After lots of trial and error, I discovered that the best way to watch every race from anywhere in the world is with a quality VPN service. A VPN helps you get around the geoblocks streaming sites put on their content by giving you a new IP address, so the service thinks you’re in the broadcast area. I tested over 30 VPNs, and ExpressVPN was the fastest and most reliable service for connecting to F1 streaming sites with no hassle or buffering. Plus, you can use ExpressVPN to watch the F1 races risk-free. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can claim a refund if you’re not 100% happy.
Quick Guide: Watch Formula 1 From Anywhere in 3 Easy Steps
Watch Formula 1 with ExpressVPN
How a VPN Helps You Watch the 2023 F1 Races From Anywhere
There are broadcasting restrictions in every region that keep streaming services like Sling TV from making their content available outside those locations. This is called geo-blocking. If you’re traveling abroad and want access to content you rightfully paid for, a VPN will change your virtual location to safely regain access to your account. A VPN reroutes all your internet traffic through a remote server in the country of your choice and gives you a new IP address from that location. For instance, if you’re in France, you can connect to a US server to get a US IP address and route your traffic through the VPN server. To all your US-based streaming services, it will look as if you’re browsing from within the US, and you’ll be able to watch F1 races on Hulu and Sling TV or even access your other paid streaming accounts. Stream Formula 1 with ExpressVPN
The Best VPNs to Watch F1 (Tested in January 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — Blazing-Fast Speeds to Watch the Grand Prix in HD Without Interruption
ExpressVPN is my top pick for streaming the F1 races from anywhere, thanks to its 3000+ lightning-fast servers worldwide. No matter where you’re watching from, you won’t have to deal with any buffering or lag, which is the last thing you need in the final laps of a close race. When I tested it, ExpressVPN’s speeds were consistently high and never dropped below 89Mbps — only a 15% decrease from my baseline speed of 105Mbps. If you’d still like more of a boost, you can switch to ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol, which is even faster than the standard OpenVPN. With ExpressVPN, you won’t have any trouble watching the Grand Prix races, no matter where you’re watching from — ExpressVPN gives you instant access to Sling TV (US), ServusTV (Austria), Channel 4 (UK), Channel Ten (Australia), and many more. Plus, you’ll be able to watch every lap and instant replay in HD. While ExpressVPN is a bit pricier than the other VPNs on this list, you won’t find its speeds, unblocking ability, or device compatibility with any other provider. Plus, you’ll save 49% when you choose ExpressVPN’s 1-year plan to catch every F1 race for just $6.67 per month. If you aren’t 100% satisfied, you can use ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee to get a full refund. When I tested the policy, I had my money back in my account in 5 days. Watch the F1 Races with ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost — 10+ Streaming-Optimized Servers for Official F1 Grand Prix Broadcasters
With an expanding network of over 9740 servers in 91 countries, CyberGhost has 80+ streaming-optimized servers worldwide — with more than 10 dedicated to accessing official F1 streams and broadcasts around the world. These optimized servers are constantly tested to ensure that they work with popular sites and channels, including Sling TV, YouTube TV, Canal+, TF1, Channel 4(UK), and TV Globo. When I tested its streaming servers and non-optimized servers, CyberGhost’s speeds were always fast enough to stream the races in HD (even though it wasn’t quite as fast as ExpressVPN). I only had trouble on its Australian servers — I had to wait longer for streams to load, but I didn’t have any mid-race buffering once it started. CyberGhost’s most affordable plan is $2.03/month for a 2-year + 4 months subscription, but you can try CyberGhost to watch the F1 Grand Prix for free by taking advantage of the generous 45-day money-back guarantee. After 3+ weeks of testing the VPN, I asked for a refund via live chat. My request was approved in 15 minutes, and I had my money back 3 days later. Watch the F1 Races with CyberGhost
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Thousands of Servers to View F1 Around the Globe
With a massive server network of over 35000 servers in 83 countries, Private Internet Access (PIA) makes it easy to access your streaming accounts in any part of the world. You’ll be able to watch the races on your Hulu account (if you have the Live TV add-on) or on free-to-air channels like Austria’s ORF. Thanks to PIA’s rollout of 10Gbps NextGen servers, I didn’t have any issues with lag when watching any of the races in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. However, depending on how far you are from PIA’s servers, you may experience massive slowdowns. On PIA’s New York server (closest to my actual location), my speeds only dropped by 10%, which was barely noticeable. However, when I connected to a server in Japan, I had a 66% reduction in speed. Thankfully, at 36Mbps, it was still fast enough for streaming in HD. Even though I found PIA’s apps easy to download and use, I was disappointed by the limited compatibility. Aside from desktop and mobile devices, PIA has very few native apps for media devices like smart TVs and streaming boxes. If you plan on watching the races with your friends and family, I suggest getting ExpressVPN so you can download the app directly onto your TV and start streaming. All of PIA’s plans are affordable and start at just $2.03 per month. However, you can try PIA to stream the F1 completely free, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. I asked for a refund via online ticket, and the money was back in my account in 5 business days. Watch the F1 Races with PIA PIA works with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Kodi, routers, and more.
4. PrivateVPN — Best Budget-Friendly VPN for Streaming Formula 1 Live
From as little as $2.00 per month, PrivateVPN is an excellent choice for watching the F1 without upsetting your budget. On all the servers I tested, I was impressed with PrivateVPN’s ability to bypass advanced location filters and maintain HD streaming quality. Despite a small network of just 200+ servers worldwide, PrivateVPN easily accessed most of the F1 broadcasters I tested. You’ll have access to your Hulu + Live TV account, Channel 4 (UK), Canal+ (France), and ServusTV (Austria). Even though it’s only $2.00/month on a 3-year plan, you can use PrivateVPN to watch the F1 races completely free, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. When I requested a refund, I had to give the agent a reason for canceling. After telling him I no longer needed the service, my refund was approved, and my money was returned 5 business days later. Watch the F1 Races with PrivateVPN
5. IPVanish — Watch the F1 Grand Prix on All Your Devices
When I tested IPVanish with F1 channels and online streams, I was a bit disappointed. IPVanish couldn’t consistently bypass the geoblocks for Hulu and Sling TV. However, you’ll still be able to catch the races on free-to-air European channels like TF1, ORF, Channel 4, and Canal+. You’ll even have access to your Netflix US account while abroad! During my testing, I was most impressed by IPVanish’s consistently fast server speeds. It never dropped below 62Mbps regardless of how far the servers were from my real location. This makes IPVanish the fastest VPN provider on this list (aside from ExpressVPN). You can get IPVanish for $3.99/month when you sign up for a 1 year subscription, or you can get IPVanish to watch the F1 Grand Prix free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. All you have to do to get your money back is cancel your subscription in your account dashboard — the refund process is automated. When I canceled my plan, my money was returned within 2 hours. Watch the F1 Races with IPVanish
Where to Watch the 2023 F1 Grand Prix in January 2023
The 2022 F1 Grand Prix races are being broadcast on streaming services and free-to-air channels in virtually every country and territory in the world. I’ve checked all the services below to make sure you have legitimate options to sign up and watch Formula 1. Watch the F1 Grand Prix with ExpressVPN
Can I watch F1 on all of my devices?
Do I have to pay to watch Formula 1?
No, but you will have to pay for a VPN subscription. There are many free-to-air channels worldwide that will be broadcasting the F1 live. If you want to tune into channels like TF1 (France), Channel 4 (UK), and ServusTV (Austria), you’ll need to get a VPN with high-speed servers in those countries. Alternatively, you can watch the Grand Prix races on your existing subscriptions like Sling TV (US), Sky Sports (UK), or Channel 10 (Australia). If you’re traveling abroad and only need a VPN for a short time, check out these VPNs with the best monthly deals.
Can I watch Formula 1 without cable?
Absolutely! Aside from the free-to-air channels that broadcast the 2023 F1 Grand Prix, you can also subscribe to Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, or any of the other official F1 broadcasters. You can also sign up to F1 TV Pro if you’re in the US, Canada, or any of its other 80+ available countries. Unfortunately, F1 TV Pro is not available in the UK, Australia, or Germany.
Can I live stream every Grand Prix through Formula1.com?
Yes, Formula 1 offers fans a chance to livestream every race of the 2023 Grand Prix through its F1 TV Pro subscription package. This on-demand + live stream package isn’t available worldwide (countries like Australia, the UK, and Germany can’t purchase it locally), so you’ll need a VPN to change your virtual location and watch the races while connected. F1 TV Pro will give you access to the driver’s onboard cameras and team radio for an extra special race experience. You’ll also get unlimited access to race replays, highlights, and F1’s race archive.
Can I watch Formula 1 with a free VPN?
Technically, yes — there are some free VPNs that can help you watch the 2023 F1 races. However, with unreliable, slow connections and data limits, I don’t recommend them. Even if you manage to find a free VPN with fast enough servers to watch the races live, your stream will be cut when you reach your data limit (that’s if the VPN can unblock your accounts at all). With free VPNs, you also risk compromising your online privacy. If you’re not being charged a subscription fee, these services have to find another way to make money. Often, this means annoying popup ads and sometimes even selling your data to advertisers. Rather than compromise your security, I suggest trying one of the tried-and-tested VPNs on this list — you can use the money-back guarantee to use it risk-free.
Start Watching F1 From Anywhere Today
Whether you’re traveling for work, or at home without a cable subscription, you shouldn’t have to miss the 2023 F1 Grand Prix races. As long as you have a VPN, you’ll be able to sign in to your streaming accounts or local channels with live coverage of the action. After testing 30+ VPNs, ExpressVPN emerged as the top provider for watching the F1 races from anywhere. No matter where you are, its super-fast speeds make it easy to stream in HD with no interruptions, so you never miss a single turn. Plus, you can get ExpressVPN to watch the F1 at no risk to you. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get your money back if you’re not happy. I tested the policy myself, and my money was returned just 5 days after requesting a refund. Watch the 2023 F1 Races with ExpressVPN
