In the United States in 2026, the primary—and effectively exclusive—way to watch Formula 1 live has shifted from ESPN to Apple. Here’s how fans are currently watching F1 in the USA.

Main way to watch live: Apple TV

  • Apple has become the exclusive broadcast partner for F1 in the U.S., starting with the 2026 season under a five‑year deal.
  • All Grands Prix, sprint races, and every practice and qualifying session are carried through the Apple TV app / Apple TV+ ecosystem , branded as the “Formula 1 channel” inside Apple TV.

Typical options on Apple TV:

  • A full Apple TV subscription (around $12.99/month or $99/year) gives you live F1TV‑style coverage for every session , including extra angles, onboard cameras, and on‑board audio.
  • Even without a paid Apple TV subscription , you can still watch Friday and Saturday free‑practice sessions and a limited number of select full races for free, just by having an Apple ID and opening the Apple TV app.

Alternatives / add‑ons for American fans

While Apple TV is now the main home of F1 in the U.S., there are a couple of secondary options people talk about in forums and guides:

  • F1TV Access tier : A lower‑cost “F1TV Access” tier remains available in the U.S. for fans who want live‑stream replays and on‑demand races without paying for Apple TV+; it’s targeted at people who mainly want to watch replays rather than every live session.
  • TV‑channel highlights : Some local sports or cable networks may still carry highlights packages or delayed coverage (similar to how F1 was cherry‑picked on ESPN in the past), but live race coverage is now Apple‑only.

Quick comparison of options (2026, U.S.)

Option| What you get| Cost roughly
---|---|---
Apple TV subscription (F1TV included)| All practice, qualifying, sprint & main races live; F1TV‑style features, onboard audio, multiple feeds| ~$12.99/month or $99/year 13
Apple TV free tier (no sub)| Free practices and select races; no full F1TV feature set| Free (just needs Apple ID) 135
F1TV Access (standalone)| Replays and on‑demand races; no live TV‑style coverage| Separate F1TV Access price (typically cheaper than F1TV Premium) 47

Mini‑step‑by‑step: How to start watching

  1. Install the Apple TV app on your device (smart TV, Apple TV box, phone, tablet, etc.).
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID ; if you want everything, subscribe to Apple TV+ through the app.
  1. Open the Formua 1 channel inside Apple TV; it surfaces live races, upcoming sessions, and replays.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.