F1 on Apple TV: How US fans can watch the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix for FREE

Japanese Grand Prix

F1 on Apple TV: How US fans can watch the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix for FREE

You can watch Sunday's race at Suzuka without paying a cent

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Saturday 28 March 2026 14:51

F1 lands in Suzuka for the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, and US fans can watch the race live and absolutely free.

Apple TV is the new rights holder for F1 in 2026, after replacing ESPN in a five-year deal worth a staggering $750million.

That is just part of a big gamble by Apple on F1, remember it also backed the successful Oscar-winning 'F1' movie which grossed more than $600million at box offices last year.

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ESPN typically took the Sky Sports broadcast feed for its own coverage until Apple outbid them for the new rights cycle, but viewers can now choose between the Sky Sports crew and the F1 TV feed, the 'main' feed on Apple.

There are also onboard cameras for all 22 cars (consider investing in some motion sickness medication if you're going to go onboard with an Aston Martin this weekend), a data tracker and a track map.

Oh, and there is also a nice free trial which gives you the chance to watch this weekend's at Suzuka for absolutely nothing. More details on that to come.

How to watch the Japanese Grand Prix for free

Not sure if you're ready to fork out the money for Apple TV, and want to give this weekend a test run? Well there is good news - you can sign up for a seven-day free trial here and watch the next race for nothing!

For a limited time, eligible customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can also enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.

There will be other opportunities in 2026 to watch some of the action without spending a thing as the season goes on, with Yahoo Sports partnering up to show selected practice and qualifying sessions on its own platforms, starting from the Miami Grand Prix.

Apple also has a deal with free streaming service Tubi for exclusive live altcasts for multiple races in 2026, although the races are yet to be named.

Japanese Grand Prix start time

The race in Suzuka gets under way at 1am ET on Sunday March 29. That is midnight CT or 10pm PT Saturday if you are watching on the West Coast.

Where you can watch

The 2026 season is available on the Apple TV app on iPhone; iPad; Apple TV 4K; Apple Vision Pro; Mac; popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV; PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com.

How much does F1 cost on Apple TV?

The cost is $12.99 per month with that seven-day free trial for new subscribers.

F1 presenters on Apple TV

On the 'main' F1 TV feed, presenter Laura Winter will be live from the paddock with former IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe, Lawrence Barretto, and Chris Medland. They'll be joined by former W Series race winner Alice Powell and presenter Ariana Bravo, all returning from 2025.

Alex Jacques will remain on race commentary with former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, with Ruth Buscombe, David Coulthard, Davide Valsecchi, Alex Brundle, and Sam Collins all contributing.

There are a couple of new additions though – namely the great Juan Pablo Montoya (one of the very few drivers to win races in F1, IndyCar and NASCAR) and presenter Betty Glover.

On the Sky Sports side, Martin Brundle, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve, Naomi Schiff, Bernie Collins, Karun Chandhok, Jamie Chadwick and Anthony Davidson will all return as Sky's resident experts.

Presenters Simon Lazenby, Natalie Pinkham, Ted Kravitz, Rachel Brookes and Craig Slater will also resume their duties in 2026, while the commentary booth will once again belong to David Croft and Harry Benjamin.

F1 SCHEDULE: Every race date for 2026 plus TV details

F1 Japanese Grand Prix