The Indy 500 is back. Making its grand return for a 107th year, the most prestigious event in the automobile racing world is very fast approaching. IndyCar has tribes of die-hard fans all around the globe who wait all year for the largest single-day sporting event to come around.
On Sunday 28th May, 5:45 pm UK time, we expect waves of UK fans will be desperate to know how and where they can tune in and experience all 200 glorious laps of the Indy 500. The event is speeding onto screens very soon, but you need to know what screens, and how to even turn them on.
At first glance, this might not seem straightforward. Thankfully though, we can lend a hand and direct you through the easiest and most legitimate routes to watching this year’s Indy 500.
How to watch the Indy 500 in the UK
Anyone who doesn’t live under a rock knows the Indy 500 is unmissable, so let’s keep it that way. The best way we can recommend tuning into the big race is through using a VPN, or Virtual Private Network.
While protecting your internet connection, a VPN will allow you to access regionally blocked content. In order to watch the race, viewers will need access to some US-based broadcasters. Besides actually being in the USA, a VPN is the only way to do this.
Recommended: ExpressVPN £5.51 p/m+
ExpressVPN is as solid a VPN choice as they come. For the purpose of watching the Indy 500 on a US-based network, it’s the best on the market.
This VPN does everything you need it to, and more. Express has been applauded for its reliable, stable, and fast connection speeds. The last thing viewers of any live sports want is a drop in connection, with ExpressVPN this isn’t even a possibility.
• Excellent geo-blocking capabilities
• Fast speeds
• Reliable, stable connections
• Free trial
• Money back guarantee
The best VPN for streaming
go.expressvpn.com
Free: Watching Indy 500 on Peacock
The first road you can take to tuning into Indy 500 is via the US-based streaming service Peacock TV. Of course, you’ll need your Virtual Private Network active and set to USA before you go anywhere near the service.
When you reach the site, you can sign up for a 7-day free trial. Once this free trial is up, and you haven’t cancelled, you’ll be charged anywhere from $4.99 depending on the package you chose.
Now your account is activated, you can tune in and the enjoy the festivities and all that this year’s race has to offer.
Visit the Peacock website to find out more. If you'e outside of the US, you'll need a VPN to access the site.
Free: Watching Indy 500 on DIRECTV Stream
Just like Peacock, watching Indy 500 through DIRECTV is more or less the same process. The free trial for this streaming service is slightly less generous offering five days. DIRECTV pits itself as a much larger service than Peacock, its marketed less like a streaming service and more like a TV catalogue. It’s far more extensive and the price definitely reflects this. If you’re only signing up for the free trial to access Indy 500, you should know that the cheapest plan for DIRECTV is a staggering $64.99 p/m.
Visit the DIRECTV website to find out more. If you'e outside of the US, you'll need a VPN to access the site.
UK Source: Sky Sports via NOW TV
If you’d prefer to watch the Indy 500 through a UK source, and get access to some extra sports channels, Sky Sports might be for you. As a UK source, you won’t need to change the location of your VPN for this one. We found the best way to watch Indy 500 on Sky Sports is through NOW TV.
If you really do only have your sights set on the Indy 500, NOW TV offers a fantastic deal for a 24-hour membership. In this deal you get full access to Sky Sports for a day, with a one-off payment of £11.98. This is very similar to how buying a pay-per-view event would go, except customers get full access to the channel.
A UK source for streaming the Indy 500
www.nowtv.com
How do I use a VPN to watch the Indy 500?
Specifically, you’ll need to a VPN to access the streaming services that broadcast the Indy 500. Depending on your chosen device, install a recommended VPN from the app store. Log in/sign up to the Virtual Private Network and set your location to a US-based server. Once you’ve activated the VPN you can head over to either Peacock TV or DIRECTV, secure that free trial and Indy 500 is yours.
Can I use any VPN to watch the Indy 500?
Though good in their own rights, Peacock and DIRECTV are not the biggest names on the market. It’s for this reason that many Virtual Private Networks will be unable to unblock them. Below is a shortlist of other VPNs besides ExpressVPN that can successfully unblock Peacock and DIRECTV.
Other VPNs that can unblock Peacock TV and DIRECTV:
• NordVPN from £3.39 p/m: View offer on NordVPN
• Surfshark from £2.01 p/m: View offer on Surfshark
• CyberGhost from £1.85 p/m: View offer on CyberGhost
• Private Internet Access from £1.67 p/m: View offer on PIA
Can I watch the Indy 500 completely for free?
If you follow certain steps in our guide, you can indeed watch the Indy 500 for free. Heading down the VPN route, if your Virtual Private Network offers a free trial or a money-back guarantee then you won’t pay a penny for the service. If you follow the free trial process for Peacock TV and DIRECTV as instructed, then the entire process will be costless.
Is watching the Indy 500 with a VPN legal?
Absolutely. There is nothing illegal about accessing geo-blocked content through a Virtual Private Network, and live sports events are no exception. So long as the streaming services you view the content on are legitimate, then there’s no reason not to.
Jack Barrell is the Commercial Content Writer for VPNs. He's hands-on when it comes to producing best-of articles, how-to guides, and product reviews for Virtual Private Networks. On his off-days, Jack can be found in the gym, at the movies, or flicking through a car mag.