The 2023 Formula 1 season was thrilling, to say the least. The 2024 F1 season is going to be even more exciting! However, if you live in a country where a streaming website for Formula 1 races is geo-blocked or you can only watch select races, you might not be able to enjoy the sport in its full glory.
However, fans in countries like Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium can watch F1 live streams online for free. So, there’s an easy way for you to do that, too, no matter where you live with a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
With NordVPN, a true unblocking powerhouse, you can bypass geo-blocks and watch mad lads like Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Daniel Ricciardo zooming on the asphalt. Let the deep hum of the F1 engines reverberate through your body as the new F1 season picks up pace and traction!
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into where to watch F1 for free worldwide. Keep reading to find out more!
Best Free F1 Live Streams (2023)
You can watch F1 streams for free on RTL Zwee in Luxembourg or Servus TV in Austria. But if you don’t live in Luxembourg or Austria, you won’t be able to access the stream.
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. Our findings are in the table below.
How to Watch F1 for Free
Our team did the research and found that you can watch F1 races free in Luxembourg! However, because of distribution rights, people outside the region have to pay for streams. To access geo-restricted content and livestream the antics of the speed demon, Lewis Hamilton, you’ll need to change your IP address to the same country you want to livestream from.
To watch Formula 1 racing for free with RTL Zwee, follow the step-by-step guide below:
- Get a premium VPN. We’ve tested more than 70 VPN providers, and NordVPN leads the pack when it comes to streaming Formula 1 Grand Prix races.
- Download and install the VPN software on your device. Most VPN providers support a lot of devices.
- Open the app and log in. Use the credentials you created at sign-up.
- Choose a VPN server in the country where your live stream is based. NordVPN has 60 country locations to choose from, but you’ll need Luxembourg to watch RTL’s free F1 stream.
- Connect to Luxembourg. A few seconds after clicking, you will be connected to the VPN server. Keep the VPN running in the background.
- Go to the RTL Zwee F1 stream. Make sure you hop on the F1 livestream in time!
You can also set up a VPN on other devices, like a smart TV. Unfortunately, devices like Android TV or Apple TV don’t support VPN apps natively. So, you’ll need to jump through some more hoops to pull this off.
Find out more in our guide on how to install a VPN on your smart TV.
Formula 1 2024 Schedule
The 2023 F1 Season ended in a stellar way, and you can expect the same from the 2024 F1 season. The few months since the end of the 2023 season have allowed every racer and team to work out the kinks in their cars. Ferrari has even announced the 13th of February as the date for the release of their new F1 Challenger.
Other teams are scuttling about to get their engines rev-ready for the pre-season practice sessions in Sakhir. The sprint races are on, and you have to get ready now. Here is the schedule for the 2024 F1 season.
Where to Watch F1 in the USA
Formula 1 fans have plenty of options on where to watch F1 streams in the USA. Since ESPN has broadcasting rights this year, you can use several TV streamers that carry the channel.
If you don’t know where to watch F1 in the USA, we recommend Sling TV. It’s one of the best live TV streaming services, and it’s pretty affordable. The Sling Orange plan has tons of sports streaming channels (including ESPN) at around half the price of other TV streaming competitors.
You can still use the following streaming services, of course:
- Fubo
- DirecTV Stream
- Hulu + Live TV
- YouTube TV
If you’re traveling outside the US and aren’t sure how to watch F1, you’ll need a VPN app like NordVPN to connect to these services and stream your favorite Formula 1 races.
Where to Watch F1 in the UK
In the UK, Sky Sports has a tight grip on broadcasting rights for Formula 1. You’ll need Sky Sports F1 if you plan to watch any Formula 1 live stream in the UK.
Note that you can also catch highlights on Channel 4 online for free after any race. But for the full experience, you can only get F1 streams in the UK from Sky Sports.
Not happy with either of those options? Any motorsports fan can use free international streams like RTL Zwee and Servus TV to watch the entire season for free. And now that you know how to watch F1 in the UK for free, you can just get a NordVPN subscription and enjoy the race.
Where to Watch Formula 1 Internationally (F1 TV Pro)
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 want 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.
Do note that subscription prices vary between $3.99 – $9.99 per month, depending on the country you’re in. However, you may be able to get cheaper prices if you use a VPN.
By switching your VPN servers to India, Mexico, or other countries, you can save money on subscriptions through a VPN provider and not just for F1!
The Best VPN Providers for Streaming Formula 1
If you are wondering how to watch F1 for free this year and are looking for a good VPN, we recommend a provider with a lot of servers. The more servers available the higher the chance you will find a country with a free F1 stream.
The VPN’s speed is also really important. If you get a slow VPN, you won’t be able to enjoy F1 streaming without buffering and lag.
Luckily, you don’t need to research all the popular VPNs to figure out your best pick. We did the research for you. After numerous rounds of testing, here are the top three best Formula 1 VPNs.
1. NordVPN: Best VPN for F1 overall
NordVPN is recommended for: F1 fans who want consistent speeds and reliable servers when watching the upcoming Grand Prix.
NordVPN is like a combo of Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. This VPN guarantees blazing-fast speeds and consistent connections that most other providers can only dream of. We used it to watch ESPN, Fox Sports, and multiple other F1 streaming platforms and were pleasantly surprised by the quality every time.
What really gave it a place in our hearts and TVs is its compatibility and price. With NordVPN, you can stream F1 races on your favorite devices like Apple TV, iOS, Windows, MacOS, Android, and Apple mobiles.
With NordVPN’s Luxembourg, Austria, and Belgium servers, you can stream F1 for free on RTL Zwee or Servus TV. When we tested NordVPN while streaming the Italian GP, the speeds were faster than the cars in the race.
Why we picked NordVPN:
- NordVPN finished in first place during our extensive testing of the fastest VPNs. Rest assured, you can watch F1 without lag, buffering, or delay.
- It is easy to install and use.
- It has reliable servers in Luxembourg, Belgium, and Austria, where you can find free F1 streams.
- NordVPN offers military-grade encryption for privacy and security protection.
If you need a trustworthy VPN with a 30-day money-back guarantee, NordVPN is a great pick.
2. Surfshark: Fast and furious Formula 1 VPN
Surfshark is recommended for: Formula 1 Fans looking for fast streaming on a budget.
Surfshark is the pitstop that keeps your streaming sessions running like a well-oiled car. It has 3,200+ servers around the world and fast speeds for almost everything. We found its app very user-friendly and easy to install.
We tested it out with different F1 streaming platforms, and it worked perfectly. What really blew us away was its compatibility with most streaming devices. There’s a certain allure to watching flat F1 cars zipping across the asphalt in the Bahrain GP on a big screen with surround sound.
With servers from Austria to Albania and Luxembourg to Italy, we’re certain Surfshark can help you unblock F1 streams from your country.
Why we picked Surfshark:
- Consistently fast connection speeds
- Affordable prices and great discounts
- Large server network, which makes it easy to access any streaming service
- User-friendly interface, especially for beginners
Apart from its blazing fast speeds, Surfshark also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test Surfshark and watch Formula 1 online without commitment.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA): The veteran VPN racer for F1
PIA is recommended for: People who value privacy and a large server network to unblock any streaming service.
Private Internet Access is another top VPN provider that can help you stream F1 for free. PIA has more servers than the ants in an ant hill. With servers sprinkled across the US, it’s the VPN for unblocking and accessing different F1 streaming services.
We had the good fortune of testing it out during the Brazil GP on Sunday, Nov 5. The speeds were great, and the F1 live stream was crystal clear. Although, we did have to try out a few different servers at the beginning.
Nevertheless, it’s one of the few providers with dedicated servers for streaming and gaming. The VPN doesn’t keep logs and offers a robust security infrastructure. These won’t affect your streaming sessions but are still an added advantage that will come in handy when you’re using the VPN to surf the web.
Why we picked PIA:
- 35,500+ servers, including locations in Luxembourg, Austria, and Belgium (It also has servers in all 50 US States)
- Robust security infrastructure
- Decent speed test results, enough to watch F1 races without a hitch
Like both other entries on this list, you can try PIA 30 days for free through its money-back guarantee and test its features while streaming F1.
Do I Need a VPN to Watch F1 Races?
You will need a VPN to watch F1 races if you live in a country where F1 races are not streamed for free. Due to distribution rights, certain platforms will broadcast races in selected regions. Sometimes, you can only watch select races like the Dutch GP in certain European countries.
To avoid missing out on all the action, you can connect to a VPN. With this, you can access free streams from Luxembourg, Austria, and Belgium. A VPN is also useful in these scenarios:
- 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.
For example, RTL Zwee only has the right to show F1 races in Luxembourg. With a VPN, we were able to watch F1 races by connecting to a Luxembourg server. You won’t have to pay extra money for the service, and it’s safe.
A reliable provider like NordVPN can also help you access extended Netflix libraries and other streaming applications and services. It’s a great way to get more value from your subscriptions without paying for extra services.
F1 Teams and Drivers
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated Formula 1 since the start of last season, and sealed the 2023 Championship at the Qatar GP! The competing teams are re-evaluating their strategies and re-greasing their axles because pulling Verstappen from his throne in 2024 isn’t going to be easy. Here are the teams participating in the 2024 F1:
- Red Bull Racing
- Mercedes
- Aston Martin
- Ferrari
- McLaren
- Alpine
- Williams
- Haas F1 Team
- Alfa Romeo
- AlphaTauri
F1 Driver Final Standings 2023: Verstappen’s Year
Max Verstappen has sealed the 2023 Drivers Championship, while his teammate Sergio Perez sealed second place in Las Vegas with an insurmountable gap over Lewis Hamilton.
With a pole margin of 0.139s, Max Verstappen secured the pole in the final Sunday’s Race on the Abu Dhabi International Circuit. Even more spectacular was Verstappen’s pole margin of 0.441s in Qatar and 0.249s in the Sao Paulo GP sprint race.
This cemented his position in both long and short F1 formats and the top pole position with an aggregate of 575 points, twice the amount of Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton.
F1 Team Standings 2023
Red Bull Racing dominated this season with more than twice the number of points of Mercedes in second place. According to Christian Horner, the all-new weight-saving RB19 cars were the main reason for Red Bull’s dominance in the 2023 F1 season. Mercedes struggled with tire wear on the Saturday and Sunday races.
Here are the final team standings of the year.
Formula 1 Broadcasters
Not sure where to watch Formula 1 in your country? Below are all of the official F1 broadcasters worldwide for the upcoming F1 season. We’ve selected the most popular broadcasters. If any of the broadcasters are blocked in your region, use NordVPN to sprint past the blocks.
You will need a subscription for most of the broadcasters mentioned above. If you are not from the right region, it may also 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. To bypass this problem, we recommend using NordVPN and Gift Cards or a suitable digital wallet.
Best Streaming Services According to Reddit
Redditors usually have outlandish recommendations that warrant the need to touch grass. But sometimes, they have some golden nuggets of advice. Here are the best streaming websites and platforms according to Reddit:
- F1 TV: Most Redditors suggest that F1 TV is the best platform to live stream F1 races. F1 TV also has dedicated applications for Android and Apple mobiles, which means you can also use it on an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Unfortunately, it’s paid.
- Sky Sports: Surprisingly, Sky takes second place across Reddit. With live coverage of every full race and extended highlights, Sky is undoubtedly a great paid streaming platform for F1. Because of distribution blocks, you will need reliable VPN services to access it in blocked regions.
Need more recommendations or don’t know where to start? Try popular F1 Reddit channels like:
- r/formual1
- r/F1streams
- r/GrandPrixRacing
- r/streams
- r/F1Brazil
These channels are filled to the brim with racing fanatics who’ll guide you down the charcoal-studded roads of F1 racing. And please don’t take sides. If someone says Fernando Alonso is better than Max Verstappen, just go along with it. We all know the real King of F1. There’s no point in arguing about it!
How to Watch F1 for Free From Anywhere
Formula 1 superfans can now watch F1 for free anywhere with NordVPN. Geo-blocks and blackouts don’t stand an inkling of a chance against the speed and maneuverability of a premium provider like NordVPN. Here’s how we can tune into the nauseating rush of F1 races from any part of the world:
- Sign up for a VPN like NordVPN with servers around the globe.
- Connect to a server in Luxembourg.
- Visit RTL Zwee (Luxembourg) and stop wondering where to watch F1 races online.
NordVPN is our top pick to stream F1 races for free. Change your IP address to that of Luxembourg and enjoy all the exciting races on RTL Zwee. With a sprawling network of 5,800+ servers, NordVPN dominates the pole position in the VPN industry.
Wondering how you can stream other popular sports? Check out our articles below:
- How to Watch 24 Hours of Le Mans For Free From Anywhere
- MotoGP Live Streaming Free: Best Free Live Streams
- How to Watch the Indy 500 From Anywhere
