HOT on the heels of their multi-year TV rights deal with Channel Ten and V8 Supercars that has left fans out in the cold (see separate story), Foxtel has nabbed live Formula 1 coverage – a move that is sure to fail to further endear the Pay TV giant with fans who only have access to free-to-air television.
The move is effective immediately, includes the up coming 2015 season, and means fans who stay up late to watch each F1 race on free-to-air TV (and who don’t have Foxtel) will miss out on full coverage of 10 races this season.
Just 10 races out of the 20 race season will be shown live on Channel Ten, with the remainder to be shown as one-hour highlights packages at 9.30pm on ONE on the Monday night after the race in a move similar to the Ten/Foxtel V8 Supercars deal.
Fox Sports will use Sky Sports stream to provide the coverage, normally only available to viewers in the UK.
The new broadcast deal kicks off with both networks sharing the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix on March 12-15. The full calendar is below, with who will show events live highlighted. The chosen live events will change each year.
2015 F1 Calendar
- March 13-15: Melbourne, Australia (FOX & TEN)
- March 27-29: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (FOX)
- April 10-12: Shanghai, China (FOX)
- April 17-19: Sakhir, Bahrain (FOX & TEN)
- May 8-10: Catalunya, Spain (FOX)
- May 22-24: Monte Carlo, Monaco (FOX & TEN)
- June 5-7: Montreal, Canada (FOX)
- June 19-21: Spielberg, Austria (FOX & TEN)
- July 3-5: Silverstone, Great Britain (FOX)
- July 17-19: TBA, Germany (FOX & TEN)
- July 24-26: Budapest, Hungary (FOX)
- August 21-23: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (FOX & TEN)
- September 4-6: Monza, Italy (FOX)
- September 18-20: Singapore (FOX & TEN)
- September 25-27: Suzuka, Japan (FOX)
- October 9-11: Sochi, Russia (FOX & TEN)
- October 23-25: Austin, United States (FOX)
- October 30-November 1: Mexico City, Mexico (FOX & TEN)
- November 13-15: Sao Paulo, Brazil (FOX)
- November 27-29: Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi (FOX & TEN)
Announced just hours ago, this news is being described as a disgrace, despite unprecedented access to what is considered the best TV coverage in F1.
It seems for motor racing fans in general, once again, a choice will have to be made, whether to follow the coverage to Pay TV, or be stuck with an inferior option.
I wouldn’t mind paying if there were no ads, that’s what is killing sport. Unless I can be there I will get my results from radio or the net, we do have the ultimate power it’s called a remote, use it to switch off.