Formula One just got a lot more complicated for viewers. The sport’s move to Apple TV starting in 2026 means cord-cutters, cable subscribers, and international fans all face different pathways to watch the same race. This Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix is a good test case for navigating this fractured landscape, especially since the race lands at a critical moment for the season.
Nineteen-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is currently the youngest ever driver to lead the F1 Drivers’ Championship, holding a nine-point advantage over teammate George Russell. He’s chasing a third consecutive win after victories in China and Japan. That’s the kind of storyline that deserves better than a hunt through streaming menus, but here we are.
Apple TV Dominance in the US (With Some Breathing Room)
In the United States, Apple TV Plus is now the primary home for F1 content through 2030. The platform costs $13 a month for ad-free streaming, though there are legitimate free options if you’re willing to time things right.
If you’ve purchased a new Apple device recently, you get a three-month free trial within 90 days of purchase. For those who haven’t been shopping for new gadgets, Apple offers a seven-day free trial through its dedicated app or via the Apple TV channel on Prime Video. There’s also a 30-day trial if you subscribe to Apple One, which bundles the streaming service with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and iCloud Plus starting at $20 monthly.
It’s worth noting that Apple’s trial structure suggests the company knows many viewers will sample the service and bounce. Whether that’s fair or just smart business depends on your perspective.
The Miami GP airs Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, so you’ve got plenty of time to decide if you’re committing to the subscription or testing the waters.
The UK’s Sky Sports Stronghold
Over in the UK, Sky Sports remains the established technology provider for F1, offering practice rounds, qualifying, and the race itself. If Sky Sports is already bundled with your TV package, you can stream through the Sky Sports app with your existing login.
For cord-cutters, Now TV (Sky’s streaming subsidiary) offers day passes for £15 or monthly memberships starting at £35. It’s a reasonable middle ground for viewers who don’t want annual commitments but still crave the full F1 weekend coverage.
Canada’s TSN Option
Canadians have TSN and its streaming service TSN Plus, which costs CA$8 monthly. TSN Plus covers not just F1, but also PGA Tour golf, NFL games, NASCAR, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments, making it a stronger value proposition than Apple’s standalone offering.
Cable subscribers can access the race through their provider’s account details at no extra charge, which remains one of the last genuine consumer-friendly moves in sports broadcasting.
Australia’s Kayo Sports Path
Down Under, Fox Sports carries the race via Foxtel, but Kayo Sports is the real alternative. Subscriptions start at AU$25 monthly for single-screen access or AU$35 for three simultaneous streams. Better yet, new customers get a one-week free trial to test the service.
Kayo’s sports catalog spans F1, NRL, NFL, NHL, and MLB without contract lock-ins. That flexibility matters when you’re trying to justify another monthly charge to your household budget.
The Miami GP kicks off Monday morning at 6 a.m. AEST, so Australian viewers might want to record it unless they’re genuinely committed to an early wake-up.
Why This Matters
The fragmentation across Apple TV, regional broadcasters, and streaming platforms reflects a broader business reality: F1’s global audience now requires different subscriptions depending on geography. That’s less convenient than the sport pretends, but it’s also where most premium sports have landed.
The real question isn’t which service works best in your region. It’s whether the constant proliferation of exclusive deals across competing platforms has finally reached a breaking point where casual fans simply tune out rather than subscribe to another service.
