Last verified: August 2, 2026
Event: October 23–25, 2026
Circuit: Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas
Format: Standard Grand Prix weekend; no Sprint
Race start: Sunday at 3:00 p.m. CDT / 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT
The United States Grand Prix 2026 takes place October 23–25 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin. US viewers can watch every practice, qualifying and the race live or on demand with Apple TV, Formula 1's exclusive US broadcaster for the 2026 season.
Apple currently makes every F1 practice session available without a subscription. The race and qualifying require an Apple TV subscription unless Apple later identifies Austin as one of its selected free race weekends. Eligible new subscribers may receive a seven-day trial. Apple has also announced that the Austin race will be shown live at select IMAX theaters across the United States.
United States Grand Prix 2026 schedule
Formula 1's official Austin page publishes the sessions in UTC. The conversions below account for Central Daylight Time in Austin and US daylight-saving time on October 23–25.
| Session | Date | Austin (CDT) | US Eastern (ET) | US Pacific (PT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Friday, October 23 | 12:30 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | 10:30 a.m. |
| Practice 2 | Friday, October 23 | 4:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, October 24 | 12:30 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | 10:30 a.m. |
| Qualifying | Saturday, October 24 | 4:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| Race | Sunday, October 25 | 3:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. |
Check the official Formula 1 United States Grand Prix page before the weekend. The listed times are session starts, not the beginning of broadcaster buildup. Open the Apple TV event tile early and recheck the timetable for operational changes.
Is Austin a Sprint weekend in 2026?
No. Austin has a standard weekend with three practices, qualifying and the Grand Prix. The FIA's official 2026 Sprint announcement names China, Miami, Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Singapore as the six Sprint venues. Austin is not on that list.
This is different from recent Austin weekends that used the Sprint format. Search results, videos and schedules from earlier seasons may therefore show the wrong Friday and Saturday sessions for 2026.
US viewing options at a glance
| Option | Current cost | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple TV subscription | $12.99/month | Every practice, qualifying session and race live and on demand; full replays, highlights and Race in 30 |
| Apple TV new-subscriber trial | Seven days for eligible new subscribers | Same Apple TV access during the valid trial; renews unless cancelled |
| Practices without a subscription | Free | All three Austin practice sessions through Apple TV under the current 2026 policy |
| Live in IMAX | Ticket price and locations to be announced | Apple says Austin is one of five 2026 races planned for at least 50 IMAX theaters nationwide |
No complete free live Austin race stream has been confirmed. Free practices, a trial, live timing, highlights or a theater promotion are not the same as a universally free race broadcast.
How to watch the United States Grand Prix in the US
Apple TV is the exclusive US home of Formula 1 in 2026. A subscription includes every Grand Prix, practice, qualifying and Sprint session across the season, live and on demand.
Apple's current direct price is $12.99 per month. Eligible new subscribers can receive a seven-day free trial. Trial eligibility is account-specific, and the subscription normally renews unless it is cancelled under Apple's terms.
Apple's Formula 1 coverage includes:
- English and Spanish commentary
- F1 TV and Sky Sports commentary choices
- Up to 30 additional feeds, including driver onboards, timing, data and Driver Tracker
- Multiview with up to four feeds on supported hardware
- Full session replays, highlights and spoiler-free Race in 30 programs
- F1 TV Premium included for US Apple TV subscribers at no additional cost
- Family Sharing with up to five other family members under Apple's rules
Read Apple's official 2026 Formula 1 announcement and the current Apple F1 viewing page before subscribing.
Apple TV devices for the Austin race
Apple lists Formula 1 access through the Apple TV app on:
- iPhone and iPad
- Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
- Mac and Windows-compatible web access
- Eligible Android mobile devices
- Supported Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio and TCL smart TVs
- Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast with Google TV
- PlayStation and Xbox consoles
- Web browsers at tv.apple.com
Operating-system and app minimums apply. Multiview is currently limited to supported Apple TV 4K, iPad and Vision Pro hardware. Video resolution, HDR, surround sound and simultaneous-stream behavior can differ by device and connection.
Update the app and operating system before Friday, then play another live or on-demand title to confirm the login, picture and audio.
Can I watch Austin F1 for free?
Free practice sessions
Yes. Apple's current F1 information page says every practice is available without a subscription in the United States. That should include Practice 1, Practice 2 and Practice 3 at Austin, subject to the event tile and territorial availability.
This does not make qualifying or Sunday's race free. Confirm that the practice tile is marked free in the Apple TV app before relying on it.
Apple TV trial
Eligible new subscribers may receive a seven-day Apple TV trial. It can cover the complete Friday-to-Sunday weekend if activated shortly before Practice 1, but eligibility varies by account. Check the renewal date and cancellation controls before starting it.
The trial should be described as an account offer, not as a permanent free stream. Do not create extra accounts or purchase credentials from third-party sellers.
Is the race free on an antenna channel?
No free US over-the-air simulcast has been confirmed for Austin. Apple and TelevisaUnivision announced that Univision will simulcast one 2026 race, but the race was still listed as “to be announced” in the official source reviewed for this guide.
Until Apple or Univision names Austin, do not assume that an antenna or free-TV option will carry the race.
How to watch the Austin Grand Prix in IMAX
Apple announced that Austin is one of five 2026 Formula 1 races scheduled for live screenings in at least 50 IMAX theaters across the US. The other announced races are Miami, Monaco, Silverstone and Monza.
An IMAX screening is a legitimate big-screen option, but it is not automatically free. Theater locations, showtimes, ticket prices, refund rules and reserved seating can vary. Apple has not yet published an Austin-specific theater list in the official material reviewed on August 2.
Check Apple's Formula 1 announcement and the official IMAX listings closer to October. Buy only through the theater, IMAX or a linked authorized ticket seller.
Replays and spoiler-free viewing
Apple TV provides full replays and highlights for every race and track event during a Grand Prix weekend. It also offers Race in 30 for a shorter catch-up.
For delayed viewing:
- Open the event directly rather than browsing sports-news headlines.
- Look for the full replay, highlights or Race in 30 label.
- Disable sports-score notifications on the phone and Apple Sports app.
- Avoid the live timeline if the app presents a start-from-beginning choice.
- Verify the replay is available before making plans around it.
Replay availability and interface behavior can change. Apple's official page confirms the replay formats but does not promise that every device presents them identically.
Circuit of The Americas facts
Formula 1's official 2026 event page lists:
- Circuit length: 5.513 km
- Race distance: 308.405 km
- Race laps: 56
- First Grand Prix: 2012
- Current listed fastest lap: 1:36.169 by Charles Leclerc in 2019
COTA is known for the steep uphill braking zone at Turn 1, the high-speed direction changes through Turns 3–6 and the stadium section late in the lap. These circuit characteristics explain why stable video and low delay matter for onboards and Multiview, but they do not predict the 2026 result.
Set up the stream before race weekend
- Recheck Formula 1's timetable within 72 hours of Practice 1.
- Confirm that the United States Grand Prix event tile appears in Apple TV.
- Decide whether you need only the free practices or paid qualifying and race access.
- Verify trial eligibility and the exact renewal date before activation.
- Update the Apple TV app and device operating system.
- Test another stream on the same device and Wi-Fi network.
- Open the live session 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start.
Use Start2Watch's internet speed guide for HD and 4K streaming to plan household bandwidth. If the stream stalls, follow the stream buffering diagnostic. Fire TV users can use the Firestick Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide.
For the previous Formula 1 round, see the Singapore Grand Prix 2026 watch guide.
Watching from outside the United States
The Apple TV Formula 1 terms in this guide apply to the United States. Rights differ by country, and an Apple TV subscription purchased elsewhere does not guarantee access to US F1 coverage.
Use Formula 1's official broadcaster directory to identify the licensed service where you are physically watching. Start2Watch does not provide instructions for bypassing territorial restrictions.
United States Grand Prix 2026 FAQs
What time is the United States Grand Prix 2026?
The Austin race starts Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 p.m. CDT. That is 4:00 p.m. ET and 1:00 p.m. PT.
What channel is the US Grand Prix on?
Apple TV is Formula 1's exclusive US broadcaster for 2026. It carries every practice, qualifying session and race live and on demand.
Is the Austin Grand Prix a Sprint race?
No. The 2026 Austin weekend uses the standard format with three practices, qualifying and Sunday's Grand Prix.
Can I watch the United States Grand Prix without cable?
Yes. Apple TV is an internet streaming service and does not require a cable package. It is also available through supported partner interfaces such as Prime Video and DirecTV, but an Apple TV subscription is still required for paid sessions.
Are Austin F1 practices free?
Apple's current US Formula 1 page says every practice is available without a subscription. Confirm the free label on the Austin event tile when it appears.
Is the Austin race free on Apple TV?
Not currently confirmed. Apple says selected race weekends will be available without a subscription, but it has not identified Austin as one of them in the official sources reviewed on August 2. Eligible new subscribers may qualify for a seven-day trial.
Can I watch the race in an IMAX theater?
Apple says Austin will be one of five 2026 races screened live in at least 50 IMAX theaters nationwide. Austin-specific theaters, showtimes and prices were not yet published in the official material reviewed for this guide.
Does Apple TV include F1 TV Premium?
Yes. US Apple TV subscribers can link their Apple Account for F1 TV Premium access at no additional cost under Apple's current terms.
Can I watch a full replay?
Yes. Apple TV says full replays and highlights are available for all races and track events, along with Race in 30.
Verification and update policy
This guide was verified on August 2, 2026 using official Formula 1, FIA and Apple sources for the dates, session times, weekend format, circuit facts, US rights, price, trial, free-practice policy, devices, replays and announced IMAX coverage.
Start2Watch will recheck the timetable, Apple event tile, price, trial eligibility language, free-session labels, Univision race assignment, IMAX locations, device requirements and replay options within 72 hours of Practice 1. Any material change will be corrected and the visible verification date updated.
Start2Watch does not sell subscriptions, distribute credentials or link to unauthorized streams.