The Silverstone Circuit is the crown jewel of the F1 on the British Isles. It’s that time again, for one of the events that UK Formula One fanatics wait all year long for. We’re back in Lewis Hamilton’s domain, will he extend his record for the most wins on the 52-lap circuit? Maybe you’re more interested to see if Max Verstappen can make his 10th podium for the season on such an iconic stage.
Being a year-round tournament, you might not always be able to tune into the action of the F1, or at least you might not think you can. You know how to watch Formula One from the comfort of your living room (or down the pub), but what if we told you that you can watch from abroad with as much ease?
How to watch Silverstone Grand Prix abroad
Not missing a minute even when you go abroad is so simple. To watch the F1 in the UK you’ll need Sky Sports, we’d recommend using NOW TV as a route for this. Unfortunately, Sky Sports is a region-specific streaming site. What this means is that you can only access Sky Sports when on a UK-based internet server, or on UK cable TV. Fear not though, with a handy little tool called a VPN, you can access your Sky Sports/NOW TV account from almost anywhere in the world.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN for short) will allow users to change their IP addresses. When you change your IP to another country, you subsequently have access to that country’s region-specific content. In this case, wherever you are in the world, you’ll be changing your IP to a UK-based server.
Some VPNs can do this more effectively than others though. We wouldn’t recommend any provider other than ExpressVPN, it’s fast, reliable and guaranteed to unblock Sky Sports for you anywhere in the world.
ExpressVPN – The best VPN for watching Silverstone F1 abroad
VPNs don’t come more premium than Express. There’s plenty of evidence why it’s a household name and it’s at the top of every ranking. ExpressVPN is more than capable of unblocking Sky Sports/NOW TV across 3000 worldwide servers.
The provider is renowned for delivering market-leading speeds, reliable connections, and importantly, five-star security. ExpressVPN is a sound bet, take it from us, they won’t let you down.
Pros:
• Reliable
• Fast speeds
• Strong security
• Excellent unblocking
go.expressvpn.com
Where to watch Silverstone F1 for free
Perhaps you’ve not got access to a Sky Sports account, there could be a number of reasons why. You can still tune in when the F1 hits Silverstone even without Sky Sports, and it’s totally cost-free. A reliable VPN holds the key once again.
We’ve found a French broadcaster, that’ll air the Silverstone F1 live, for free. With your VPN at hand, you just change to an IP address in France. Then, when you reach the site all you need is to sign up for an account. It’s worth noting that the commentary will be in French, but you can manoeuvre this by just muting your device and switching the British radio on.
Silverstone F1 free streaming site:
The best VPNs for watching Silverstone F1 abroad
While we strongly urge overseas Silverstone F1 viewers to use ExpressVPN, that doesn’t mean it’s the only premium VPN that’s up to the job. We understand some viewers might have different preferences, so here’s a shortlist of some other popular VPNs with a good chance of unblocking Silverstone F1.
• NordVPN from £3.19 p/m View offer on NordVPN
• Surfshark from £1.96 p/m View offer on Surfshark
• CyberGhost from £1.85 p/m View offer on CyberGhost
• Private Internet Access £1.63 p/m View offer on PIA
Please note: All prices are correct at time of writing. VPN deals and savings are subject to change at short notice.
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. This is a tool that encrypts your internet connection between device and network. It’s first and foremost a privacy safeguard, but it also allows users to change the location of their IP address to access regional content.
Can I use any VPN to watch Silverstone F1 abroad?
We point you in the direction of ExpressVPN for very good reason, because not all VPNs will be able unblock these sites as effectively. If you choose a different Virtual Private Network, there’s no real way of knowing if or how well it will unblock the streaming sites until you give it a go. ExpressVPN is your best bet to avoid that inconvenient trial-and-error process.
Is watching Silverstone F1 abroad or for free with a VPN legal?
Yes, using a VPN to access geo-blocked content like F1 events is completely legal. You aren’t breaking any laws by changing your online location. The only instance you’d be committing a crime is if you were using your Virtual Private Network to access illegal websites and content. The methods in this guide are all ethical and above board.
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.