F1 TV Pro shows every session of a Grand Prix weekend live, with onboard cameras for each driver, team radio, and live timing. However, Formula 1 sells it only where no TV network has exclusive rights, and that list keeps getting shorter. It isn’t sold in the UK, Italy, or Spain, and Germany and France have closed it to new subscribers.
Since 2026, the US doesn’t sell it either, because its races moved to Apple TV. Even after you subscribe, F1 TV checks where you are. Take a Canadian F1 TV account to London, for example, and the live races won’t play, because Sky owns the rights in Britain.
A VPN fixes that by giving you an IP address from home. We’ve tested 25+ VPNs, and four of them work well for F1 TV. Here’s what you should know.
Best VPNs for F1 TV Pro in 2026
- NordVPN: Best for 4K race weekends, with the smallest speed loss on our Canadian test
- Proton VPN: Best for hotel and airport Wi-Fi, thanks to a protocol that hides VPN traffic
- ExpressVPN: Best for a big screen, with simple TV apps built for a remote
- Private Internet Access: Best for large households, with no limit on devices
F1 TV Pro VPNs Compared
We speed-tested the four VPNs on Canadian servers. Canada sells F1 TV Pro and Premium and is close to US viewers, so it was our test country. Speed loss compares each result with the same connection without a VPN.
| VPN | Download speed | Speed loss | Devices at once | Smart DNS for TVs |
| NordVPN | 185.72 Mbps | 2.4% | 10 | Yes |
| Proton VPN | 146.39 Mbps | 23.1% | 10 | No |
| ExpressVPN | 153.79 Mbps | 19.2% | 10 on the Basic plan | Yes |
| Private Internet Access | 153.35 Mbps | 19.4% | Unlimited | Yes |
Smart DNS is especially useful on a TV without VPN app support. It changes the location that streaming services see, but it doesn’t encrypt your traffic.
4 VPNs Reviewed for F1 TV Pro
1. NordVPN: Best for 4K Race Weekends
Pros
- Servers in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary
- Smart DNS for TVs and game consoles
- Native apps for most streaming devices
- NordLynx protocol for stable streams
Cons
- Higher renewal price
NordVPN lost just 2.4% of our speed on a Canadian server. That’s enough headroom for F1 TV Premium in 4K, even while a second TV streams in the same house. F1 TV blocked the first Canadian server we connected to, but the Calgary server unblocked it.
If a server shows the region message or slows down during qualifying, switch to another Canadian city. For most fans, we’d start here, on the two-year plan to put off the higher renewal price.
You can also test it over a race weekend with the NordVPN free trial or the 30-day money-back guarantee that covers all plans.
2. Proton VPN: Best for Hotel and Airport Wi-Fi
Pros
- Apps for Apple TV and Android TV
- Open-source apps
- Swiss privacy law
Cons
- No Smart DNS for TVs
Proton VPN works best on hotel, airport, and conference networks, which sometimes block VPN connections. Its Stealth protocol makes VPN traffic look like regular web traffic, so the connection still works there. On top of that, Proton VPN’s no-logs policy has passed independent audits.
Still, speed is its weaker side. On our Canadian test, Proton VPN lost 23.1% of our speed. Proton says VPN Accelerator, which is enabled by default, reduces that kind of loss on distant servers, so streams can stay smooth even at the highest possible resolution.
3. ExpressVPN: Best for Watching on a Big Screen
Pros
- Router app for whole-home coverage
- Obfuscation on every connection
- Smart DNS on every plan
Cons
- Few settings to adjust
ExpressVPN works best on a living-room TV. Its Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV apps open with one large connect button. As a result, switching to a Canadian server takes a few presses on the remote. Its Canadian result was a 19.2% speed loss.
If a stream slows down, switch to another of ExpressVPN’s Canadian servers from the location list. Locations include Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, but pick the one closest to you to minimize speed losses.
4. Private Internet Access: Best for Large Households
Pros
- Servers in several Canadian cities
- No-logs policy proven in court
- MACE ad and tracker blocker
- Smart DNS for TVs
Cons
- Dated, cluttered app
Private Internet Access has no device limit, so a single account works on every phone, laptop, and TV in a house full of F1 fans. Its long-term plan is about $2 a month, at the low end of what VPNs cost. PIA’s speed loss in Canada was 19.4%, close to ExpressVPN’s result.
Before race day, choose WireGuard in its settings for the fastest connection. By default, it keeps OpenVPN, which I found to be a lot slower as a whole, with considerably longer connection times.
How to Watch F1 TV Pro With a VPN
A VPN only changes the location F1 TV sees, so you still sign in with your own account.
- Download a VPN, like NordVPN, and sign in to the app. Setting up a VPN is quick on phones, laptops, and most TVs.
- Connect to a server in your F1 TV country, such as Canada for a Canadian account. F1 TV then sees an IP address from that country.
- Clear F1 TV’s cookies in your browser, or reopen the app, so it reads your new location.
- Sign in to F1 TV and start the live session.
With the VPN on, an existing subscription plays the live session as usual. In contrast, buying a new subscription from abroad is harder. On a Canadian server, F1 TV showed me Canadian prices, but checkout required a Canadian card.
F1’s terms also tie each plan to the country where you live, so a VPN on its own isn’t enough to subscribe in another country. For that reason, a VPN is most useful for fans who already pay for F1 TV and watch on trips.
Which Countries Sell F1 TV Pro?
The table shows where F1 TV Pro and Premium are on sale. Elsewhere, F1 TV Access is the only plan, with live timing and delayed replays but no live video.
| Country | F1 TV Pro | Notes |
| Canada | Yes | Pro and Premium, close to US viewers |
| Belgium, Netherlands | Yes | Pro and Premium |
| Brazil, Mexico, Argentina | Yes | Pro and Premium |
| Turkey, South Africa, New Zealand | Yes | Pro and Premium |
| South Korea | Yes | New in 2026 |
| India | Yes | Sold through FanCode |
| United States | No | Premium comes only with Apple TV |
| UK, Ireland | No | Sky Sports has the rights |
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | No | Closed to new subscribers |
| France | No | Closed to new subscribers; included in some Canal+ plans |
| Italy, Spain | No | Sky Italia and DAZN have the rights |
| Australia | Partly | Only with a Foxtel sports package |
F1 TV Pro Prices by Country
Prices also vary a lot from one country to the next. The table lists yearly App Store prices, from lowest to highest:
| Country | Pro per year | Premium per year | Pro in US dollars |
| Brazil | R$229 | R$409 | About $45 |
| Turkey | ₺2,349.99 | ₺3,799 | About $47 |
| Mexico | MX$999 | MX$1,600 | About $54 |
| South Africa | R1,049 | R1,479 | About $64 |
| Argentina | US$69.99 | US$104.99 | $69.99 |
| Canada | CA$99.99 | CA$129.99 | About $71 |
| Belgium | €74.99 | €99.99 | About $84 |
| Netherlands | €94.99 | €142.99 | About $107 |
In Europe, Belgium costs noticeably less than the Netherlands for the same plans. App Store purchases also require an Apple ID registered in that country, with a local payment method. India used to be the usual pick for the lowest price. However, F1 TV Pro there is now sold through FanCode, and the Indian App Store lists only F1 TV Access.
F1 in the US: Apple TV Instead of F1 TV Pro
Apple became the US home of Formula 1 in 2026. F1 TV Premium is now part of an Apple TV subscription, priced at about $15 a month. As a result, Apple TV subscribers get every practice session, qualifying, Sprint, and race in 4K.
Every practice session also streams free in the Apple TV app, no subscription required. F1 TV Access is still sold on its own in the US, but it has no live races. Apple’s F1 coverage works only in the US.
Free Ways to Watch F1 Races
Free-to-air channels in a few countries show races at no cost to local viewers:
- Belgium: RTBF Auvio streams every race in French with a free account
- Austria: ServusTV and ORF take turns, so every race is free
- Luxembourg: RTL Zwee shows the full season
- Germany: RTL shows five full races, including Las Vegas
- Brazil: Globo has most rounds on free TV
These streams check your location too, so watching F1 on free channels from abroad requires a server in that country.
F1 Calendar: The Rest of 2026 and the 2027 Season
Remaining 2026 Races
The 2026 season has 23 rounds. The Bahrain GP moved to Malaysia’s Sepang circuit in October, and the Saudi Arabian GP was canceled.
| Grand Prix | Weekend | Race day |
| United States (Austin) | October 23-25 | Sunday, October 25 |
| Mexico City | October 30-November 1 | Sunday, November 1 |
| São Paulo | November 6-8 | Sunday, November 8 |
| Las Vegas | November 19-21 | Saturday, November 21 |
| Qatar | November 27-29 | Sunday, November 29 |
| Abu Dhabi | December 4-6 | Sunday, December 6 |
2027 F1 Calendar
Formula 1 published the 2027 calendar in September 2026, with 24 rounds. Portugal and Turkey return, while the Dutch GP and the Barcelona race drop off.
| Grand Prix | Dates |
| Bahrain | March 12-14 |
| Saudi Arabia | March 19-21 |
| Australia | April 2-4 |
| Japan | April 9-11 |
| China | April 16-18 |
| Miami | April 30-May 2 |
| Canada | May 21-23 |
| Monaco | June 4-6 |
| Portugal (Portimão) | June 18-20 |
| Britain | July 2-4 |
| Austria | July 9-11 |
| Belgium | July 23-25 |
| Hungary | July 30-August 1 |
| Italy | September 3-5 |
| Spain (Madrid) | September 10-12 |
| Azerbaijan | September 24-26 |
| Turkey (Istanbul) | October 1-3 |
| Singapore | October 8-10 |
| United States (Austin) | October 22-24 |
| Mexico City | October 29-31 |
| São Paulo | November 5-7 |
| Las Vegas | November 18-20 |
| Qatar | December 3-5 |
| Abu Dhabi | December 10-12 |
The Istanbul round still depends on FIA approval of the circuit.
F1 TV Pro Not Working With a VPN? How to Fix It
If F1 TV still shows the region message, or the stream keeps buffering, these steps usually solve it:
- Switch servers: pick a different server in that country. A single server can get blocked.
- Clear cookies and cache: F1 TV can remember your actual location from an earlier visit.
- Check your account’s country: the server should match the country where you bought F1 TV.
- Disable location services on phones: some apps compare your phone’s GPS with your IP address.
- Change the protocol: WireGuard is usually faster than OpenVPN, which helps with buffering.
- Lower the quality: on a slow hotel connection, HD plays more smoothly than 4K.
Final Thoughts
F1 TV Pro is sold in fewer countries than a few years ago. The US, the UK, and most of western Europe are now off the list. Still, current subscribers can watch races while traveling with a good VPN. Pick a server in the country where you subscribed, and F1 TV treats you as if you were home.
New subscriptions from abroad are harder to get, so for many fans, Apple TV in the US or a free channel such as RTBF Auvio is the practical choice instead. Before a race weekend, test the setup during Friday practice, so any problem is solved before qualifying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can F1 TV Pro be bought without Apple TV in the US?
No. F1 TV Pro isn't sold in the US, and Premium comes only with Apple TV. Without Apple TV, US viewers can buy only F1 TV Access, with live timing and replays.
Which devices support F1 TV Pro?
F1 TV Pro has apps for iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV, and Roku. It also plays in a web browser and casts through Chromecast.
What is the cheapest country for F1 TV Pro?
Brazil is the cheapest country where F1 TV Pro is confirmed on sale, followed by Turkey and Mexico. Subscribing there requires a Brazilian payment method.
Is it legal to watch F1 TV Pro with a VPN?
Yes, VPNs are legal in most countries. However, F1 TV's terms prohibit tools that disguise a viewer's location, and Formula 1 can suspend or close an account that breaks those terms.
Does an F1 TV subscription work abroad?
No, not everywhere. EU subscribers keep their content while traveling within the EU. Other subscribers face the broadcast restrictions of the country they're visiting, which can block live races.
Is there a free version of F1 TV Pro?
No. F1 TV Pro is a paid subscription. Belgium's RTBF Auvio and Austria's ServusTV and ORF stream races for free, but only to viewers in those countries.