Sky Sports F1
| Sky Sports F1 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | 9 March 2012 |
| Owned by | Sky plc |
| Picture format |
16:9, 576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) 2160i (UHDTV) (from 2017) |
| Audience share | 0.22% (October 2016, BARB) |
| Slogan | Your Home of Formula 1 |
| Country | United Kingdom, Ireland |
| Sister channel(s) |
Challenge, Pick, Real Lives, Sky 1, Sky 2, Sky Arts, Sky Atlantic, Sky Cinema, Sky Cinema Box Office, Sky Living, Sky News, Sky Sports, Sky Sports News HQ |
| Website | f1 |
|
Availability
|
|
| Satellite | |
| Sky | Channel 408 (SD/HD) Channel 473 (SD) On Demand |
| Cable | |
|
Virgin Media (UK) |
Channel 508 (HD) Channel 518 Sky Anytime |
| IPTV | |
| TalkTalk TV | Channel 407 |
| Streaming media | |
| Sky Go |
Watch live (UK and Ireland only) |
| Virgin TV Anywhere | Watch live (UK only) |
| Now TV | Watch live (UK only) |
Sky Sports F1 is a television channel created exclusively for Sky's UK coverage of Formula One, with Sky having a package of UK rights from the 2012 season to the 2018 season. From 2019 to 2024, Sky Sports F1 will have the exclusive rights to live Formula 1, and will sub-licence the British Grand Prix plus highlights and qualifying sessions of all races on a free-to-air basis on a free to air channel, expected to be Sky Sports Mix. From 2017, Sky Sports F1 will broadcast Formula 1 in UHD for the first time.
BBC initially had exclusive UK rights from 2009 until the end of the 2013 season, having regained the rights from ITV. However, because of the licence fee freeze and resultant review of cost constraints, it was believed that BBC were to leave F1 after the 2011 season.
A new broadcast rights deal was announced on 29 July 2011, stating that Sky Sports would cover all races live, (half of which would be exclusively live). Both Sky and BBC would cover the remaining races live including the British Grand Prix and final race. It also allowed BBC to show highlights of all races, (including the other races that they did not have live rights to cover).
Subsequently on 21 December 2015, it was announced that BBC would be ending their broadcast rights three seasons early after the 2015 season with the free to air rights to 10 live races and highlights of all 21 races going to Channel 4. However, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will continue to broadcast live commentary of the whole season, including practice, qualifying and the races until the 2021 season.
Prior to the launch of the channel, there was some controversy about switching Formula One coverage at least in part to pay television, as the BBC brought Sky into the discussions a few days before the deal was announced, despite reported interest from Channel 4. However, since its launch, similar channels have launched in Germany and Italy (to name but two) and had seen further moves towards a pay TV/free-to-air coverage mix by FOM (the Formula 1 rights holder).
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Wikipedia