Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream: how to watch F1 online from anywhere: Lights out!
Who will be the winners and losers of the time off-track?
Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream
The 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is available to watch for free on ORF in Austria. Use a VPN to watch your local stream from anywhere. A complete breakdown of free Azerbaijan GP live streams is listed below.
Azerbaijan GP start time: Sunday, April 4, 12pm GMT / 7am ET / 10pm AEST / 12pm NZST |
Free live stream: ORF 1 (AUT) | RTBF (BEL) |
Use ExpressVPN to watch any stream |
Azerbaijan GP: race preview
Well, we've been away for a while haven't we? Thanks to a cancelled China GP and an already hefty two-week planned break, we've had a almost month-long dry spell. However, as we head to the Azerbaijan GP in Baku, we should be kicking things off again with a bang.
This season's first appearance of F1 Sprint is bound to be a shake-up. The format has undergone yet more changes to appease the, let's say, lukewarm fan reaction to
Sprint. Replacing FP2 on Friday is Qualifying for Sunday's traditional GP – the winner of which will now start on pole position regardless of the Sprint's outcome.
Saturday sees what appears to be a full race weekend in miniature: Sprint Shootout in the morning to determine the grid, and a flat-out 100-kilometer race offering a maximum of 8 points in the afternoon. Arguably a strange experience for the purist, but we're keeping an open mind.
On-track, Mercedes stand to gain the most from the unexpected hiatus. With the team finally abandoning the 'zeropod' design, the three weeks of uninterrupted hard graft may put them in good stead for the rest of the season.
However, Sergio Perez maintains his reputation as street circuit master by taking home 8 points in Sprint. Can Charles Leclerc keep the Red Bulls at bay on race day?
Read on for how to watch an Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream from start to finish and from anywhere in the world, including ways to watch an F1 live stream for FREE.
2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule
The 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule is as follows:
FRIDAY
Practice 1: 10.30am BST / 5.30am ET / 8.30pm AEDT / 10.30pm NZDT
Sprint qualifying: 2pm BST / 9am ET / 12am AEDT / 2am NZDT
SATURDAY
Sprint Shootout: 10.30am BST / 5.30am ET / 8.30pm AEDT / 10.30pm NZDT
F1 Sprint: 2pm BST / 9am ET / 12am AEDT / 2am NZDT
SUNDAY
Azerbaijan GP: 12pm BST / 7am ET / 10pm AEDT / 12am NZDT
Watch a free Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream
There are a number of ways to watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for free this weekend.
Like every other weekend, in Austria all the races are shared between free-to-air broadcasters Servus TV and ORF (this weekend it's ORF). Take a look and find out what's available where you are:
- Albania: every race on RTSH
- Australia: Australian GP on Network 10
- Austria: every race on ORF Eins or Servus TV
- Brazil: every race on Band
- Belgium: every race on RBTF
- China: every race on Great Sports, CCTV or Guangdong Sports
- France: Bahrain GP on C8
- Iran: every race on MBC Persia or IRIB Varzesh
- Luxembourg: every race on RTL Zwee
- Middle East and North Africa: select races on MBC Action
- Pakistan: every race on A Sports
- Tajikistan: every race on Varzish TV
If you're out of the country you'll need to use a VPN to access your preferred Azerbaijan Grand Prix free live stream, as explained below. We rate ExpressVPN as the best provider out there, as it has a great track record for unblocking geo-restricted streams.
How to watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream from outside your country
If you're abroad for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, you'll likely find you're unable to access your usual Formula 1 coverage like you would at home. This isn't necessarily cause for alarm, but rather the result of geo-blocking – best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world.
Fortunately, there's a convenient way around this in the form of a VPN. This is a nifty bit of software that lets you whizz around these digital borders, thereby allowing you to globe trot and still access your preferred F1 live stream. It's a completely legal workaround, very affordable, and super easy to use – allow us to explain more.
Use a VPN to watch an Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream from anywhere:
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How to watch an Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream on F1 TV
If you're an F1 devotee, then you likely already know about F1 TV – it's the streaming service to subscribe to for all the best live action, highlights, replays of classics races and a whole lot more besides – you can sign up on its website.
Most people will want to go for F1 TV Pro, which is the way to live stream every F1 Grand Prix in full – along with F2, F3 and Porsche Supercup as well. Prices differ from country to country – it's $79.99 in the US, for example – and in some places you can try before you buy with a FREE 7-day trial!
Just note that F1 TV doesn't provide live Grand Prix coverage everywhere, the UK and Australia being two notable examples. But it's a good option for people in the US, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Brazil and plenty more places.
How to watch Azerbaijan Grand Prix: live stream F1 in the UK
Sky has the rights to Formula 1 in the UK, meaning you can watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sky Sports – in 4K HDR, no less!
Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.
If you want to sign up to Sky Sports, you can check out our guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.
Don't fancy being locked in to a long, expensive contract? Consider the more flexible streaming option, Now, (formerly Now TV). Now sports passes start at £11.99.
Coverage of the Azerbaijan GP begins on Sky Sports F1 at 10am GMT on Friday for Practice 1, then 1pm for Qualifying. Saturday kicks off at 9am for Sprint Shootout, and F1 Sprint coverage starts at 1.30pm. On Sunday, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix coverage starts at 11.55am, ahead of lights out at 12pm.
Not in the UK but still want to catch the action? Use a VPN to live stream the F1 as if you were at home.
- Related: how to watch a Champions League live stream
Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream: how to watch F1 in the US without cable
In the US, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is being shown on ESPN, while Qualifying and the Practice sessions are on ESPN 2.
The race itself starts at 7am ET / 4am PT on Sunday morning, and the full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Watch 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix without cable
If you don't have access to those channels on cable, Sling TV is an OTT service that's perfect for F1 fans.
The Sling Orange package includes ESPN and ESPN 2, with a subscription usually costing $40 per month. However, if you're new to the service you can get 50% off your first month.
Alternatively, FuboTV is an even more complete end-to-end cable replacement service, offering ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC and over 140 other channels on plans starting from $74.99 a month after a 7-day FREE trial.
You can also live stream the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on ESPN Plus, which costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. For the ultimate value, you can get a combined ESPN+, Hulu and Disney Plus bundle for just $12.99 a month (with ads), which adds loads of great entertainment and family-friendly content to the mix.
And, as described above, you may prefer to give F1 TV and its free trial a go if all you really care about is F1.
Watch an Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream from abroad
New or existing subscribers to US streaming services can still access the platform of their choice from abroad by checking out a quality VPN and following the instructions above.
How to watch the 2022 Baku GP: live stream F1 in Canada
As well as the official F1 TV service described above, viewers in Canada can watch the 2023 Azerbaijan GP on English-language TSN or French-language RDS – just bear in mind that they're premium channels that typically come with a pay TV package.
If you get them as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider to get access to an Azerbaijan Grand Prix live stream.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN or RDS on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
The Azerbaijan GP starts at 1am ET / 10pm PT on Sunday morning/Saturday evening, and the full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30 days and follow the instructions above.
- More Canadian sports action: our guide to NHL streaming this season
How to watch Azerbaijan Grand Prix: live stream in Australia
F1 fans in Australia can watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Fox Sports, available through Foxtel. Subscribers can also stream the action via the Foxtel Go app.
The race is also being shown on the incredible sports streaming service Kayo Sports, which is an ideal option for those who don't want the commitment of a lengthy (and pricey) contract.
Kayo lets you stream on one device with its $25 per month One plan, two devices with its $30 per month Basic plan, and three devices with its $35 Premium plan. All of them come with a FREE 7-day trial.
Kayo also gives you access to over 50 other sports including the NFL, NHL, cricket, NRL, NBA... the list goes on! Handy if you don't want to go all out on Fox.
The Azerbaijan GP starts at 10pm AEDT on Sunday night, which should be pretty doable for the dedicated fan. The full weekend schedule is listed higher up the page.
Don't forget, you can take your F1 coverage abroad with you, with the help of a good F1 VPN.
How to watch the Azerbaijan GP: live stream in New Zealand
Sky Sport is now the place to watch F1 in New Zealand, and fans can live stream the Azerbaijan GP via the Sky Sport Now platform.
A Sky Sport Now subscription costs $19.99 per week or $39.99 per month. The monthly package comes with a 7-day FREE trial.
Meanwhile, Sky Sport subscribers can watch the race online using the country's Sky Go service.
The Azerbaijan GP starts at midnight on Sunday, meaning that Kiwi F1 fans might have to stay up past their bedtime to catch the race. The full schedule is listed higher up the page.
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Mo Harber-Lamond is VPN Editor at Tom's Guide, and contributor for TechRadar. He focuses on cybersecurity content for Tom's Guide, and creates insightful content across the board to help readers make informed buying choices.