Last verified: August 2, 2026
Event: September 4–6, 2026
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy
The 2026 Italian Grand Prix is a standard Formula 1 weekend with three practice sessions, Saturday qualifying, and the race on Sunday. US viewers can watch every session live and on demand with Apple TV. In the UK, the full weekend is live on Sky Sports F1 and available to stream through NOW Sports. Channel 4 provides free UK highlights, but not a live Italian Grand Prix broadcast.
Below are the verified session times, official viewing choices, current prices, device support, replay options, and the limits of each free option. Check the linked official pages before paying because schedules and subscription terms can change.
Italian Grand Prix 2026 schedule
Formula 1's official Monza page lists the following five sessions. Times were checked on August 2, 2026 and converted into the most useful US and UK zones.
| Session | Date | Monza (CEST) | UK (BST) | US Eastern (ET) | US Pacific (PT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Friday, September 4 | 12:30 p.m. | 11:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. |
| Practice 2 | Friday, September 4 | 4:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, September 5 | 12:30 p.m. | 11:30 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 3:30 a.m. |
| Qualifying | Saturday, September 5 | 4:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. |
| Race | Sunday, September 6 | 3:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. |
Confirm any late change on the official Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix page. Sky's 2026 Formula 1 schedule independently lists the same UK start times.
Italian Grand Prix viewing options at a glance
| Market | Official option | Price verified August 2 | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV | $12.99/month; seven-day trial for eligible new subscribers | Every session live and on demand, replays, highlights, Race in 30, and included F1 TV Premium access |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 | Varies by Sky TV product, customer status, and contract | Every practice, qualifying session, and race live |
| United Kingdom | NOW Sports | £14.99 Day Membership or £34.99/month | Sky Sports F1 live plus selected on-demand sports content |
| United Kingdom, free | Channel 4 | Free where available with a UK account | Qualifying and race highlights; not the live Italian GP |
No official free live broadcast of the full Italian Grand Prix weekend was found for the US or UK. The Apple TV trial is an official temporary option only for an eligible new US subscriber, and it renews unless cancelled under Apple's current checkout terms.
How to watch the Italian Grand Prix in the US
Apple TV is Formula 1's exclusive US broadcast partner for the 2026 season. The normal US Apple TV subscription carries every practice, qualifying session, and Grand Prix live and on demand; Monza does not require a separate pay-per-view purchase.
Apple's published price is $12.99 per month. Eligible new subscribers can receive a seven-day trial, but eligibility is account-specific and must be confirmed during signup.
Apple's official 2026 Formula 1 announcement lists:
- Live and on-demand access to every race-weekend session
- English and Spanish commentary
- Full replays, highlights, and spoiler-free Race in 30 programs
- F1 TV Premium included at no additional cost for US Apple TV subscribers
- Up to 30 additional feeds across sessions
- Multiview on supported devices
See Apple's official Formula 1 coverage announcement for the current terms.
Which US devices can show the race?
Apple lists iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, many Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, and TCL smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and web access at tv.apple.com.
Some premium features require specific hardware. Apple identifies Apple TV 4K, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro among the devices that support Multiview. Confirm compatibility before expecting 4K, Dolby Vision, or multiple simultaneous feeds.
Can US viewers watch a replay?
Yes. Apple states that sessions are available on demand and provides full replays, highlights, and Race in 30. That makes the 6:30 a.m. Eastern and 3:30 a.m. Pacific practice starts optional for viewers who prefer to watch later.
How to watch the Italian Grand Prix in the UK
Sky Sports F1 is the full-live UK broadcaster. Sky lists all three practice sessions, qualifying, and Sunday's 2:00 p.m. BST race on its schedule.
Viewers can access the channel through a qualifying Sky TV package or stream it through NOW. These are separate purchasing routes with different contracts and total costs.
Sky Sports F1
Sky's official page says Sky Sports F1 carries every practice, qualifying session, and race live. It currently displays different promotional figures in different sections, while the final price also depends on the underlying Sky TV package, contract length, and existing-customer status.
For that reason, verify the full monthly total, minimum term, and cancellation notice directly on Sky's Formula 1 package page before ordering. Do not compare only the Sports add-on while ignoring the required base TV subscription.
Eligible customers can use Sky Go on mobile devices. Sky Q, Sky Stream, and Sky Glass options depend on the package, while UHD may require additional equipment and a separate pack.
NOW Sports
NOW streams Sky Sports F1 without requiring a traditional Sky TV subscription. Its official help page currently lists:
- Sports Day Membership: £14.99 for 24 hours
- Sports Month Membership: £34.99 per month and auto-renewing until cancelled
- No Sports Month free trial
- One simultaneous stream by default
- Selected on-demand sports content with either Day or Month membership
Because Monza is not a Sprint weekend, a viewer interested only in Sunday's race can activate a Day Membership shortly before the race. A 24-hour pass still cannot cover Friday practice, Saturday qualifying, and Sunday’s race together.
Boost and Ultra Boost can add higher resolution and more simultaneous devices for supported content. NOW says 1080p requires at least 12 Mbps and UHD requires at least 30 Mbps, compatible hardware, and the relevant add-on.
Review NOW's Formula 1 page and current Sports membership terms before purchase.
Is there a free Italian Grand Prix stream?
There is no verified official free live stream of the complete Monza weekend in the US or UK.
Channel 4's UK agreement provides free-to-air highlights of qualifying and each Grand Prix through the 2026 season. Its live Formula 1 coverage is reserved for the British Grand Prix, so viewers should not interpret a Channel 4 highlights listing as live Italian GP coverage.
Read the official Channel 4 and Sky rights announcement and check Channel 4's listings closer to September 6 for the precise highlights time.
US viewers may qualify for Apple's seven-day trial. That is a normal subscription trial, not a permanently free Formula 1 service. Confirm renewal timing and cancellation terms on the signup screen.
Set up your device before Monza
- Check the Formula 1 schedule again the day before the session.
- Sign in to Apple TV, Sky, or NOW on the exact TV or streaming device you will use.
- Play ordinary live or on-demand content to test the account and app.
- Confirm that your television input, streaming stick, and power supply are stable.
- If using a NOW Day Membership, activate it only when you are ready to start its continuous 24-hour period.
- Start the race stream at least 10–15 minutes early.
Use the internet-speed guide for HD and 4K streaming to plan bandwidth. If the stream pauses, drops quality, or works on one device but not another, follow the live-stream buffering diagnostic. Fire TV users with a network warning can use the Wi-Fi connected but no internet guide.
The previous race is covered in the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix watch guide, including its different Sprint-weekend schedule.
The next European round is the first Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid, with its earlier session times and separate Spain viewing details.
Watching from another country
Apple's Formula 1 access described here is a US subscription benefit. Sky and NOW publish UK territorial and account requirements. Paying in one country does not guarantee that the event will play after travelling elsewhere.
Use each service only where its terms and broadcast rights permit. Formula 1's official broadcast information page identifies licensed broadcasters for other markets.
Italian Grand Prix 2026 FAQs
What time does the Italian Grand Prix start?
The race is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Monza on Sunday, September 6. That is 2:00 p.m. BST, 9:00 a.m. Eastern, and 6:00 a.m. Pacific.
Is Monza a Sprint weekend in 2026?
No. The official schedule lists three practice sessions, Saturday qualifying, and the Sunday Grand Prix.
Is the Italian Grand Prix on ESPN in the US?
No. Apple became Formula 1's exclusive US broadcast partner beginning with the 2026 season. Older ESPN-based viewing guides are no longer current.
Does Apple TV include F1 TV Premium in the US?
Yes. Apple and Formula 1 state that F1 TV Premium is included at no additional cost for US Apple TV subscribers in 2026.
Can I watch Monza live on Channel 4?
No. Channel 4 offers UK qualifying and race highlights for the Italian Grand Prix, not the complete event live.
Can one NOW Day Membership cover the race?
Yes, if activated shortly before Sunday's coverage. The pass runs continuously for 24 hours and starts immediately; it cannot cover all three days of the weekend.
Verification and update policy
This article was verified on August 2, 2026 using Formula 1, Apple, Sky, NOW, and Channel 4 sources. Start2Watch will recheck the schedule, platform rights, prices, device terms, replay availability, and free highlights within 72 hours of Practice 1. Any material change will be corrected and the verification date updated.
Start2Watch does not link to unofficial streams, distribute channel credentials, or promise free live access when no licensed free broadcast exists.