2026 Formula 1 · Round 18
United States Grand Prix 2026: what channel is it on, start time and how to stream
Dash Marchetti · Race weekend desk
·
Austin opens with a blind uphill climb into a hairpin, then borrows its best sequence from Silverstone.
The United States GP is in 4 days.
What channel is the United States GP on?
It depends where you are. In the United States every session is on Apple TV — the rights moved from ESPN ahead of the 2026 season, so it is no longer on cable. In the United Kingdom it is Sky Sports F1, with free highlights on Channel 4. Canada has TSN and RDS; Australia has Fox Sports and Kayo.
| Where you are | Live TV | Streaming | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV (exclusive — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race) | Apple TV app on smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, consoles, iOS, Android, or tv.apple.com in any browser | Apple TV free trial for new subscribers; practice sessions stream free in the Apple TV app |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 (every session live) | Sky Go, NOW Sports Membership, Virgin Media | Channel 4 shows extended highlights of every race, plus the British Grand Prix live in full |
| Canada | TSN (English) and RDS (French) | TSN+, RDS Direct, F1 TV Pro | No free live option |
| Australia | Fox Sports and Kayo Sports (every session live) | Kayo Sports on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast and smart TVs | Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free-to-air under anti-siphoning rules |
| Ireland | Sky Sports F1 | Sky Go, NOW | Channel 4 highlights are available in most of Ireland |
| Most other countries | A local rights holder in each market — check your listings | F1 TV Pro streams every session live in 180+ countries (not available in the UK; in the US it is bundled with Apple TV as F1 TV Premium) | No free live option |
Listings checked Sunday, August 30, 2026. Broadcast rights change between seasons and vary by region — confirm with your provider before the session starts.
What time does the United States GP start?
Lights out is 8:00 PM UTC on Sunday, October 25, 2026 — that is 8:00 PM UTC where you are. Broadcasters start their build-up show roughly half an hour earlier.
| City | Race starts |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Sun, Oct 25 · 1:00 PM |
| New York | Sun, Oct 25 · 4:00 PM |
| São Paulo | Sun, Oct 25 · 5:00 PM |
| London | Sun, Oct 25 · 8:00 PM |
| Paris, Berlin, Rome | Sun, Oct 25 · 9:00 PM |
| Dubai | Mon, Oct 26 · 12:00 AM |
| New Delhi | Mon, Oct 26 · 1:30 AM |
| Singapore | Mon, Oct 26 · 4:00 AM |
| Tokyo | Mon, Oct 26 · 5:00 AM |
| Sydney | Mon, Oct 26 · 7:00 AM |
How to stream the United States GP live
No cable needed anywhere. US viewers use the Apple TV app, which runs on smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, consoles, phones and any web browser — and includes F1 TV Premium at no extra cost. UK viewers can stream Sky Sports F1 through a NOW Sports Membership with no contract. In Canada, TSN+ is sold standalone. Elsewhere, F1 TV Pro streams every session live in more than 180 countries.
United States Grand Prix weekend schedule
Every session in UTC and converted to your own timezone. Standard format: three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday, the Grand Prix on Sunday.
| Session | Date | Start (UTC) | Your time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Fri, Oct 23 | 5:30 PM | 5:30 PM UTC | Upcoming |
| Practice 2 | Fri, Oct 23 | 9:00 PM | 9:00 PM UTC | Upcoming |
| Practice 3 | Sat, Oct 24 | 5:30 PM | 5:30 PM UTC | Upcoming |
| Qualifying | Sat, Oct 24 | 9:00 PM | 9:00 PM UTC | Upcoming |
| Race | Sun, Oct 25 | 8:00 PM | 8:00 PM UTC | Upcoming |
Can you watch the United States GP free?
- US — practice streams free in the Apple TV app, and a new-subscriber free trial covers a full race weekend.
- UK — Channel 4 airs extended highlights of every race free-to-air, and the British Grand Prix live in full.
- Australia — Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free-to-air.
- Anywhere — official highlights land on Formula 1’s YouTube channel a few hours after each session.
Unofficial streams are unreliable, usually illegal and a common malware vector. Everything listed here is a licensed broadcaster.
What to watch for at Circuit of the Americas
The run up to Turn 1 is steep enough that drivers cannot see the apex until they are committed, and it produces first-lap incidents most years. The Esses through the middle sector are the standout section. The surface has been notoriously bumpy, which upsets the cars and gives the race an unpredictable edge that a smooth circuit would not.
The United States Grand Prix is round 18 of the 2026 championship, run on a 5.5 km purpose-built circuit near Austin, opening with a steep blind climb into Turn 1 and borrowing its Esses from Silverstone. The race distance is 56 laps, roughly 308.4 km.
Waiting for lights out? Play today’s F1 grid
SpeedGrids is a free daily Formula 1 trivia grid — nine cells, two clues each, name a driver who matches both. New board every day, no account needed.
United States GP: quick answers
- What channel is the United States Grand Prix on?
- In the United States, Apple TV (exclusive — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race). In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports F1 (every session live). In Canada it is TSN and RDS, in Australia Fox Sports and Kayo, and in most other countries F1 TV Pro carries every session live alongside the local broadcaster.
- What time does the United States Grand Prix start?
- Lights out is 8:00 PM UTC on Sunday, October 25, 2026 — Sun, Oct 25 · 4:00 PM in New York, Sun, Oct 25 · 8:00 PM in London and Mon, Oct 26 · 7:00 AM in Sydney.
- Can I watch the United States Grand Prix for free?
- In the US, practice streams free in the Apple TV app and new subscribers get a free trial. In the UK, Channel 4 shows extended race highlights free-to-air. In Australia, Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix free. Official highlights go up on Formula 1's YouTube channel after every session.
- How many laps is the United States Grand Prix?
- The race is scheduled for 56 laps of Circuit of the Americas, about 308.4 km in total.