead giveaway for your real-life location. We’re willing to bet that you’re not reading this from Luxembourg. So in order to access geo-restricted content, you’ll need to change your IP address to the country you want to live stream from using a VPN. To watch Formula 1 racing for free with RTL Zwee, follow the step-by-step guide below:
Access free F1 live streams: Step-by-step guide on how to watch with a VPN
Set up a VPN on any device to watch F1 races free
If you’d rather install the VPN on a different device that isn’t your phone or computer, you’ll have to take a different route. Below are some useful guides to help you install a VPN on different devices: To access other streams, like Servus TV in Austria, RTBF in Belgium, or a free trial of FuboTV in the United States, just change your server to a corresponding country at Step 5.
2023 F1 Grand Prix Calendar
Now that you know exactly how and where to watch every Formula 1 Grand Prix, wherever you are, check out all the races for the upcoming 2023 F1 season. The table below includes all 23 Grand Prix races confirmed for the 2023 Formula 1 season and their respective dates. Each Grand Prix takes place on a Sunday (local track time), with qualifiers held a day before.
Where to Watch F1 in the USA
Fans in the United States have plenty of options to watch Formula 1. Since ESPN has broadcasting rights this year, you can use several TV streamers that carry the channel. If you want to know where to watch F1 in the USA, we like Sling TV. The Sling Orange plan has tons of sports streaming channels (including ESPN for 2023 F1) at around half the price of other TV streaming competitors. You can still use these, of course:
ESPN+ FuboTV DirecTV Stream Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV
If you’re traveling outside the U.S., you’ll need a VPN app to connect to these services and stream F1. Of course, you can use the international streams in the section above to watch F1 for free, no matter where you are in the world.
Where to Watch F1 in the UK
In the U.K., Sky Sports has a tight grip on F1 broadcasting rights. To live stream all 23 F1 Grand Prix races in 2023, you’ll need Sky Sports F1 and be able to log into their website. Note that Channel 4 will broadcast the British Grand Prix on July 9, 2023, both free-to-air and streamed online. You can also catch highlights there online for free after any race. But any motorsports fan can use free international streams like RTL Zwee and Servus TV to watch the entire season for free.
Where to Watch F1 in India
For the 2023 season, F1 has launched F1 TV Pro in India. While fans can no longer stream through local platforms, they can use the official F1 TV player for $3.99 per month, or $29.99 for the whole year. That’s the cheapest rate you can find for F1’s own streaming service. Since it can run upwards of $80 per year in other countries, connecting to India and ordering F1 TV Pro is a great way to get massive discounts using a VPN. Of course, anyone in India that happens to have a VPN can use it to watch free F1 streams from anywhere in the world.
Where to Watch F1 Internationally (F1 TV Pro)
As mentioned above, F1 TV Pro is another solution for Formula 1 fans from all over the globe — it’s available in 89 countries and counting. F1 TV Pro lets you choose the camera angles you see, and broadcasts the team radios directly to your device in real time. You can also see who’s setting the fastest lap times, or watch the live track map to see each racer’s position on the circuit. But prices vary depending on the country. While it’s around $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year in India, that’s on the cheap end. If you log into F1 TV Pro from the U.S.A., it will run you $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year. In Mexico, it’s in the middle at $949 pesos a year (around $50). By switching your VPN servers to India, Mexico, or other countries, you can save money on subscriptions using a VPN — not just for F1!
2023 F1 Season Preview
Don’t know what to expect from the new grid and team position swaps? We’ve laid it out below: With Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto’s resignation, Frenchman Frederic Vasseur from Alfa Romeo Sauber has taken over. Mercedes‘ head strategist James Vowles — we all remember “Valtteri, it’s James” — is now the team principal of Williams. With Sebastian Vettel‘s retirement from F1, the vacated seat at Aston Martin has been filled by Fernando Alonso. McLaren has gone for a young gun, signing the 21-year-old Aussie Oscar Piastri. The 2021 Formula 2 champ is widely known as a hot commodity, and Alpine and McLaren even went to court to battle for his signature. Alpha Tauri has taken former Mercedes and Williams driver Nyck De Vries, apparently impressed by his performance for Williams in Monza last year. Pierre Gasly has moved to Alpine, replacing Fernando Alonso and creating an all-French lineup for 2023. Nico Hulkenberg replaces Mick Schumacher at Haas. Schumacher has moved to Mercedes as their reserve driver. Upon joining team Williams, Formula 2 runner-up Logan Sargeant has become the first full-time American F1 driver since Scott Speed in 2006.
Preseason Testing
While fans won’t be able to know for certain until we get into some genuine racing, preseason testing in Bahrain has offered an idea of what to expect in 2023. Looking back to lap times during pre-season testing this time last year, the majority of cars came in around two seconds faster — a huge bump over the break. Last year’s constructor champs, Red Bull, already look to be favorites coming into 2023. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez looked at ease in their cars and topped out the time sheets during the 3-day run. Based on last season’s performance and preseason testing, Ferrari looks to be the runner-up again. But the introduction of their upgraded SF-23 with Leclerc behind the wheel could put them in serious contention. Mercedes also has Hamilton in their new W14 up their sleeve. Aston Martin wears the underdog collar. Though they struggled through last year, they have exhibited some excellent pace during preseason testing, evening matching lap times with Ferrari. Alpha Tauri and McLaren continue to struggle for pace, while Haas and Alfa Romeo round out the midfield.
The Best VPN Providers for Streaming Formula 1 in 2023
If you are looking for a good VPN to watch Formula 1 this year, one of the most important features of the VPN you’re considering is where the servers are located. After all, if the VPN only has servers in a few countries, there’s a high chance that they won’t be in a country where Formula 1 free live streams are available. Another important aspect of a Formula 1 VPN is the VPN’s speed. This can be a make-or-break aspect, in fact. Action-packed sports, especially F1 streams, will experience lag and buffering with less-than-ideal speed. As a result, you could miss an important moment of the race. Finally, the price and ease of use also play an important role in your choice. Fortunately, there are quality VPNs with great prices that are also user-friendly. Below, you’ll find our list of the best VPN providers for watching Formula 1 online. Looking for a more extensive list? Check out our list of the 5 best VPN providers overall. But here are our Top 3 VPNs for F1.
1. Surfshark for F1: Fast and furious
If you need a user-friendly VPN with some great options, look no further than Surfshark. This service is ideal if you have little experience with VPNs, as the service is very user-friendly and easy to install. In addition, Surfshark has servers in countries where other providers do not. When we tested our free Formula 1 streams, Surfshark had every country covered. From Austria to Albania, Luxembourg to Italy, Surshark’s servers had F1 racing ripping at full speed. Another big plus of Surfshark is its consistently low price. This is in addition to the 30-day money-back guarantee on all its longer plans. This means you can test out the VPN to watch Formula 1 online without a commitment.
2. NordVPN for F1: Gets you to the finish line at high speeds
NordVPN is one of the best VPNs around today. This VPN provider has fast servers with stable and dependable connections every time. As a result, streaming live-action sports is typically smooth, without a lot of buffering or lag. NordVPN has the servers you’ll need in to stream F1 for free, including Luxembourg, Belgium and Austria. Additionally, NordVPN is one of the most user-friendly VPNs. Even the newest VPN users can navigate the application, connecting with servers around the globe with the touch of a button. You can use NordVPN’s VPN on six devices at the same time. The software is easy to install on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux. Top that off with the fact that NordVPN is also extremely secure with military-grade encryption and you have one of the best VPNs for streaming Formula 1. You can try NordVPN risk-free first and take advantage of the 30-day money-back guarantee. If you decide NordVPN isn’t for you, request a refund.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) for F1: The veteran VPN racer
Private Internet Access is another top VPN provider for streaming Formula 1 online. PIA has been around for more than a decade, and it’s one of the most consistent VPN service providers available right now. This provider does not keep logs and offers strong encryption to users. Plus, it has special servers for both streaming and P2P traffic. PIA offers an extensive choice of servers and server locations. Their servers in Luxembourg, Austria and Belgium. In addition, PIA is also a relatively cheap VPN service and with their 30-day money-back guarantee you can easily test out watching Formula 1 races with a VPN.
Can You Watch 2023 F1 with a Free VPN?
You’ve probably come across free VPNs while digging for free F1 live streams. While free VPNs can be quite useful, they are not ideal for streaming live sports. Want to know why?
Data and speed limits: Most free VPNs have speed and bandwidth limits, which means that their stream quality may not be up to par for the entire race. While you may get a strong start, it’s the finish line that counts in Formula 1. Limited server network: Free VPNs usually do not have the wide arsenal of servers that premium VPNs do. Their servers may even be limited to a few regions. This limits the number of potential streams you can access. Try accessing Luxembourg servers with a free VPN! Security concerns: The bottom line is that many free VPNs have serious privacy concerns. In order to turn a profit, they collect and share the browsing data and the personal information of their users. Considering how many people flock to VPNs for their security and privacy features, free services don’t make the cut.
Do I Need a VPN to Watch F1 Races?
Though not every person may need one, a VPN is a must-have in the following situations:
You’re on vacation abroad or away on business but want to watch a Formula 1 broadcast from your home country (e.g. because of the commentary). You find yourself in a country where you don’t have the right TV package or where they don’t broadcast Formula 1 at all. You want to watch a free Formula 1 live stream you couldn’t access otherwise.
Are you in one of these situations? You’ll certainly need a VPN.
Why do you need a VPN to watch F1 racing?
So, why do you need a VPN? The main reason has everything to do with geographic restrictions and broadcasting rights. Media companies have to pay for the rights to stream or broadcast content in different regions and countries. If they want to show a certain type of content in more regions, they generally have to pay a greater amount to the party that owns the rights. As a consequence of this, streaming services must block users who try to access their content from a region or country which is not covered by their broadcasting license. They usually do this by checking your IP address — a unique address that shows websites, amongst other online platforms, where you are. However, a VPN can change your IP address and make it seem like you’re in another country than you actually are. This way, you can get access to any F1 stream you desire, regardless of your location! Make sure to check your local laws to ensure you’re covered legally.
2023 Formula 1 Broadcasters
Below are all of the official F1 broadcasters worldwide for this 2023 season. You will need a subscription for most of the broadcasters mentioned above. If you are not from a certain region, it may be difficult to sign up. This is because many broadcasters check where you live based on where your credit card or other payment method is registered. However, some free broadcasters don’t require this, so you can watch their stream for free, as long as you have the correct IP address. With a VPN, it’s very easy to change your IP address to anywhere in the world.
A Quick Summary: Live Streaming F1 Free in 2023
Considering Formula 1 had roughly 445 million viewers in 2021, it shows no signs of slowing down in terms of popularity. While there are countless ways to live stream online, fans have an opportunity to watch for free using the many available free options from around the world. Want to watch F1 for free? Remember, you’ll just need to:
Get a VPN like Surfshark, NordVPN or PIA. Connect to a server in Austria or Luxembourg. Visit either Servus TV (Austria) or RTL Zwee (Luxembourg).
That’s all there is to it! Enjoy the 2023 F1 racing season! Note: The techniques described in this article to watch the F1 Grand Prix and unblock streams are only general tips. It’s always your own responsibility to read the up-to-date terms of use of the service you’re using and act accordingly. This, of course, also applies to the laws of the country in which you are located.
