Sky has released details of what Formula One fans can expect from their coverage of the sport next season. Starting in March 2012, Sky Sports F1 will be the only way UK fans will be able to enjoy live coverage of the whole of the F1 season, including all practice and qualifying sessions.
A Sky Sports press release has promised fans that every race will be shown live, in HD, without any adverts and every practice and qualifying session will be shown. Sky Sports will also be showing a wealth of F1 programmes including interviews, footage from the archives and a weekly magazine show.
F1 fans will also be able to follow on-board cameras, go behind the scenes with teams in the pits, and follow race data, thanks to Sky’s interactive service.
Subscribers to Sky’s Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 or HD channels will be able to view all the F1 races without having to incur additional cost. Sky Sports viewers who do not have the HD pack will be able to watch the races in standard definition. Sky Sports F1 HD viewers can also follow the action wherever they are with all live coverage on Sky Go, through online, mobile or tablet devices, at no extra charge.
Announcing the new channel, Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said: “Formula 1 TM followers are hungry for more and we want to give them the ultimate experience. It’s not just every minute of every race but a channel devoted to Formula 1 TM. We can now tell the whole story of the season, from every Grand Prix TM, from start to finish. Formula 1 TM will get the full Sky Sports treatment.
“We have big plans for live shows and a rich line-up of Formula 1 TM programmes; getting to the drivers, exploring the technology and lapping up the drama.
“With a dedicated channel for Formula 1 we can also give all sports fans the depth and breadth of sports they demand every weekend, right through the year.”
Jeremy Darroch, Sky’s Chief Executive, added: “This brand new channel again proves Sky’s commitment to investing in the best content for customers. It will give even more value to Sky customers and create another reason for others to consider pay TV.
“This is another example of the value we are creating for customers through our content leadership. It follows the recent launch of other high-quality new channels like Sky Atlantic and Sky 3D as well as our growing commitment to UK original content in areas such as drama, comedy and the arts.”
