As Lewis Hamilton inches closer and closer to more record breaking outings and more dates with destiny, the Formula 1 season becomes even more irresistible. You simply can not afford to miss the action. Yet, a lot would miss out on these amazing races thanks to one reason or another, all of which could have been avoidable by locating the best platforms to watch the races in the UK.
Having lots of options would ensure that you’re able to optimize and select the best one to fit whatever situation you find yourself, from the moment the races begin, to when the flag is raised.
So how can you watch Formula 1 races in the UK? We provide a detailed overview on the numerous options available for watching Formula 1 races in the UK below.
Overview of Watching Formula 1 Races in the UK
When it comes to watching Formula 1 races in the UK, there are generally three available options. The first of these is to subscribe to Formula 1’s TV pro season pass, a service created and authorized by Formula 1 itself.
The second option is to make use of the dedicated F1 Sky Sports channel and pay-per-view service, while the third is to make use of a VPN to access other streaming services and platforms.
Now you may be confused as to how to go by all of these, and wondering which of them provides the most value with less drawbacks.
Well, we answer all of these questions and more in the upcoming sections. But first, let’s take a look at the first option – watching Formula 1 races on the official F1 streaming site.
Formula 1 TV Pro Season Pass
All Formula 1 races are available for live streaming on the official F1TV website. This streaming service belongs to Formula 1 itself, and offers a host of perks apart from watching the races.
It also offers on demand replays and highlights, archived viewing of some of the most iconic Formula 1 races, and even access to documentaries and short videos about important races and legends to have graced the F1 scenes in the past. You will also get access to races from not just the first division alone, but other lower divisions, too. You get to stream races from Formula 2, Formula 3, and the super cup divisions.
In terms of subscription costs, it is safe to say that, relatively speaking, the cost of the F1 TV pro season pass is quite reasonable enough, especially considering every other benefit you get from the platform.
F1 TV can be streamed on most devices, so long as you have a decent internet connection.
Sky Sports F1 Streaming Options
For viewers in the United kingdom, Sky Sports is probably your best bet when it comes to getting live Formula 1 actions, all in HD and 4K resolution.
You have to get a Sky Sports subscription and receive Sky Sports coverage, though, before you can consider yourself covered on this ground.
As part of the Sky Sport channels, the Formula 1 channel should cost you nothing more than £18 a month, while on its own it goes for around £10 a month.
On the Sky Sports Formula 1 channel you will also get to catch every qualifying session and analysis, as extra perks.
Now TV
A similar but much more flexible, and much more affordable option to the Sky Sports offer above is NOW TV, which in itself is another Sky arrangement for pay-per-view users.
Now TV is Sky’s pay-per-view platform available on most smart TVs, as long as you get the pass. And as mentioned earlier it is quite affordable and flexible, seeing as it gives you daily, weekly, and monthly subscription options.
Options Available In Other Countries
Below are options for watching live Formula 1 races that are available in other countries but not necessarily available in the UK.
You can access these options through the use of a VPN. Furthermore, this category can also be further divided into two sub categories – paid options and free options.
We take a look at the free options first, followed by the paid ones.
Free Streaming Options For Watching Live Formula 1 Races
Mama HD
Mama HD is a streaming platform that offers a range of sporting activities from soccer, NBA, and yes, Formula 1. The platform’s interface is quite simple enough and easy to navigate.
All you have to do is select your desired sports and it generates a list of live events to choose from.
Sadly, there is no option of catching up with archived events, and you can’t record. But, the platform does come free and isn’t infested by pop-ups, which is always a plus.
LiveTV
LiveTV is just like Mama HD in that there is no subscription fee and you don’t have to waste time trying to figure out packages and navigation. It is pretty simple to navigate – select your desired sport – which is Formula 1 in this case – and you get to see available races and start streaming.
Another benefit of streaming on the LiveTV platform is the availability of multiple languages for those who don’t necessarily speak English. You also get to keep up with live scores and video archives just in case you missed something.
Pros & Cons of Free Formula 1 Race Streaming
Streaming Formula 1 races for free on the platforms mentioned above has its perks, but sadly it also has its drawbacks. As simply as it can be said, the major advantage of free streaming is the affordability and convenience.
This particularly comes in handy for those who just want to stream a race and go. You don’t have to worry about paying a huge subscription fee for a one-off race on a service that you’re very likely not going to return – at least until the next race. With free streaming platforms all you have to do is visit the website, and start streaming. That’s it.
The drawback to this, though, is that sometimes the services aren’t entirely reliable, in terms of streaming quality and ads interference. There tends to be lags, and multiple popups.
Luckily, though, all the entries on our list were carefully vetted to ensure that you get the best of the best available.
Paid Streaming Options For Watching Live Formula 1 Races
Hulu With Live TV
Like some of the other platforms on this list, Hulu is very popular and well-established. Along with F1 streaming, there are also TV shows, and other sporting events available. Hulu is particularly worth mentioning for its reasonable pricing, flexibility, compatibility, and range of options.
Hulu is compatible with lots of devices including and operating systems including Android, iOS, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and even regular web browsers on mobile and desktop.
Sling TV
Sling TV is compatible for viewing on devices such as LG, Samsung and Vizo TVs, and operating systems like iOS, Android, Amazon Fire tablets, Xbox One, Chromecast and lots more.
So how can Sling TV help you stream live Formula 1 races even from the UK? Well, as soon as you’re able to access the platform, Sling TV offers most of what you get on Hulu above, and it does so at a much more affordable cost. From Sling TV you’ll get to watch all F1 races through ESPN and ESPN 2, and even get access to local American channels such as NBC and Fox.
Lastly, as mentioned earlier Sling TV is much cheaper than Hulu and lots of options on the list, but you should note that they don’t give free trials in the first month like others either.
Fubo TV
Fubo TV is a beloved streaming platform that keeps getting more and more popular as time goes on. And this isn’t surprising either, especially when you consider their impressive line-ups of sporting events, and of course their decent pricing.
This is also why it has been a sort of dent on the platform’s reputation that there was no Formula 1 channel for F1 viewers. Thankfully this problem was rectified recently and now any user that can access the platform will also be able to view live F1 races on ESPN and ESPN 2.
Pros & Cons of Paid Formula 1 Race Streaming
Unlike free streaming services, with paid ones you can always be certain that you’re getting the highest possible quality on a lot of criteria. First, when it comes to the picture quality itself, paid streaming gives you high definition, or even 4K quality. And secondly, the quality of the stream is also remarkable. There is no lag, and there definitely aren’t annoying pop-ups and advertisements showing up on your screen every five minutes.
When it comes to drawbacks, the major drawback with paid streaming is the fact that some might not be able to afford it, while some don’t even want to go through the stress in the first place knowing they may not even return until the next race.
At any rate, all the options on our list are all viable platforms for you to consider to ensure you never miss a race again.
