Updated on: March 25, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best VPN for watching F1 in 2024:
- 🥇ExpressVPN: Works with multiple F1 streaming platforms and has lightning-fast speeds and user-intuitive apps for all your devices. It also has strong security features, and all of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
I’m a huge F1 fan, and I love to stream each season of the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, because of licensing agreements, Formula 1 races are available for streaming only in certain locations, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands, and a few other countries.
In theory, if you live outside these countries, you could watch F1 with a VPN. It gives you greater flexibility and protects your privacy while you stream. It also gives you a new IP address, making it seem like you’re connecting from a different location. But bear in mind, this could be seen as copyright infringement and breach the F1 provider’s Terms of Service.
Even so, most VPNs aren’t good for streaming F1 races — they don’t work with the streaming apps that air races, have slow speeds, small server networks, and apps that are hard to navigate.
But all the VPNs on my list are great for watching F1. My favorite one is ExpressVPN due to its blazing-fast streaming speeds and extremely intuitive apps.
Quick summary of the best VPNs for watching F1 in 2024:
- 1. 🥇ExpressVPN — Best VPN for watching F1 races in 2024 (with super fast speeds + strong security).
- 2. 🥈Private Internet Access — Great VPN for watching F1 races on any device (with customizable apps + fast speeds).
- 3. 🥉CyberGhost VPN — Good VPN for users new to VPNs + includes dedicated servers for streaming F1 races.
- 4. NordVPN — Strong security and privacy features for watching F1 races + fast speeds.
- 5. Surfshark — User-friendly VPN for F1 races (with intuitive apps and low-cost plans).
🥇1. ExpressVPN — Best Overall VPN for Watching F1 Races
ExpressVPN is my top pick for watching F1 — it consistently works with many streaming platforms for F1, including ESPN+, DAZN, and Kayo Sports. In my tests, I was able to watch F1 races on sites available in the US at any time of the day.
The VPN delivers the fastest speeds on the market. During my tests, HD and 4K videos loaded instantly, and there were zero interruptions or buffering issues.
ExpressVPN comes with advanced security features, including:
- Verified no-logs policy. ExpressVPN’s no-logs policy has been independently audited and verified, which confirms that the VPN won’t keep track of your personal information or browsing history.
- RAM-only servers. These servers only save data to the RAM. So each time the servers are rebooted, the data is erased.
- Perfect forward secrecy. A feature that changes your encryption key for every session, which prevents potential hackers from accessing your past or future encryption keys.
- Full leak protection. ExpressVPN has protection against DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 leaks that can expose your real data to third parties.
Plus, ExpressVPN has easy-to-use apps for tons of devices, including Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Android TV, Fire TV, and even routers. The apps come with the Shortcuts feature, which lets you set up 1-click shortcuts for apps and sites, which show up on your screen after you connect to a server. This allows you to instantly open F1 streams after you connect to ExpressVPN.
I also like the provider’s smart DNS feature, called MediaStreamer. It’s great for streaming F1 on devices that don’t work with native VPN apps, like certain smart TVs and gaming consoles.
ExpressVPN also has split-tunneling, which lets you pick which apps use the VPN and which apps use your local network. Thanks to this feature, I was able to only route Formula 1 streams through the VPN, which gave me faster speeds overall.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $6.67 / month. And all purchases are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ExpressVPN is my favorite VPN for watching F1. It consistently worked with various local platforms that stream F1 and maintained very fast speeds in my tests. The VPN has great security features, such as a verified no-logs policy and full leak protection, and also comes with user-friendly apps and split-tunneling. All of ExpressVPN’s plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full ExpressVPN review
🥈2. Private Internet Access — Great for Streaming F1 on Almost Any Device
Private Internet Access (PIA) has fast speeds and customizable apps that make it great for streaming Formula 1 on almost any device. You can change your encryption level from 256-bit AES to 128-bit AES, which gives you faster streaming speeds. What’s more, the app settings allow you to change the protocol and automatically connect to PIA when your devices turn on or if PIA detects an unsecured Wi-Fi network (such as when you watch F1 in a hotel or public space).
Plus, PIA’s apps are also very easy to use. The interface makes it easy to find and connect to its streaming servers, and all settings and features come with helpful explanations. What’s more, the VPN allows unlimited connections, meaning you can use it on as many devices as you want.
PIA has fast streaming speeds — in my tests, HD videos loaded instantly, while 4K videos took just 2 seconds to load. Once the videos started, I experienced no buffering. That said, PIA is still a bit slower than ExpressVPN.
The VPN is compatible with top F1 streaming platforms. It even has dedicated streaming servers that performed great in my tests. It works with platforms like YouTube TV and Canal+. In addition, the provider also has a smart DNS tool.
It also has many advanced security features, including RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, full leak protection, and a no-logs policy that has been audited and verified. The VPN also publishes a transparency report showing that it doesn’t share personal data with third parties. PIA’s apps are open-source, which means anyone can inspect the code for vulnerabilities.
Private Internet Access has plans that start at $2.03 / month. Each of its plans has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Private Internet Access provides access to very customizable and intuitive apps. It works on almost any device, allows unlimited connections, and has advanced security features and fast speeds. Also, all of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Private Internet Access review
🥉3. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-Friendly Apps With Streaming Servers
CyberGhost VPN is a good VPN for beginners who want to watch F1 — it has a user-friendly interface and a long list of streaming servers for streaming Formula 1 on services like ESPN+, YouTube TV, and Channel 4. To find a server for a specific F1 provider, just go to the For streaming tab and type the name of the streaming service available in your area in the search bar.
CyberGhost VPN’s Smart Rules tool is convenient for automating connections. For example, you can configure the VPN app to automatically connect to a specific streaming server and open a streaming app on launch.
In my tests, CyberGhost VPN had fast connections — F1 content in HD loaded instantly, and 4K videos loaded in 3 seconds with minimal buffering afterwards. Even so, CyberGhost VPN is a bit slower than ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.
The provider also has strong security and privacy features. It has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection. Moreover, its no-logs policy is audited and verified, and it posts transparency reports every 3 months. Also, its Content Blocker is good at blocking malicious sites, so it can protect you from fake F1 streaming platforms.
CyberGhost VPN has several plans that start at $2.03 / month. The long-term plans have a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, and the shortest plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
CyberGhost VPN is a great choice if you’re new to VPNs and are looking for simplicity. It has very intuitive apps, a convenient automation tool, and optimized servers for watching F1. It also has advanced security features, fast speeds, and a 45-day money-back guarantee for long-term plans.
Read the full CyberGhost VPN review
4. NordVPN — Great VPN for Securing Your F1 Streams
NordVPN has excellent security and privacy features — it has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection. I also like that its no-logs policy is independently audited.
Moreover, it has Threat Protection, which is a really good ad blocker that can get rid of ads, prevent you from accidentally accessing malicious sites, and even protect you from malware-infected downloads. In addition, there’s a dark web monitoring tool that alerts you if your NordVPN login details have been compromised — this is useful if you use the same login details for streaming sites that broadcast F1.
The provider also has good speeds. I was able to watch F1 streams in HD without any buffering and I only experienced minor buffering while skipping through 4K videos. Still, ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access were faster in my tests.
I also found NordVPN’s apps easy to use, as it usually took less than 5 seconds to find and connect to a server to start watching F1 streams on my local ESPN+ library.
NordVPN’s plans start at $3.09 / month. All of its purchases come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
NordVPN is great for securely watching F1. It has a really good ad blocker and a data breach monitoring tool. Plus, Its apps are easy to use and its SmartPlay feature makes it so you can use your VPN on more types of devices (like gaming consoles and certain smart TVs). All of its plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. Surfshark — Super Affordable & User-Friendly F1 VPN
Surfshark has some of the cheapest plans on the market, making it a great pick if you’re looking for a VPN to stream F1 and are also on a tight budget.
Plus, the VPN’s apps are very user-friendly. I downloaded and installed them in just 2 minutes, and the server locations were easy to find. I’m also a fan of the Quick Connect feature, which I set up to automatically connect me to a local US server where I could watch the F1 Grand Prix. Also, the VPN supports unlimited connections, which is great.
Surfshark has advanced security features, including perfect forward secrecy, RAM-only servers, and a verified no-logs policy. It also has DNS leak protection, but it unfortunately lacks WebRTC and IPv6 leak protection — that said, I never experienced any leaks in my tests.
The provider also has decent speeds — it took me 2–3 seconds to load videos in HD and 4–5 seconds to load 4K videos, but I did experience some buffering at the beginning of the videos. This makes Surfshark not nearly as fast as ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access.
Surfshark has plans that start as low as $2.29 / month. All of its plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Surfshark is one of the most affordable F1 VPNs on the market. It also comes with very user-friendly apps, support for unlimited connections, advanced security features, and pretty good streaming speeds. All of its plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Surfshark review
Comparison of the Best VPNs for Watching F1 in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN for Watching F1 in 2024
- Select a VPN that is ideal for streaming F1 races. The VPNs I chose all work great with F1 broadcasting platforms like ESPN+, F1 TV Pro, and YouTube TV.
- Pick a VPN with fast streaming speeds. All VPNs slow down your connection speed because of the time it takes to encrypt your data and send it through different servers. Top brands are able to minimize the slowdown and provide fast speeds across all servers. All of the VPNs on this list have good speeds, but I experienced the fastest speeds with ExpressVPN.
- Get a VPN that’s easy to use. All of the VPNs on this list have apps for all major devices that are user-friendly and make it easy to connect to a server.
- Pick a VPN with excellent security features. A VPN must safeguard your private data through security measures such as 256-bit AES encryption, a strict no-logs policy, DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leak protection, and a kill switch (a feature that disconnects you from the internet whenever your VPN connection is lost to avoid data leakage).
- Find a VPN that provides good value. The best VPNs for watching F1 include extras like split-tunneling or an ad blocker, support for multiple simultaneous connections (Private Internet Access and Surfshark allow unlimited connections), and a money-back guarantee.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- PrivateVPN. PrivateVPN has good streaming support and is really user-friendly for beginners, but it doesn’t have full leak protection and isn’t as fast as the others on this list, so it’s not as good for live streaming F1 races.
- Proton VPN. Proton VPN has excellent security and privacy features and provides fast speeds with its VPN Accelerator feature, but it’s pricier than most of the options on my list and doesn’t provide as much overall value.
- IPVanish. IPVanish allows unlimited connections and has user-friendly apps for the whole family, but it’s not good for F1 since it has poor streaming support and doesn’t work with the platforms that air the races.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best VPN for watching F1?
ExpressVPN is my top choice for watching F1 races — I was able to get it to work with multiple F1 streaming platforms available in my country and always had blazing-fast speeds. It also has user-intuitive apps and advanced security features (such as full leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and RAM-only servers).
Can I watch F1 with a free VPN?
Maybe, but most free VPNs aren’t compatible with F1 streaming sites. Even if you find a free VPN that will give you access to F1 content, it will probably lack some privacy and security features, have slow speeds, or limit how much data you can use.
Instead, I recommend getting a good-value VPN like ExpressVPN, which had no problem with F1 streaming sites in my tests. It also has lightning-fast streaming speeds, provides strong security features, comes with user-friendly apps, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How do I watch F1 with a VPN?
You only need to follow these 3 steps:
- Step 1: Pick a VPN that works with streaming platforms for F1. I recommend ExpressVPN because it works with multiple streaming platforms for F1, has lightning-fast speeds, and has strong security features.
- Step 2: Download and install the VPN. This will take only a couple of minutes. Just follow the installation wizard’s instructions.
- Step 3: Choose a server location. Pick a server location in your local area where the F1 streams you want to watch are available.
Where can I watch F1?
You can watch F1 on the following streaming platforms:
- All 4 — Stream Grand Prix races on Channel 4’s app in the UK.
- beIN Sports — Airs all F1 races in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, and more.
- Canal+ — Watch all the F1 action on the French premium streaming service.
- DAZN — Watch F1 races on DAZN’s F1 streaming channel in Spain.
- ESPN+ — ESPN’s streaming service in the US that can be bundled with Disney+.
- F1 TV — The official streaming service for F1 with a Pro tier for live streaming every race and an Access tier for on-demand content.
- Fubo — Access F1 through Fubo’s ESPN channel in the US.
- Kayo Sports — Stream all F1 races on Kayo’s app in Australia.
- ORF TVthek — The Austrian broadcaster’s streaming app lets you stream F1 races from the last 7 days.
- Sky Go — Watch F1 races on Sky Sports’ streaming channel in the UK.
- TSN+ — The Sports Network’s streaming service shows F1 races in Canada.
- Viaplay — Airs the 2024 season plus provides access to old races. Available in the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, and more.
- YouTube TV — Gives you access to the ABC and ESPN channels that stream F1 in the US.
F1 content isn’t available in every country. While ExpressVPN and the other VPNs on this list don’t keep logs, if you’re in a country where F1 isn’t available, you’ll be breaking the individual streaming platform’s Terms of Service by visiting them with a VPN.
Can I watch F1 TV Pro with a VPN?
Yes. Pretty much all of the VPNs on this list are compatible with F1 TV Pro and work without any issues. My top pick is ExpressVPN for its lightning-fast streaming speeds and extremely user-friendly apps
