[Tip] How to watch a Formula 1 Grand Prix live for free (and legally)

If you’re a Formula 1 fan and want to watch the GPs, there are basically two options:

• Having a Canal Plus subscription (or a friend who lends you their codes). Indeed, Canal Plus holds the F1 rights in France.
• Finding a streaming link on Twitter, Telegram, … The quality will be poor, there’s a high risk the link cuts out before the end of the race, and it’s not exactly legal…

Luckily, there’s a third option that’s legal and lets you stream in HD without any risk of cutoffs!

And this option exists thanks to our Belgian and Swiss cousins.

In these two countries, it’s the national TV channels that hold the F1 rights. RTBF in Belgium and RTS in Switzerland. And they broadcast the races, free-to-air!

You just need to log onto their website or their mobile/tablet app, create an account (for free) to watch the race.

The RTBF app is called Auvio, and the RTS one is called Play RTS.

One last issue to solve: if you’re not physically in Belgium or Switzerland, you’ll get an error message saying you’re not allowed to watch this program due to your geographical location.

To fix this, you just need to use a VPN, a software that lets you simulate a connection from another country. In two clicks, you can simulate a connection from Belgium or Switzerland and enjoy the F1 GP!

There are some free VPNs, but their quality often leaves much to be desired. Personally, I use NordVPN (click here to see their offers and get 30 days of free trial).

I’ve been using this trick for several years to watch F1 races without any hassle. Only downside, the Belgian or Swiss TV commentary is way less thrilling than Julien Fébreau’s on Canal Plus ^^.

Quick video demo!