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Race lovers, get ready to start your engines. The 2024 Formula One World Championship officially began on March 2 and is still going strong. After three months away, the 10 teams and 20 drivers are returning for the first event of the season. If you’re a big fan of the year-long sport, find out how to watch F1 live for free so you can catch every Grand Prix this year.
The FIA Formula One World Championship started in 1960 as a motor racing championship for Formula One cars, open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). (The word “formula” refers to the set of rules each racing car must follow.) Each Formula One season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, which are held worldwide on race circuits and closed public roads.
In June 2023, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told F1’s “Beyond the Grid” podcast that “10 teams are more than enough” for the sport to be successful, and he doesn’t want more than 20 cars on the grid.
“This is a very interesting question (what is the right number of teams) because there are different positions and there are also legal implications to what we have to say,” Domenicali explained, per Racer.com. “I think to be honest, if the real value that it is bringing to the sport is important and is real and stable for the future, there is also another consideration that you have to take. If the contest is growing — which is what we can see today — I think 10 teams are more than enough to create the show or the business and the attention that we want to see on the track.”
Domenicali also said that he’s helped F1 from a business persepctive. “In my role I need to consider that the sport can grow only if the majority of all the teams can grow. That was one of the fundamentals of the budget cap — to give a credible financial stability to the value of the franchise of the team.”
So, where can fans stream Formula One races? Read on to learn how to watch F1 in the US online for free, so you don’t miss a moment of the fast-paced action.
When does the F1 air?
The first race, the Bahrain Grand Prix, started on March 2, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. on ESPN. (Check out the full Formula One broadcast schedule on ESPN.) The Miami GP is next up this weekend, taking place on Sunday, May 5 at 4 p.m. EST.
How to watch F1 live for free
F1 airs on ESPN, which is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Sling Orange, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, starts at $79.99 per month after the trial ends, and includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, and ESPNU. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial, starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends, and includes ESPN.
Sling Orange and Hulu+ With Live TV don’t have free trials, however, they are cheaper per month than the other options. Sling Orange costs $20 for your first month, starts at $40 per month after the first month ends, and includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $68.99 per month and includes ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNews.
Best Overall Pick to Watch F1: Direct TV Stream’s Free Trial
Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch F1 for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $79.99 per month; Choice, which costs $108.99 per month with the first two months at $83.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $84.99 per month with the first two months at $94.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $159.99 per month.. ESPN and ESPN 2 are available on all four plans, while ESPN News and ESPN U are available on Choice, Ultimate, and Premiere only.
As for other difference between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch F1 with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.
- Visit streamtv.directv.com
- Click “Shop Packages”
- Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ESPN and start watching F1
Best Free Trial Pick to Watch F1: Fubo’s Free Trial
Fubo is our best free trial pick to watch F1 live for free. Fubo offers a seven-day free trial (two days longer than DirecTV Stream) and offers three plans: Pro, which costs $74.99 per month; Elite, which costs $84.99 per month; and Ultimate, which costs $99.99 per month. ESPN is available on all four plans.
As for the difference between the plans, Pro includes 180 channels, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 screens at once. Elite includes everything in Pro, as well as a total of 256 channels and 4K resolution. Ultimate includes everything in Pro and Elite, as well as a total of 299 channels, Showtime, and Red Zone NFL Network. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch F1 with Fubo’s free trial.
- Visit Fubo.TV
- Click “Start Free Trial”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ESPN and start watching F1
Best Budget Pick to Watch F1: Sling
Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch F1 live for its price and channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. Only Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue include ESPN. Both of those plans also include ESPN 2 and ESPN 3.
As for the difference between the plans, Sling Orange includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time, while Sling Orange + Blue includes 46 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at the same time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how watch F1 with Sling.
- Visit Sling.com
- Click “Try Us Today”
- Create an account
- Choose your plan
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ESPN and start watching F1
Best Upgrade Pick to Watch F1: Hulu+ Live TV
Hulu+ With Live TV is our best upgrade pick to watch F1 based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN News are included on all four plans. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how watch F1 with Hulu+ Live TV.
- Visit Hulu.com/liveTV
- Click “Sign Up Now”
- Enter your information and payment method
- Search for ESPN and start watching F1
Who are the Formula One 2024 teams?
Who are the Formula One 2024 teams? There are no changes to the grid heading into the new season. Although every team has stayed with the drivers they ended with in 2023, many of their contracts are set to expire at the end of 2024. Thirteen out of 20 seats up for contention at the end of next year, according to Motorsport.com. See below for the constructors and drivers competing in the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Alpine
Pierre Gasly
Esteban Ocon
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc
Carlos Sainz
Haas
Nico Hulkenberg
Kevin Magnussen
McLaren
Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
George Russell
Red Bull
Sergio Perez
Max Verstappen
Sauber (Alfa Romeo)
Valtteri Bottas
Zhou Guanyu
VCARB (AlphaTauri)
Daniel Ricciardo
Yuki Tsunoda
Williams
Alex Albon
Logan Sargeant
What is the Formula One 2024 schedule?
What is the Formula One 2024 schedule? The 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship schedule runs from March to December 2024. One big change to note from the 2023 Calendar is that the Chinese Grand Prix is returning, totaling 24 races this season. See below for the full schedule.
February 29 – March 2
Bahrain GP in Sakhir
March 7 – 9
Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah
March 22 – 24
Australian GP in Melbourne
April 5 – 7
Japanese GP in Suzuka
April 19 – 21
Chinese GP in Shanghai
May 3 – 5
Miami GP in Miami
May 17 – 19
Emilia Romagna GP in Imola
May 24 – 26
Monaco GP in Monaco
June 7 – 9
Canadian GP in Montreal
June 21 – 23
Spanish GP in Barcelona
June 28 – 30
Austrian GP in Spielberg
July 5 – 7
British GP in Silverstone
July 19 – 21
Hungarian GP in Budapest
July 26 – 28
Belgian GP in Spa
August 23 – 25
Dutch GP in Zandvoort
August 30 – September 1
Italian GP in Monza
September 13 – 15
Azerbaijan GP in Baku
September 20 – 22
Singapore GP in Singapore
October 18 – 20
United States GP in Austin
October 25 – 27
Mexican GP in Mexico City
November 1 – 3
Brazilian GP in São Paulo
November 21 – 23
Las Vegas GP in Las Vegas
November 29 – December 1
Qatar GP in Losail
December 6 – 8
Abu Dhabi GP in Yas Marina
Who won the 2023 Formula One World Championship?
Who won the 2023 Formula One World Championship? Max Verstappen, the Belgian-Dutch motorsports racing driver, won his third World Drivers’ Championship in 2023 while racing for Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT.
“A fantastic feeling. It’s been an incredible year. Lot of great races, and I’m also super proud of the job of the team. It’s just been so enjoyable to be part of that group of people,” the 26-year-old said in a post-race interview broadcast on ESPN, per NBC News. “And yeah, to be a three-time world champion is just incredible.”
When asked whether he’s expected to win more championships, Verstappen added: “We’ll just see what happens. I’m enjoying the moment and hopefully we can keep this momentum going for a while.”
Verstappen became the fifth driver in the sport’s history to win three consecutive championships alongside Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton. Only five other drivers have won more world titles: Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports that everything Verstappen did this year “has been phenomenal.” He continued, “He’s the most competitive driver that I’ve ever met. The determination that he drives with, the passion, the heart, the commitment and, of course, the abundance of skill that he has, he’s up there with the very best.”