How to Watch Formula 1®

How to Watch F1®? A Guide to the 2026 Formula 1® Season

Will Lando Norris manage to defend his world championship in 2026? Is it finally the year Mercedes AMG Petronas F1® Team gets back to the top of the podium? Or will the new regulations completely change the grid's order? These are the questions everyone’s asking as F1® gears up for a season of mouth-watering possibilities. You won’t want to miss a second.

That brings us to your most pressing question: how can you watch Formula 1® in 2026? This guide will show you how the season will unfold, and how best to experience the action.

When should I start watching Formula 1®?

Each F1® season builds up to that nail-biting moment when the lights go out on the first race. This is how 2026 will get revved up.

Testing: February 11-13 and 18-20

It all starts with testing, where teams reveal their latest cars. The drivers will try to test the limits of the cars’ grip, speed, and aerodynamic packages in full view of the media and the public. This year, testing is scheduled to take place in Bahrain across two sessions: February 11th to 13th, and February 18th to 20th.

FP1 & FP2: Practice Sessions

Two weeks later they’re in Melbourne, Australia, with their race heads on. They spend the first day with two one-hour sessions on the Albert Park circuit, where they can learn the track and find out how it differs from the simulator. The next day, the teams get one last hour to test their cars on the circuit. Final adjustments are made to the cars before things get real.

Qualifying

The twenty-two drivers duke it out to earn their place on the grid, based on how quickly they can get around a single lap. Remember, in 2026, there will be 11 teams on the grid in 2026, with twenty-two drivers in total. It happens in three stages. In Q1, the slowest five are knocked out, then in Q2 another five go out. The remaining ten cars go to Q3, where they have 12 minutes to set their fastest time.

The quickest gets pole position on Sunday, with the rest arranged by time. Pole position is often won by a few thousandths of a second in qualifiers, so every touch of the brake, every turn of the wheel and every decision by the engineers can make or break a driver’s session.

Race day

It’s Sunday and the race itself finally gets underway. There’s a slow formation lap, where all the cars do a single lap and stop in their grid position. Then the lights come on and go out one by one until … it’s Go! Go! Go! for 2026.

The top 10 all score Championship points, with the winner bagging 25, second place 18, and third 15, all the way down to tenth place, where a single point is awarded.

Next races

After Australia, the teams pack up and head to China (13-15 March), Japan (27-29 March), Bahrain (10-12 April), and Saudi Arabia (17-19 April). Next comes their first of three separate trips to the USA, at Miami (1-3 May), Austin (23-25 October), and Las Vegas (19-21 November). While the official Formula 1® website has the complete 2026 calendar, make sure to check out our Watch Parties page to schedule your next race-day visit.

Sprint Races

The sequence of events listed above applies to 18 of the 24 venues in 2026. However, at six race weekends (Shanghai, Miami, Montréal, Silverstone, Zandvoort, and Singapore) there’s an additional mini-race, the Sprint. It’s roughly one-third the length of a full Grand Prix™, so there’s no need for scheduled pit stops.

On these weekends, there’s a Friday practice as normal, followed by a qualification session (more formally known as the Sprint Shootout) for the Sprint race. The Sprint takes place on Saturday morning, with Championship points being given to the top eight drivers, from 8 points for the winner to 1 point for 8th place. Then it’s back to normal with Saturday afternoon qualifying for Sunday’s race.

How to Watch F1®

Remember, local times aren’t always consistent. The races at Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas take place at night. So wherever you are in the US, you’ll be watching some races during the day and others at night. For the European rounds, you’ll probably need to set your alarm to wake you up in the morning.

If you’re completely new to Formula 1®, check out our “F1® for beginners” guide. It’ll tell you how to best appreciate this envelope-pushing sport.

Where to Watch F1®

Watching a whole F1® season from trackside is a genuine bucket list wish, but for most of us, watching it on TV is the only realistic option. You’ll need to check with your local services and TV subscriptions to find out if you’re eligible to watch F1®. In the USA, live broadcasts are carried by fuboTV and Apple TV, which will incur charges. ESPN+ shows some of the races live, but not all. But why go through all that hassle getting a subscription when you can book into our Watch Parties and watch along with other F1® fans!

Also, check out Drive to Survive on Netflix. Each season covers the previous F1® season’s action. It’s a great insight into the struggles, triumphs and personalities in the sport beyond the circuit. F1TV also lets you stream classic races from yesteryear, making it an incredible archive for F1® fanatics.

Formula 1® Watch Parties

If you’re in Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, Las Vegas, Atlanta or Chicago you have another thrilling way to soak yourself in all things F1®. Visit one of our F1® Arcades’ watch parties and you’ll be able to experience the race on a big screen with dozens of fellow fans, along with all the sensational offerings of the bar, restaurant and arcade.

Our watch parties are perfect for chilling with buddies, meeting new friends and learning all about this wonderful motorsport. F1® fans are a friendly bunch, and with great drinks, sumptuous eats and the chance to try your luck on our immersive F1® video games, we can’t wait to welcome you to watch with us!