The Bahrain Grand Prix has a new home this year, and it isn’t in Bahrain. F1 races at Sepang in Malaysia this weekend, and West Coast viewers face a midnight start on Saturday night. The whole weekend is free to watch on RTBF Auvio, and from the US, a VPN connected to Belgium and a free account are enough.
The VPN is the only paid part. Cancel after the race and within 30 days, and its money-back guarantee returns the full price.
Setting Up the Free RTBF Auvio Stream
- Subscribe to NordVPN and install the app on the device you’ll use for the race.
- Connect to Belgium from the country list. The standard settings work for RTBF Auvio.
- Create your RTBF Auvio login using Google or an email and password. The form sometimes adds a postal code box, and a code from an online Belgian ZIP generator fills it.
- Pick the live session under the Formule 1 category to start watching.
The commentary is in French. The timing tower, the leaderboard graphics and the team radio captions stay in English.
Late-Night Start Times for US Viewers
Local time in Malaysia is 15 hours later than Pacific time, so every West Coast session starts the evening or night before the local date.
| Session | PT | ET | Sepang |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Thu, Oct 1, 9:30 p.m. | Fri, Oct 2, 12:30 a.m. | Fri, 12:30 |
| Practice 2 | Fri, Oct 2, 1 a.m. | Fri, Oct 2, 4 a.m. | Fri, 16:00 |
| Practice 3 | Fri, Oct 2, 9:30 p.m. | Sat, Oct 3, 12:30 a.m. | Sat, 12:30 |
| Qualifying | Sat, Oct 3, 1 a.m. | Sat, Oct 3, 4 a.m. | Sat, 16:00 |
| Race | Sun, Oct 4, 12 a.m. | Sun, Oct 4, 3 a.m. | Sun, 15:00 |
Choosing a VPN With Belgian Servers
| VPN | Price | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | About $3.50 a month | Apps for Fire TV and Apple TV, so the race goes straight to the living room |
| Proton VPN | About $3 a month | Swiss privacy laws, with Belgium on the paid plan only |
| ExpressVPN | About $3 a month | Connects in a couple of seconds, with nothing to configure |
New customers of NordVPN, Proton VPN and ExpressVPN can cancel within 30 days for a refund, so the choice doesn’t lock you in. Seven rounds remain after Sepang, ending in Abu Dhabi on December 6.
Why the Bahrain GP Is at Sepang
Security concerns in the Middle East ruled out Sakhir. F1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia agreed to stage the race at Sepang, near Kuala Lumpur, instead. It keeps its official name, the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Sepang last hosted F1 in 2017, when Max Verstappen won.
The 5.543 km circuit mixes two long straights with fast and slow corners, and the race covers 56 laps. Heat, humidity and sudden afternoon rain make tire strategy harder to call, and the early forecast includes showers. The title fight is tighter than a week ago.
George Russell won in Baku by a tenth of a second from Verstappen, cutting Kimi Antonelli’s lead to 66 points. Franco Colapinto starts with a five-place grid penalty for causing the Baku collision with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris.
Paying for It Instead
In the US, F1 streams only on Apple TV this season. The subscription costs about $15 a month after a free week, includes F1 TV Premium, and covers every Sepang session. UK viewers can pay for Sky Sports F1. Neither works outside its home country, so watching from abroad requires a VPN set to the subscriber’s home country.
Bahrain GP in Malaysia: Streaming FAQ
What time does the race start on the West Coast?
Midnight Pacific, as Saturday turns into Sunday. That’s 3 a.m. Eastern and 3 p.m. at Sepang, and qualifying takes place 23 hours earlier, at 1 a.m. PT on Saturday.
Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place in Malaysia?
Sakhir couldn’t be used because of security concerns in the Middle East. Bahrain kept its race on the calendar through an agreement that moved the event to Sepang for this season.
Has F1 raced at Sepang before?
Yes, for 19 seasons. Sepang staged the Malaysian Grand Prix until Max Verstappen won the last edition there, and this weekend ends a nine-year absence.
Is the Sepang weekend a sprint event?
No. It follows the standard format with three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and a 56-lap race on Sunday. Singapore hosts the season’s final sprint a week later.
