TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races live. Watch the Chinese GP for free with the Prime Video app.
The new F1 season started in the way most fans expected. There was a lot of good, but plenty of bad.
I still don't really know where we stand this season after the introduction of regulation changes, but that uncertainty mostly feels like a good thing. Sure, the cars sound funny and there definitely seems like a lot of unnecessary complication, but there was also some genuinely thrilling racing from the first race weekend. And you can't always say that with F1.
And now the attention turns to China, and the first Sprint of the season. Can anyone stop Mercedes from flying to the front? I honestly have no idea at this stage, but I can't wait to see how Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren respond to Russell's dominant performance at Albert Park.
If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
When is the Chinese GP?
The Chinese GP is the second race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Shanghai International Circuit:
Practice 1 — 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. ET on March 12
Sprint Qualifying — 3:30-4:14 a.m. ET on March 13
Sprint — 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET on March 13
Qualifying — 3-4 a.m. ET on March 14
Race — 3 a.m. ET on March 15
It's possible for fans to follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.
How to watch the Chinese GP for free
I'm a paid-up member of Amazon Prime. You probably know by now that Amazon Prime comes with fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. That Prime Video access is crucial for this season of F1.
It's now possible to sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is now exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by gaining access to this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription typically costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel at any time. That means you can watch the Chinese GP for free this weekend and then back out before needing to pay anything. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.
I already pay for Amazon Prime, so is this really a free hack? That's up for debate, but Amazon Prime does offer a 30-day free trial period if you're new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can watch select races without spending anything.
If you've already used this method for the Australian GP, I suggest you go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.
