When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

The fourth Formula One race of the season is almost here, and you're in the right place to see some fantastic racing with our guide on where to watch a free Japan F1 live stream. No matter which country you're in, we'll ensure you don't miss out.

After Verstappen's Red Bull broke down in Australia, we finally had a new race winner and a much more entertaining result last time out. He's back on pole position today, though, and you wouldn't bet against regular service resuming. With any luck, Perez and Norris will try and make a fight out of it behind him on the start line. 

As detailed in our season-long free F1 live stream guide, we can help you watch every race this season via similar options to today's race. And if the free live streams aren't for you, we thoroughly recommend the super-extended highlights show from the UK, which replays almost the entire race—we've dedicated a section to this later in the article. 

The race is showing for free in some countries, and that's where we come in, as we can show you how to get around geo-restrictions that block viewers from watching outside the channel's base country. We'll dive into greater detail below, but essentially, if you want to join in from overseas, you'll need a VPN to spoof your viewing device's location to match the broadcast. It's super simple to get going, and you'll be able to use this same method to watch every race this season, along with even more free streaming opportunities like the below events:

• See also: MLB live stream | March Madness live stream | Free MotoGP live stream

Japan F1 live stream quick links:

• Access free live streams below from anywhere via ExpressVPN (save 49% and try risk-free for 30 days)
• Austria: ORF1 (FREE)
• Belgium: RTBF (FREE)
• Luxembourg: RTL Zwee (FREE)
• US: ESPN - Sling TV Orange ($40 $20 for your first month) | ESPN+ ($11 per month) 
• UK: Sky TV (various paid bundles) | Now TV ( from £11.98) |  Channel 4 extended highlights (FREE)
• Start time: Today, 1 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. BST / 7 a.m. CET / 1 p.m. AWST
• Extended highlights: Channel 4 (UK) - Today, 7:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. BST / 1:30 p.m. CET / 7:30 p.m. AWST. Also available to watch on-demand later

Where to watch a free Japan F1 live stream

This weekend's simplest option for a free Japan F1 live stream is using a VPN to tune into one of the free streams mentioned above. If you miss the live race, the extended highlights show from the UK that we mentioned is a great alternative and comes with full English commentary.

Our preferred option among the best VPN providers is ExpressVPN, with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're unsatisfied. Better yet, you can get an extra three months for free and save 49% on a subscription. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information on the security app.

We used these F1 live streams throughout last season and have double-checked VPN compatibility with each channel's programming schedule today to ensure the race is on. These channels feature every race, except the Austrian option, as races alternate each weekend between ORF1 and ServusTV - ORF1 has the Japan GP.

If you insist on English commentary, you could always take advantage of Fubo's 7-day free trial in the US. If you're outside the US and want to try this option, you'll need a VPN and a form of US payment.

How to watch free Japan F1 live streams with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
• Install it on the device you're using to watch the race.
• Turn it on and set it to a country with a free live stream.
• Head over to ORF1 (Austria) | RTBF (Belgium) | RTL2 (Luxembourg).
• Watch on the live sections of the sites.
• Race start: Today, 1 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. BST / 7 a.m. CET / 1 p.m. AWST.

Staff Pick

ExpressVPN Plan

With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.

Shop at ExpressVPN

Highlights

• Unlocks global streaming channels
• Thousands of servers in 94 countries
• 24/7 live chat customer service
• Excellent speeds for streaming, downloading, and browsing
• Hides your location and protects your online devices
• Independently audited

Are there extended Japan F1 highlights later?

In the UK, Channel 4 has an extended highlights show a few hours after today's race at 7:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. GMT / 1:30 p.m. CET / 7:30 p.m. AWST.

It's a lengthy one again this week, too, clocking in at an epic 150 minutes. While there is plenty of discussion and interviews before and after the race on this highlights show, a tremendous amount of time is dedicated to the race itself. For example, the first week's live race time lasted about 92 minutes, and I timed the actual race highlights section of the show at 72 minutes. It's my preferred viewing option right now compared to forking out for a subscription service or watching it without English commentary. 

You can also watch these highlights on-demand the day after. That said, we sometimes notice that this version is a bit shorter than the usual highlights program.

You can tune in on the Channel 4 website online and use a VPN as outlined above to watch from outside the UK.

How to watch F1 Japan live stream in the US

ESPN covers Formula 1 racing throughout the season. If you don't have access to the channel, consider a couple of cord-cutting options. Sling TV's Orange tier is usually $40 a month, but a special offer now sees that first month's price slashed to just $20. 

Hulu's Live TV bundle also carries ESPN and is a very comprehensive bundle overall as it also includes Disney+ and ESPN+. This means it's pricier than Sling and will cost you $76.99, but you can cancel anytime.

Sling TV Subscription

For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members get their first month for $10 off.

Shop at Sling

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV includes over 90 channels, along with Hulu's on-demand library and access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. Adding live TV drives up the price significantly, but it's a rolling one-month contract that you're free to cancel at any time. As live TV services go, though, this is one of the best.

Shop at Hulu

How to watch Japan F1 live stream in the UK

Want a free option? Channel 4 runs an excellent extended highlights show (see above) a few hours after each race, which is a solid alternative given the length of the show. They even do qualifying highlights a few hours after that wraps up the day before, too.

If you really want to see everything live, a Sky Sports deal is your best bet, and this is a great way to get it in glorious 4K, too. Sky covers every race weekend, so you won't need to switch between it and networks like TNT, as you do for the Premier League.

If you don't want a traditional TV contract, though, and would prefer a monthly option that you can drop whenever you want, Sky's Now TV offshoot has a Sky Sports tier that costs £11.99 for a day pass, or £34.99 a month.

The main appeal of Now TV is it runs on a rolling one-month contract, but if you need it every week, it's arguably a better deal to get a proper Sky Sports package as you'll get way more bang for your buck. Also, Now TV is still operating in the dark ages and has the gall to charge extra for HD in 2024.

Note: Using VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

Amazon Prime Day deals, reviewing gaming controllers, Kindles, and folding smartphones, or even international guides on buying a mattress - he's still quite annoyed that the UK and US have different sizes and names for them. More recently, he's been covering international How to Watch guides on various sporting events like Formula 1, tennis, Champions League, cricket, or the hottest new movies and TV shows.   Outside of work, you'll find Brendan trying to make a dent in various watchlists across streaming apps or playing games on his Series X or PS5, usually downloading (hoarding) yet more Game Pass games or grumbling about how open-world games should be scrapped for a solid 10-hour experience like the Uncharted series.">

Brendan Griffiths

Senior Commerce Director

Brendan is the Senior Commerce Director at Insider Inc, having joined the company in early 2023. He oversees a wide range of our eCommerce content covering deals, popular sales events, How to Watch guides, and VPN articles. He also utilizes his extensive experience in SEO and Google algorithm updates to help improve content and rankings for a wide range of our shoppable buying guides, reviews, versus content, and more. He has over 16 years of online journalism experience and a UK University degree in Journalism and Film & Media. Initially working as a freelance gaming journalist and eCommerce editor, he later joined Future Publishing in 2016 as their first-ever Deals Writer at TechRadar. Over the next six years, he became the Deals Editor at TechRadar, then Managing Editor of Hardware & eCommerce at GamesRadar before moving over to Future's mobile tech division to become the eCommerce Content Director for Android Central, iMore, and Windows Central. Over the years, Brendan has written about a wide range of subjects. Be it covering game previews at GamesCom in Germany, listing the best Amazon Prime Day deals, reviewing gaming controllers, Kindles, and folding smartphones, or even international guides on buying a mattress - he's still quite annoyed that the UK and US have different sizes and names for them. More recently, he's been covering international How to Watch guides on various sporting events like Formula 1, tennis, Champions League, cricket, or the hottest new movies and TV shows.   Outside of work, you'll find Brendan trying to make a dent in various watchlists across streaming apps or playing games on his Series X or PS5, usually downloading (hoarding) yet more Game Pass games or grumbling about how open-world games should be scrapped for a solid 10-hour experience like the Uncharted series.

Read more Read less