The 2026 Formula 1 season kicked off in early March with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. While pay-TV provider Sky will be showing all races of the new season live, the question remains: who will broadcast the Grands Prix on free-to-air television?
SPOX has all the information regarding the broadcast of motorsport’s premier class!
Formula 1 Live on Free TV: Which Races RTL Broadcasts for Free Online and on TV?
RTL is expected to broadcast some Formula 1 races on free-to-air television during the 2026 season. However, the exact number and which specific races will be shown remains unclear. Originally, the Chinese Grand Prix in mid-March was supposed to be broadcast on RTL’s free-to-air channel, but this plan fell through, and the race was ultimately only available live on Sky.
Fans of Formula 1 are hopeful due to RTL’s acquisition of Sky. This makes it highly probable that several races this season will be available to watch live and for free on RTL.
In the previous season, RTL was able to broadcast a total of seven races on free-to-air TV through a content partnership with Sky. On other race weekends, at least the qualifying sessions or sprints were available via livestream on RTL+.
Formula 1 Live on Free TV: Which Races RTL Broadcasts for Free Online and on TV? — Key Information
- Competition: Formula 1
- Races: 24
- Dates: March 6 — December 6
- Broadcast: Sky and select races on RTL
- Live Ticker: SPOX
Formula 1, 2026 Season: The Race Calendar
| Competition | Date |
| Australian Grand Prix | March 6 — March 8 |
| Chinese Grand Prix | March 13 — March 15 |
| Japanese Grand Prix | March 27 — March 29 |
| Bahrain Grand Prix | April 10 — April 12 |
| Saudi Arabian Grand Prix | April 17 — April 19 |
| Miami Grand Prix | May 1 — May 3 |
| Canadian Grand Prix | May 22 — May 24 |
| Monaco Grand Prix | June 5 — June 7 |
| Spanish Grand Prix | June 12 — June 14 |
| Austrian Grand Prix | June 26 — June 28 |
| British Grand Prix | July 3 — July 5 |
| Belgian Grand Prix | July 17 — July 19 |
| Hungarian Grand Prix | July 24 — July 26 |
| Dutch Grand Prix | August 21 — August 23 |
| Italian Grand Prix | September 4 — September 6 |
| Azerbaijan Grand Prix | September 24 — September 26 |
| Singapore Grand Prix | October 9 — October 11 |
| United States Grand Prix | October 23 — October 25 |
| Mexican Grand Prix | October 30 — November 1 |
| Brazilian Grand Prix | November 6 — November 8 |
| Las Vegas Grand Prix | November 20 — November 22 |
| Qatar Grand Prix | November 27 — November 29 |
| Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | December 4 — December 6 |