In the UK, live Formula 1 is shown exclusively on Sky Sports — and the cheapest way to watch it without a Sky contract is a NOW Sports Membership (monthly or a single Day Pass for one race weekend).
Channel 4 shows the British Grand Prix live for free, plus highlights of every race.
Sky holds the exclusive live UK rights to Formula 1 through to 2034, so there’s no other live broadcaster. The good news: you do not need a full Sky TV package to watch. Here are your options for the 2026 season.
Option 1: NOW Sports (no contract) — every session live
A NOW Sports Membership gives you every Sky Sports F1 channel — practice, qualifying, sprints and races — with no dish and no 18-month contract. A Monthly Membership suits regular viewers; a Day Membership is perfect if you only want one big race weekend.
Option 2: Channel 4 — the British GP free
Channel 4 shows the British Grand Prix live and free (3–5 July 2026 at Silverstone), plus extended highlights of every other round. If you only care about the home race, that’s all you need – watch on TV or free on the Channel 4 app.
The cheapest way to follow the whole season
If you want every race live, a NOW Monthly Membership during the season (March–December) is far cheaper than a Sky contract and you can pause it in the winter break. Prefer highlights? Channel 4’s free coverage plus the British GP may be enough.
Watching F1 from abroad
Travelling during a race weekend? Your NOW or Channel 4 stream may be geo-blocked outside the UK. A VPN for UK streaming lets you connect to a UK server and watch as if you were at home.
2026 F1 season at a glance
2026 brings major new car and engine regulations, so interest is high. The season runs from the opening round in March to the finale in December, with the British GP at Silverstone the peak weekend for UK viewers.
Broadcast rights and prices were checked in August 2026 and can change – confirm on the provider’s website. Some links on this page are affiliate links; see our Affiliate Disclosure.