Austrian Grand Prix to be free to watch on Apple TV

Apple will allow U.S. viewers to watch its Formula 1 coverage for free for the first time across this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Off the back of Lewis Hamilton’s first win for Ferrari in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix last time out, Apple will allow viewers to watch the entire Austrian event – including all practice sessions as well as qualifying and the race – without the need for an Apple TV subscription. Apple became the home of F1 in the United States this season, and committed to offering some free-to-air opportunities during its first year as broadcaster.

Following a partnership with Netflix for the Canadian Grand Prix, Austria is the second such activation, with a race start time of 0900 ET on Sunday 28 June.

Kimi Antonelli heads into the weekend at the Red Bull Ring as the championship leader, but his advantage was cut to 41 points by Hamilton courtesy of the seven-time world champion’s victory in Barcelona. Mercedes has failed to finish with both cars in the points since the Miami Grand Prix, with Antonelli retiring from second place in Spain.

Austria is the first of a back-to-back set of races that also includes the British Grand Prix at Silverstone the following weekend, before another pair of races in Belgium and Hungary lead into the August break.