Millions of Formula One fans around the world are currently enjoying another racing season that started way back, on March 26. Despite the fact that they are currently on a break, the Austrian race will start soon enough, and the excitement will continue.
Watching these races is what many of the fans wait for every year. Some of those with the most devotion can even afford to travel to a location itself, while the others have to rely on live streams. However, free live streams are mostly under geo-restrictions, and only a handful of countries has access to them.
Many see that as unfair, and we agree. Which is why we are making this guide on how to bypass these restrictions. By the time you finish reading this, you will know everything that you need to do in order to unlock all of the online content. And yes, that includes live streams of the races. So keep reading, and prepare to learn how to use a VPN and SmartDNS.
Where to watch Formula One in 2017
Before we continue with explanations, make sure that you truly don’t have access to any of these channels. There are free ones, as well as premium ones, that you have to pay for. Here are their lists:
Free streaming channels:
• Rai Play in Italy
• Channel 4 (40D) in the UK
• SRG in Switzerland
• ORF in Austria
Premium streaming channels:
• Sky Sports F1 in the UK
• TV3 in Denmark
• Sky Deutschland in Germany
• Canal Plus in France
• Sky Italia in Italy
• Fox Sports in Australia
• BeIN Sports in the Middle East
• Super Sport in South Africa
• HotStar in India
How to watch F1 live with a VPN
So, if you are sure that you can’t access any of those channels, then you are in the right place after all. But to understand how to use a VPN and how to bypass geo-restrictions, you first need to know what the problem is.
It is a fairly simple concept once you realize it. Basically, when the streaming service, or a channel, in this case, is only available in a certain country, they only allow that country’s IP addresses to access it. And since IP addresses have info about your location, they can tell where you are from.
So, when you try to access the channel, it reads your IP and denies you access. That means that your IP is the problem, and that’s what you need to change.
Doing so is easy through a VPN. VPNs are experts in protecting your privacy and making you anonymous. They do so in several ways, one of which is the ability to hide your IP, and assign you another one.
They do this every time when you use them, thanks to their servers that are safe in multiple countries around the world. All you need to do is connect to one of these servers, and they will give you the new IP, one that belongs to their region.
With a new IP, you can trick the channels into thinking that you are allowed to access them. They will let you watch the races, and the fun may go on.
Which VPN to use and how to set it up
Choosing a VPN probably sounds like the easiest part, but it is actually the hardest. This is mostly because there are so many providers that it can get pretty intimidating, especially if you are new to the VPN world. They all offer different features, and those who aren’t familiar with what to look for, as well as what to watch out for, might get confused and disoriented.
You don’t have to worry, however, because we have anticipated the problem, and the solution is already prepared. It comes in a form our own list of best VPNs for watching live streams, and those are GhostVPN, Private Internet Access, TorGuard, and IPVanish. They are the fastest, most secure VPN providers on the market, and you won’t make a mistake no matter which one you choose.
Setting them up is also extremely easy, and all you need to do is pick one of them, and go to their website. Once you get there, sign up and choose a payment method. They will cost you $5-$10 per month, but it is well worth it, considering how much they give in return.
When you sign up, download and install their app, then launch it, and log into it. All you need to do now is one of the servers that they offer, and try to find one in one of the countries from earlier. By connecting to that server, you will also get access to its channel. All that is left for you to do is to go to that channel and enjoy the races when they start.
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How to watch F1 live with a SmartDNS
Using a SmartDNS is another option that you have, but let us say right away that VPN is a much better choice. That’s because SmartDNS won’t encrypt your traffic like VPN does, and it basically won’t provide any protection. It doesn’t even mask your IP address.
It works by a different method, which includes redirecting part of your traffic. This will allow you to access some of these channels at once. However, we mentioned that you don’t have any sort of protection with a SmartDNS. Meaning, your ISP will know exactly what it is that you are doing.
And if they use transparent proxies or DNS hijacking, this method won’t even work for you. It is useful when you travel or use public networks, but for your home, we recommend a VPN.
Conclusion
Using a VPN is a great way for safe internet surfing, and it will also allow you access to restricted content. It is perfect for those who wish to watch live streams of these races, but can’t due to restrictions.
The internet has found a way, and all you need to do is use this knowledge. So, don’t hesitate, and get a VPN right now. Your entire connection will be safe, and you can have as much fun as you want with it. Hopefully, this guide was helpful to you. Enjoy!
