F1 live stream: how to watch every 2021 Grand Prix online from anywhere

If you were waiting for serious fireworks, they couldn't have come at a more interesting time. Lap 1 shenanigans saw Bottas make a terrible error and take out both Red Bulls, and as the only driver to stay on inters and start from the grid after the red flag, Hamilton dropped from first to last in a matter of seconds. However, Ocon's maiden win is something we loved to see, so read on for our guide on how to watch an F1 live stream online from all over the world - and where you can watch absolutely free!

2021 F1 live stream

Season dates: March 28 - December 12

Next race: Belgium GP, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot

Live streams: Sky Sports (UK) | ABC/Sling TV (US) | Fox/Kayo Sports (AU) | F1 TV (selected regions)

Watch anywhere: try No. 1 overall VPN 100% risk-free

With Verstappen taking home just a single point after an entire race without a bargeboard and Hamilton delivering an epic performance to earn himself a podium from the back of the pack, the Brit once again tops the standings.

However, we're yet to see the result of Vettel's disqualification and Aston's subsequent appeal thanks to him not having the required litre of fuel for testing afterwards (a little harsh, but the FIA will no doubt claim rules are rules).

And then there's the question of the midseason break – despite Bottas's noble second-stringing to Hamilton, there's talk of fan fave George Russell taking his place, and after his race-changing mistake in Hungary, all we can say is 'who knows?'.

In other news, Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari nightmare is finally over thanks to Aston Martin, formerly Racing Point. Replacing him in that iconic red car is Carlos Sainz, who's been replaced at McLaren by Daniel Ricciardo, who'd been on fire for Renault (now Alpine) in the latter stages of last season. Having come within a whisker of not having a seat at all, Sergio Perez's switch to Red Bull looks like a good move for both parties.

There are plenty of new kids on the block too, with some proving more popular than others. Alpha Tauri have brought in the impressive 20-year-old Yuki Tsunoda to partner one of the standout performers of 2020, Pierre Gasly. Meanwhile, F2 champion Mick Schumacher - the son of legendary seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher - has been called up to Team Haas alongside the extremely controversial (to put it politely) Nikita Mazepin.

Read on as we explain where to find an F1 live stream and watch every 2021 Formula 1 race online wherever you are right now.

How to watch F1 from outside your country

If you find yourself abroad at all during the 2021 F1 season, you'll likely find you're unable to access your usual Formula 1 coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking - best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.

Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. This is a nifty bit of software that lets you whizz around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe trot and still access your preferred F1 live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use - allow us to explain more.

Use a VPN to watch a 2021 F1 live stream from anywhere

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Next Grand Prix - dates and times

Practice 1 - Friday, August 27 at 10.30am BST / 11.30am CET / 5.30am ET / 2.30am PT
Practice2 - Friday, August 27 at 2pm BST / 3pm CET / 9am ET / 16am PT
Practice 3 - Saturday, August 28 at 11pm BST / 12pm CET / 6am ET / 3am PT
Qualifying - Saturday, August 28 at 2pm BST / 3pm CET / 9am ET / 6am PT
Hungarian GP 2021 - Sunday, August 29 at 2pm BST / 3pm CET / 9am ET / 6am PT

F1 race schedule: 2021 Grand Prix dates

The F1 2021 season kicked off in Bahrain this March, marking a shift from the recent norm. The Australia GP has served as the traditional season-opener for a few years, but the race has now been cancelled for the second year in a row because of COVID-19.

Note that the Grand Prix will will take place on the last day listed for each event - the opening days host practice and qualifying sessions.

March 26-28: Bahrain Grand Prix - Won by Lewis Hamilton
April 16-18: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Won by Max Verstappen
April 30-May 2: Portuguese Grand Prix - Won by Lewis Hamilton
May 7-9: Spanish Grand Prix - Won by Lewis Hamilton
May 21-23: Monaco Grand Prix, Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo - Won by Max Verstappen
June 4-6: Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Baku City Circuit, Baku Won by Sergio Perez
June 18-20: French Grand Prix, Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet Won by Max Verstappen
June 25-27: Styrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg Won by Max Verstappen
July 2-4: Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Spielberg Won by Max Verstappen
July 16-18: British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone Won by Lewis Hamilton
July 30-August 1: Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring, Mogyoród Won by Esteban Ocon
August 27-29: Belgian Grand Prix, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot
September 3-5: Dutch Grand Prix, Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort
September 10-12: Italian Grand Prix, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza
September 24-26: Russian Grand Prix, Sochi Autodrom, Sochi
October 1-3: TBC
October 8-10: Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka
October 22-24: United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
October 29-31: Mexico City Grand Prix, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City
November 5-7: São Paulo Grand Prix, Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo
November 19-21: TBC
December 3-5: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah Street Circuit, Jeddah
December 10-12: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi

Watch on F1 TV

If you're an F1 devotee, then you likely already know about F1 TV - it's the streaming service to subscribe to for all the best live action, highlights, replays of classics races and a whole lot more besides - you can sign up on its website.

Most people will want to go for F1 TV Pro, which is the way to live stream every F1 Grand Prix in full - along with F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup as well. Prices differ from country-to-country - it's $79.99 in the US, for example - and some even let you give it a try with a free 7-day trial!

Just note that not all regions have an F1 TV package with live Grand Prix coverage, with the UK and Australia being notable exceptions.

Free F1 live streams: watch Grand Prix for free

Formula 1 is such a popular sport worldwide, it's no surprise that TV companies put a premium on F1 live streams. But there are some countries where the F1 is still shown on free TV. That may be the odd race or, for some lucky Grand Prix fans, every single one:

Albania: every race on RTSH

Austria: 12 races on ORF Eins and Servus TV

Azerbaijan: every race on Idman TV

Brazil: every race on Band

France: Bahrain GP, Monaco GP, French GP, 2 other races on C8

UK and Ireland: British GP only on Channel 4

Iran: every race on MBC Persia

Luxembourg: every race on RTL Zwee

Mexico: Mexican GP only on Canal 5

Middle East and North Africa: every race on MBC Action

Russia: every race on Match TV

United States: USA GP, Mexico GP on ABC

live stream F1 - Lewis Hamilton — (Image credit: Charles Coates/Getty Images)

How to watch an F1 live stream in the UK

You can watch every 2021 F1 GP via Sky Sports and its dedicated Sky Sports F1 channel. Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.

For those without Sky, the best option is to nab a Now TV Sky Sports Monthly Pass, which includes all 11 channels. As well as F1 action, Sky also hosts live football, PGA Tour golf, cricket, NBA basketball, and loads more.

To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you'll need to download a good VPN as detailed above.

Related: how to watch a Champions League live stream

How to watch F1: live stream Formula 1 racing in the US

For the 2021 F1 season, it's ESPN that will be providing comprehensive coverage in the US. Cord-cutters are in luck, too, as you can get ESPN without having an expensive cable package.

Of the many and varied options, the best for Formula 1 fans wanting to watch an F1 live stream is Sling TV, whose Sling Orange package features ESPN channels for just $35 a month - check out Sling and save $10 on your first month.

ABC is also providing live coverage of the Canadian, United States and Mexico City GPs. If you have it on cable, great - just head to the ABC website, log-in with your credentials, and stream away.

Alternatively, fuboTV is an even more complete end-to-end cable replacement services, which offers ESPN, ABC and over 120 other channels on plans starting from $64.99 a month.

New or existing subscribers to US streaming services can still access the platform of their choice from abroad, too - all you need is the help of a good VPN.

Live stream F1 and watch Grand Prix racing in Canada

In Canada, you can watch 2021 F1 races on English-language TSN or French-language RDS - but they're premium channels that typically come with a pay TV package.

If you get them as part of your cable deal, then you'll just be able to log in with the details of your provider and get access to an F1 live stream.

If you don't have cable, then you can subscribe to TSN or RDS on a streaming-only basis from just CA$4.99 a day or (much better value) $19.99 a month.

If you decide to subscribe or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go - just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions above.

More Canadian sports action: how to watch an NHL live stream

How to get an F1 live stream in Australia

The Australian TV broadcaster for the 2021 F1 season is Fox Sports, but if you don't have Fox as part of pay TV package, your best option may be to sign up for the fast-emerging Kayo Sports streaming service.

It features no lock-in contracts and gives you access to over 50 other sports including the cricket, NRL, football... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.

Better still, Kayo offer a FREE two-week trial!

After that, the Kayo Sports Basic Package costs $25 per month and allows users to stream across two devices simultaneously. The service also offers a Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three concurrent streams for $35 per month.

Don't forget, you can take your coverage abroad with you as well. For those wanting to watch home coverage of sports from overseas, a good VPN is the solution.

How to watch F1 online: live stream in New Zealand

Formula 1 fans based in New Zealand get the 2021 F1 races broadcast by Spark Sport, which costs $19.99 per month. But if you just want to catch one race for free, you're in luck, as there's a 7-day free trial.

Once that's expired, you'll get coverage for the reasonable price of $24.99 a month. As well as the F1 action, you also get a bevvy of Black Caps and England cricket matches, NBA basketball action from the US, and EPL football.

Spark Sport is available via web browsers on your PC or Mac, plus Apple and Android mobile devices, Chromecast, Apple TV, selected Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and LG TVs, and select Freeview streamers.

If you're abroad and want to sign-in to watch your subscription you can, using one of our best VPN recommendations.