Formula 1Updated Jun 16, 2026
How to Watch Formula 1 2026 in Australia
Every way to watch the 2026 F1 season in Australia — Kayo Sports and Fox Sports carry every session live, Network 10 shows the Australian Grand Prix free-to-air, and F1 TV is the official onboard option. Real prices in AUD.
By Matchcast Editorial · Published
Broadcasters
4
Free options
Yes
Coverage
Global
The short answer
To watch Formula 1 in Australia in 2026: Kayo Sports and Fox Sports are the home of F1 — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race of all 24 Grands Prix live, including in 4K on Kayo. Both are Foxtel Group services and carry the 2026 Australian F1 rights; their partnership was extended in March 2026 to run from 2027 onwards. The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is shown free-to-air on Network 10, the Foxtel Group's free-to-air partner, under the country's anti-siphoning rules. To stream without a Foxtel cable box, Kayo Sports is the route from AUD 29.99/month; F1 TV is the official onboard-camera alternative for Foxtel subscribers.
Kayo Sports and Fox Sports: the home of Australian F1
Kayo Sports and Fox Sports — both Foxtel Group services — are the comprehensive Australian home of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship. They carry the full 2026 season under the existing Foxtel Group deal, and their F1 partnership was extended in March 2026 to run from 2027 onwards — so Australian viewers get every practice session, every qualifying session, every Sprint and every race of all 24 Grands Prix, live.
Kayo Sports streams the full F1 season, with races available live in 4K Ultra HD, alongside the F1 Minis short-form recap format. Fox Sports carries the equivalent coverage on the Foxtel cable and satellite platform for households with a traditional Foxtel package. The two share the same live feed and Australian commentary, so the choice between them is really a choice of platform: Kayo for streaming without a cable box, Fox Sports for fans who already have Foxtel.
For an Australian F1 fan who wants every session in full — not just the race — Kayo Sports is the standard route, the same way Sky is in the UK. The free Network 10 broadcast covers only the Australian Grand Prix, so the rest of the calendar's practice, qualifying and races live on Kayo and Fox Sports.
Network 10: the free Australian Grand Prix
Network 10 remains the Foxtel Group's free-to-air partner for the Australian Grand Prix, which means the Melbourne home race is broadcast live and free across Australia on Network 10 (and its 10 Play streaming service) under the country's anti-siphoning laws. The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park is the largest F1 weekend of the year for Australian fans, and the free Network 10 coverage makes the home race accessible to every viewer regardless of subscription.
The free coverage is limited to the Australian Grand Prix. The other rounds of the 2026 calendar — every other practice, qualifying session and race — are not on free-to-air television in Australia; they live on Kayo Sports and Fox Sports. So a fan who only cares about the Melbourne race can watch it for free on Network 10, but following the championship across the season requires a Kayo or Foxtel subscription.
This is the standard anti-siphoning pattern in Australia: the marquee home event is protected for free-to-air, while the full season sits with the pay broadcaster.
Streaming without a cable box: Kayo Sports
You do not need a traditional Foxtel cable package to watch F1 in Australia. Kayo Sports — the Foxtel-owned sports streaming service — carries the complete F1 season live, including 4K races, without a cable box or a lock-in contract.
Kayo Sports Standard costs AUD 29.99/month for one stream (no 4K), and Kayo Sports Premium is AUD 45.99/month for two simultaneous streams plus 4K on supported content. The Premium tier is the one to pick for the 4K F1 races. Kayo offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers, which conveniently covers a single race weekend. There is no contract, so you can subscribe for the months you want and pause over the off-season.
Kayo also carries the NRL, AFL, cricket, the A-League, motorsport beyond F1 (Supercars, MotoGP) and ESPN's US sports, so for an Australian sports fan broadly — not just F1 — Kayo is the comprehensive single-subscription streaming option. It streams on smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire TV, Chromecast, the PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and the web.
F1 TV: the official multi-camera option
F1 TV — Formula 1's own official streaming service — is available to Australian Foxtel subscribers and is integrated into Foxtel's set-top boxes. It carries the multi-camera experience that the TV broadcast does not: live onboard cameras for every driver, team-radio feeds, the live timing data and multiple commentary tracks including alternative-language options.
Because Foxtel holds the exclusive Australian live rights, F1 TV access in Australia runs through the Foxtel/Kayo relationship rather than as a fully independent standalone live product the way it is in some other markets. For an Australian fan, the practical picture is: Kayo or Fox Sports for the live broadcast feed, with F1 TV adding the onboard cameras and data layer on top for the completist.
F1 TV streams on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, smart TVs and the web. It is the choice for the fan who wants the onboards and the timing screen alongside the world feed; Kayo and Fox Sports remain the choice for the familiar Australian broadcast and commentary.
Is Formula 1 free to watch in Australia?
Partly. The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is broadcast live and free-to-air on Network 10 (and the free 10 Play stream) under the anti-siphoning rules, so the home race can be watched at no cost by every Australian viewer.
What is not free is the rest of the calendar. Every other Grand Prix — and all the practice and qualifying sessions across the whole season, including for the Australian GP weekend itself — runs on Kayo Sports and Fox Sports, which are paid subscriptions. The multi-camera onboard experience is F1 TV via Foxtel.
The cheapest workable approach for most fans: watch the Australian Grand Prix free on Network 10, and add a single month of Kayo Sports (or use the 7-day free trial) only for the race weekends you most want to see in full. A committed fan who wants the whole season takes a Kayo subscription across the active F1 calendar.
Cost summary and Australian F1 kick-off times
The free route: Network 10 carries the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne live and free, so the home race costs AUD 0. The free coverage does not extend to the rest of the calendar.
The comprehensive route: Kayo Sports Premium at AUD 45.99/month gives every session of all 24 races live in 4K with no contract. Across the roughly nine active F1 months (March to December) that is roughly AUD 410+ for the full season at Kayo's current Premium pricing — or less if you pause Kayo over quieter stretches. Kayo Standard at AUD 29.99/month covers the same live races in HD (one stream, no 4K) for fans who do not need 4K.
On timing, the European rounds are the late-night challenge for Australian fans: a 3:00 p.m. local European race start is roughly 11:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m. AEDT depending on the country and daylight saving. The Asia-Pacific and Middle East rounds are friendlier — the Australian, Japanese, Singapore, Saudi and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix all fall in civil evening or afternoon AEST/AEDT slots. The Melbourne race, naturally, is the perfect local time, and the one that is free on Network 10.
Formula 1 Broadcasters
- VisitKayo SportsStreamingAUD 29.99-45.99/moFox Sports
Australian F1 streaming home (Foxtel Group) — every practice, qualifying, sprint and race of all 24 Grands Prix live, races in 4K on the Premium tier. AUD 29.99/mo Standard (1 stream, no 4K), AUD 45.99/mo Premium (2 streams, 4K). No contract; 7-day free trial. Carries the 2026 season under the existing Foxtel Group deal; partnership extended March 2026 to run from 2027 onwards.
- VisitFox SportsPay TVFox Sports
Foxtel Group F1 coverage on the Foxtel cable and satellite platform — the same live feed and Australian commentary as Kayo, for households with a traditional Foxtel package. Carries every session of all 24 Grands Prix.
- VisitNetwork 10Free1010 Play
Free-to-air partner for the Australian Grand Prix — broadcasts the Melbourne home race live and free across Australia (and on the free 10 Play stream) under the anti-siphoning rules. Race-only: the rest of the calendar is on Kayo/Fox Sports.
- VisitF1 TVStreaming
Formula 1's own official service — live onboard cameras, team radio, live timing and multiple commentary tracks. Available to Australian Foxtel subscribers and integrated into Foxtel set-top boxes. The onboard/data layer on top of the Kayo/Fox Sports broadcast feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch F1 for free in Australia?
Partly. The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is broadcast live and free-to-air on Network 10 (and the free 10 Play stream) under Australia's anti-siphoning rules, so the home race can be watched at no cost. The rest of the 2026 calendar — every other race plus all practice and qualifying sessions — is on Kayo Sports and Fox Sports, which are paid. So the Melbourne race is free; the full season is not.
What channel is F1 on in Australia?
Kayo Sports and Fox Sports — both Foxtel Group services — are the home of F1 in Australia, carrying every session of all 24 Grands Prix live, with races in 4K on Kayo Premium. The Australian Grand Prix is also shown free-to-air on Network 10. F1 TV is the official onboard-camera option for Foxtel subscribers.
How can I stream F1 in Australia without Foxtel?
Use Kayo Sports, the Foxtel-owned streaming service. Kayo Standard is AUD 29.99/month (one stream, no 4K) and Kayo Premium is AUD 45.99/month (with 4K races and two streams), both with no contract and a 7-day free trial. Kayo carries every F1 session live without needing a Foxtel cable box. The free Network 10 / 10 Play stream also carries the Australian Grand Prix.
How much is Kayo Sports for F1 in Australia?
Kayo Sports Standard costs AUD 29.99/month (one stream, no 4K) and Kayo Sports Premium costs AUD 45.99/month (two streams plus 4K on supported content, including the F1 races). New subscribers can start with a 7-day free trial. There is no lock-in contract, so you can subscribe for the active F1 months and pause over the off-season.
Is the Australian Grand Prix free to watch?
Yes. The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne — the biggest F1 weekend of the year for Australian fans — is broadcast live and free-to-air on Network 10, as the Foxtel Group's free-to-air partner under the anti-siphoning rules, and on the free 10 Play stream. The race weekend's practice and qualifying sessions, however, run on Kayo and Fox Sports.
What time do F1 races start in Australian time?
It depends on the round. The European races (a 3:00 p.m. local start) land roughly 11:00 p.m.–1:00 a.m. AEDT, making them late-night viewing. The Asia-Pacific and Middle East rounds — Australia, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi — fall in civil evening or afternoon AEST/AEDT slots. The Melbourne home race is in the ideal local slot and is free on Network 10.