Getty
The 2018 Formula 1 season gets underway in Melbourne this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton begins his title defense after winning his fourth World Drivers’ Championship a year ago.
In the United States, the race is scheduled to begin early Sunday morning at 1:10 a.m. ET (Saturday night at 10:10 p.m. PT) and will be broadcast on ESPN2. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch the race live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live channels, including ESPN2. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the race on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
DirecTV Now: ESPN2 is included in all of DirecTV Now’s four main channel packages. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, plus you can get a free Amazon Fire TV if you prepay one month. Once signed up, you can watch the race live on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Sling TV: ESPN2 is included in the “Sling Orange” channel package. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of either, and you can then watch the race live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
Preview
Though Hamilton ultimately won the drivers’ championship last season, it was Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel who began the year with a win at Melbourne, while Hamilton and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas came in second and third, respectively.
That win sparked an impressive start for Vettel, who would go on to finish in the Top 2 in each of the season’s first six races, but he eventually faded down the stretch, as Hamilton pulled away and Mercedes was able to secure the double title for the fourth consecutive year.
Still, Vettel is confident in his team heading into the new season.
“We’re starting from a good base with our SF71H car,” he said. “Now we’ll have to work on development to further explore and improve its potential. I have a lot of confidence in our team, I know how skilled and committed the guys in Maranello are.
“I can’t wait to be in Australia, because once we get on track there, we will all be driving and racing under the same conditions. I have confidence in our car.”
Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen both have two wins in Australia, though Mercedes had a three-year winning streak until last year, with Nico Rosberg winning in 2014 and 2016, and Hamilton winning for the second time in 2015. Throw in a Red Bull team that is hoping to narrow the gap after a third-place finish last year, and it should be a thoroughly entertaining start to the season.