What channel is Formula 1 on today? TV schedule, start time for 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Sporting News is tracking live updates, highlights and more from today's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. You can follow along here.

The Formula 1 finale is here.

The 2021 Formula 1 season has been one for the ages: There's been drama, there's been excitement, there's been new races in new places. But more than anything, there's been the championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

The Red Bull and Mercedes drivers have scrapped, clawed and crashed to a shared 369.5 point lead heading into the final F1 race of the 2021 calendar: Whether it was at the devastation at Silverstone or the questionable tactics in Saudi Arabia, there's been no quit in both drivers in the race for the title.

MORE: Watch Formula 1 live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

A season of crashes, mishaps, time penalties and dust-ups between Verstappen and Hamilton must have Netflix salivating, and unlike some moments of "Drive to Survive" the drama has been organic all season long. The war of words between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have added fuel to the fire, while history hangs in the balance for both Hamilton and Verstappen.

Now, they bring their title fight to Abu Dhabi, for the final race in the 2021 F1 season: Verstappen took home the honors in 2020, but will have a long way to go to unseat Hamilton, a five-time Yas Marina circuit winner.

It's lights out, and away we go for the 2021 Formula 1 world championship.

Here's what you need to know for this weekend's F1 finale:

What channel is the F1 race on today?

  • Race: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
  • Date:  Sunday, Dec. 12
  • TV channel:  ESPN2
  • Live stream: fuboTV /ESPN+

The ESPN family of networks will broadcast all 2021 F1 races in the United States using Sky Sports' feed, with select races airing on ABC later earlier the season.

ESPN Deportes serves as the exclusive Spanish-language home for all 2021 F1 races in the U.S.

What time does the F1 race start today?

  • Date: Sunday, Dec. 12
  • Start time: 8 a.m. ET

The 8 a.m. ET start time for Sunday's race means the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will start at 5:00 p.m. local time. Lights out will likely take place just after 8 am. ET. ESPN's prerace show usually airs in the hour before the start of the race.

Below is the complete TV schedule for the weekend's F1 events at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. All times are Eastern.

Date Event Time TV channel
Friday, Dec. 10 Practice 1 4:30 a.m. ESPNU
Friday, Dec. 10 Practice 2 8 a.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Dec. 11 Practice 3 5 a.m. ESPN2
Saturday, Dec. 11 Qualifying 8 a.m. ESPN2
Sunday, Dec. 12 Race 8 a.m. ESPN2

Formula 1 live stream for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

For those who don't have a cable or satellite subscription, there are five major OTT TV streaming options that carry ESPN — fuboTV, Sling, Hulu, YouTubeTV and AT&T Now. Of the five, Hulu, fuboTV and YouTubeTV offer free-trial options.

Below are links to each.

For those who do have a cable or satellite subscription but are not in front of a TV, Formula 1 races in 2021 can be streamed live via phones, tablets and other devices on the ESPN app with authentication.

Formula 1 schedule 2021

In all, there are 23 scheduled races  in the 2021 F1 season, with the Portuguese Grand Prix sliding onto the docket the first week in March. The originally scheduled Vietnam Grand Prix was removed after the arrest of  Nguyen Duc Chung, while the Chinese Grand Prix is up in the air. It was originally scheduled for April 11 but will likely not take place this season.

The Singapore Grand Prix was also removed from the schedule, with the Turkish Grand Prix returning to the schedule in its stead.

All races will be broadcast in the U.S. on the ESPN family of networks, with the United States Grand Prix and Mexico City Grand Prix both airing on ABC.

Please note: The on-the-hour start times do not include the broadcast start time, which is typically five minutes before the start of the race. Times do not include ESPN's customary prerace shows.

MORE: Live stream F1 races all season on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Here's the latest schedule:

Date Race Course Start time (ET) TV channel Winner
March 28 Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain International Circuit 11 a.m. ESPN2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
April 18 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari 9 a.m. ESPN Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
May 2 Portuguese Grand Prix Algarve International Circuit 10 a.m. ESPN Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
May 9 Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 9 a.m. ESPN Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
May 23 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco 9 a.m. ESPN2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
June 6 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Baku City Circuit 8 a.m. ESPN Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
June 20 French Grand Prix Circuit Paul Ricard 9 a.m. ESPN Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
June 27 Styrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring 9 a.m. ESPN Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
July 4 Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring 9 a.m. ESPN Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
July 18 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit 10 a.m. ESPN Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Aug. 1 Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring 9 a.m. ESPN Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Aug. 29 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 9 a.m. ESPN2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Sept. 5 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort 9 a.m. ESPN2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Sept. 12 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza 9 a.m. ESPN2 Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren)
Sept. 26 Russian Grand Prix Sochi Autodrom 8 a.m. ESPN2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Oct. 10 Turkish Grand Prix Intercity Istanbul Park 8 a.m. ESPN2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Oct. 24 United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas 3 p.m. ABC Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Nov. 7 Mexico City Grand Prix Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez 2 p.m. ABC Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Nov. 14 São Paulo Grand Prix Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace Noon ESPN2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Nov. 21 Qatar Grand Prix Losail International Circuit 9 a.m. ESPNews Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Dec. 5 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Jeddah Street Circuit 12:30 p.m. ESPN2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Dec. 12 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit 8 a.m. ESPN2 TBD
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