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The longest season in Formula 1 history gets underway this weekend, with the Bahrain Grand Prix marking the first of 23 races in 2023.
F1 fans will be able to watch the race on Sunday live on Sky Sports F1, with people in the US able to tune in via ESPN. Both channels require a subscription fee, meaning fans that are unable or unwilling to pay may seek out alternative free live streams of the race.
While some may look to use virtual private network (VPN) software to access the race in countries where it is free to stream, such as Austria and Belgium (RTBF and ServusTV), many more are predicted to use illicit live streaming sites and services to watch the F1 opener for free.
This has become an increasingly popular trend, with millions of people around the world …