How to watch F1 live in the UK: Start time and how you can stream 2025 Japanese Grand Prix online for free

How to watch in the UK

For those who want to watch on terrestrial television in the UK, Sky Sports F1 will broadcast every session of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. This dedicated channel has a show dedicated to the build-up for the first race of the season from 2.30am on April 4. Sky TV customers can watch via Sky Sports F1 channel or stream through the Sky Go app.

The Sky Sports F1 team includes Martin Brundle, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg and new addition Jamie Chadwick.

Sky Sports F1 can be added to the best Sky Glass deals and best Sky Stream deals. It's also available via satellite dish for those with a Sky Q or Sky+ HD set-top box. If you don't have a contract with Sky TV, then it's possible to watch via NOW, formerly NOW TV.

This service lets you stream exclusive Sky Sports channels contract-free. It costs £14.99 for a 24-hour pass, which will be enough to stream all of the action on Sky Sports F1 across devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV Stick, iPhone, Android, iPad, and others.

You can also subscribe to a NOW Sports membership for £26 per month when you commit to a 12-month contract — usually £34.99 monthly.

If you're looking for coverage of the F1 on free-to-air channels, then you'll need to turn to Channel 4. Although this channel, which is available on Freeview, its successor Freely, Freesat, and even Apple's brand-new Vision Pro, does not have the rights to broadcast live coverage of the the Australian Grand Prix live, offering only highlights after the race.

Steve Jones presents on Channel 4 alongside David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Ariana Bravo and Alex Jacques.

How to stream F1 for free

Outside of the UK, there are a number of broadcasters who offer coverage of the latest Grand Prix for free.

Austrian viewers can tune in to ORF1, which will broadcast the race live this weekend with English-language commentary.

If you want to unlock ORF from anywhere in the world to stream live coverage of the F1, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN — like ExpressVPN
2. Download the app to your preferred device (the best VPN deals include unlimited access to apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, more).
3. Open the app and connect to a VPN server location in Australia
4. Connect to ORF on the device where you'd like to watch
5. Sign-in to ORF or create an account
6. Watch the Japanese Australian Grand Prix from anywhere in the world

Belgian fans can access free coverage through RTBF Auvio, though you'll need to create a free account to watch.

As mentioned above, Channel 4 is a free-to-air alternative in the UK. However, it only broadcasts the British Grand Prix live in its entirety for free. For the other races throughout this 2025 Formula 1 season, Channel 4 will have a highlights show. It includes pre- and post-race interviews and analysis, making it a solid alternative to live coverage of the race.

The catch is that all of these free F1 live streams are geo-restricted, meaning they're only accessible from within their respective countries. This is where a VPN (Virtual Private Network) becomes essential for UK viewers wanting to access these free broadcasts.

A VPN allows you to mask your location by connecting to servers in other countries, effectively bypassing geo-restrictions.

ExpressVPN is widely recommended for streaming F1, with servers in 105 countries including Austria and Belgium. The service offers apps for all major devices including smartphones, tablets, computers and smart TVs.

While not free, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to watch the Japanese Grand Prix risk-free.

Setting up is straightforward – simply install the app, connect to a server in Austria or Belgium, then visit the relevant streaming site. For the best experience, connect to your VPN before opening the streaming website.

Using a VPN to access geo-restricted content

If you're travelling this weekend, you might not be able to access the streaming options above.

For example, if you're outside of the UK but still want to catch all of the action from Melbourne via Sky Go or the Channel 4 app — you'll need a VPN to manually alter your IP address so that it appears you're still located in the UK.

Streaming services determine your location using your IP address, a unique identifier assigned by your internet provider whenever you connect online. These addresses are linked to geographic regions, allowing platforms to enforce content restrictions based on licensing agreements.

Your IP address is typically assigned dynamically each time you reconnect, though some providers use static IPs. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) let you mask your real location by routing traffic through servers in different countries, tricking services into thinking you're elsewhere. This enables access to geo-restricted content that's only available for a specific region.

However, many streaming platforms actively block VPNs to enforce their geo-restrictions and licensing rules.

ORF is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with the right VPN.

ExpressVPN is an award-winning VPN with gongs from the likes of Techradar, CNET, and Tom's Guide, with praise for its servers dedicated to fast, reliable streaming from anywhere in the world. Prices start from £4.04 for an entire month across eight devices.

If you want to unlock ORF from anywhere in the world to stream live coverage of the F1, follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN — like ExpressVPN
2. Download the app to your preferred device (the best VPN deals include unlimited access to apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, more).
3. Open the app and connect to a VPN server location in Australia
4. Connect to ORF on the device where you'd like to watch
5. Sign-in to ORF or create an account
6. Watch the Japanese Australian Grand Prix from anywhere in the world

Of course, this technique could be used for Australian citizens who are travelling and unable to stream from 10Play while abroad, but it could also be used for those in other English-speaking countries looking to watch the F1 live online for free.

Please note, Formula 1 considers the use of a VPN to unlock access to content that's geo-restricted to another territory as a potential breach of the relevant broadcasters’ terms of service.

VPNs are not illegal and are often mandated by companies to improve online security for employees. However, it's your responsibility to ensure that you're using these popular apps for legal use. Always check the terms and conditions of the streaming service.

Benefits of ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is particularly well-suited for streaming as it boasts VPN server locations in 105 countries providing access to global coverage. It offers ultra-fast speeds on a 10-Gbps network, essential for high-quality streaming without buffering.

With military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and features like split tunneling and a kill switch, your online activity stays private.

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Based in the British Virgin Islands — outside Five Eyes jurisdiction — it avoids mandatory data retention laws, which means that even if the company was collecting data (it's not), law enforcement from the UK and US would be unable to compel ExpressVPN to hand over any information about its subscribers.

ExpressVPN supports a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and routers. There's no limit on the number of ExpressVPN apps that you can download on your devices, and with a single subscription, you can connect to the VPN on eight gadgets at once.

It also has a dedicated team that optimises the service for major streaming platforms. Round-the-clock customer support is available if you encounter any issues during race weekend.

ExpressVPN isn't the cheapest VPN. However, its 30-day money-back guarantee makes it a risk-free choice for privacy-conscious users and frequent streamers.

It should also give new customers the confidence to subscribe to one of its longer contracts, which unlock the biggest discounts.

What is a VPN?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is software that protects and anonymises everything you do online. VPNs can conceal your online activities by routing traffic through an encrypted tunnel that connects to secure servers worldwide.

The most reliable VPNs employ the same encryption standard as governments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ensuring that even your Internet Service Provider (ISP) connected to Wi-Fi cannot record the websites you visit, the duration of your sessions on each site, or your current location. This protection extends to advertisers, trackers, and hackers, preventing them from monitoring your online behaviour.

Furthermore, personal information entered into online forms and sensitive data transmitted to and from your device will be safeguarded from hackers using strong encryption provided by a VPN.

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