If You’re Not Using These 6 F1 TV Features, You’re Missing Out

Formula 1 is one of those sports that’s enjoyed globally. The good news is that if you’re a fan, an F1 TV Pro subscription gives you access to a whole host of features beyond just standard race coverage. If you’re new to the platform, here are all the features you should check out to get the most bang for your buck and take those race days to the next level.

1 Race Highlights

If you’ve followed Formula 1 for some time now, you know that races happen globally across time zones. What this means, unfortunately, is that you might not be able to catch every race live. Of course, you can always play back the entire race with your F1 TV Pro subscription; however, if you’re short on time but want to avoid spoilers that you might come across on different sports news websites, you can catch up on the best parts of the race using the F1 Highlights feature.

To access these highlights, log into your account, select the race you missed watching, and scroll down till you come across the F1 Highlights section. Select the View all button in the top-right corner of this section to access all the highlights and watch the ones you find most interesting. This way, you get to quickly catch up on all the key moments, without watching the full race.

2 Driver Cams

One of the features I really enjoy is the option to tap into drivers’ onboard cameras, which gives me access to a live feed, straight from the driver’s cockpit. Of course, not every driver has their camera feed available at all times, but you can always switch between different camera feeds and keep track of the race from the driver’s POV. I truly think it’s an incredible way to experience the intensity of the race and its challenges as they progress on the track.

The best part is that you can tap into onboard cameras whether you’re watching a live race or a replay. Either way, accessing the onboard cameras is pretty simple. All you have to do is select the Driver Cams button from the right side of the screen and select the driver whose onboard camera you want to watch. You can periodically select new drivers to switch cameras.

3 Team Radio

Team Radio is another feature I think most F1 fans will enjoy. It’s not accessible independently, though. Unlike radio apps and Chrome extensions that let you listen to the radio through your browser, you’ll need to tap into Team Radio via the Driver Cams button. Once you do that, you’ll not only get a live feed from the driver’s onboard camera, but you’ll also get to hear their conversations and commentary.

You can confirm if you’re listening to the Team Radio by selecting a driver’s camera and tapping the gear button at the bottom of the screen. Then, check if the Audio Track is set to Team Radio.

I enjoy listening to Team Radio from time to time because it gives me an idea about how interactions between drivers and their teams are playing out. You also get to hear the driver’s first-hand reaction to race conditions, and these include everything from outbursts to strategy discussions.

4 Driver Tracker

The Driver Tracker feature is especially great if you want to know where each driver is on the circuit. While the broadcast of the race offers a good idea of what’s happening with select drivers at any given time, the Driver Tracker feature gives me a bird’s eye view of the entire grid.

If you have an F1 TV Pro subscription (as opposed to the F1 TV Access plan), you can take this to the next level by watching the main race on your TV and have the driver tracker running on, say, your phone or tablet, since this tier of subscription allows users to add up to six screens to the mix, giving you the most immersive experience possible. To access the tracker, select the Tracker button on the right side of your screen.

5 Live Data

The Data button on the right of your screen lets you access a wealth of information about the race, from tire usage history to current conditions on the track and more. The tire usage history, in particular, is one metric I like to keep track of because it offers insight into the driver and team’s strategy for the race.

Seeing the type of tire the driver started off with, the pit stops they made to potentially change to a different type of tire, and the impact this has on their performance gives you some behind-the-scenes insight into things. Beyond this, the Live Data displays a few other crucial metrics, including the Gap time, which shows how far behind a certain driver is from the leader, and the Last Lap time, which tells you exactly how long it took each driver to complete their most recent lap.

6 Access to Exclusive Content

Not every day is an F1 race day, but that doesn’t mean you have to let your subscription go to waste. During the off-season, I enjoy live-streaming F2, F3, and Porsche Supercup races, and even delving into the archives, shows, and documentaries.

The only thing that’s not part of the package is Formula E, which differs from Formula 1 in that it only features all-electric cars. Still, in my opinion, there’s plenty of content to watch when F1 races aren’t playing, with both the F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Access subscriptions.

If you enjoy watching Formula 1 races live and on-demand, it doesn’t get much better than an F1 TV Pro subscription. The subscription currently costs $84.99 per year or $10.99 per month. Alternatively, if you don’t mind missing live races and can wait a bit, F1 TV Access, which costs $29.99 per year or $3.49 per month, works out cheaper.

Keep in mind, though, that with the latter, you don’t get access to F2, F3, and Porsche Supercup races; however, you’ll still have access to plenty of shows and documentaries to catch up on during the off-season.