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Sky Sports F1

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Sky Sports F1
CountryUnited Kingdom
Ownership
OwnerBritish Sky Broadcasting

Sky Sports F1 is channel created especially for BSkyB's UK coverage of Formula One, with Sky having a package of UK rights from the 2012 season to the 2018 season.[1]

In November 2011, Sky announced the new dedicated F1 channel which will launch in March 2012,[2] and will air all F1 races with coverage of practice sessions, qualifying and the race, live and commercial free.[3] In February 2012, it was announced that Sky Sports F1 would broadcast the GP2 and GP3 series live on the channel.

Background

The BBC initially had exclusive UK rights from 2009 until the end of the 2013 season,[4] but because of the licence fee freeze and resultant review of cost constraints, the BBC were expected to leave F1 after the 2011 season.

A new broadcast rights deal was announced on 29 July 2011, that Sky Sports would cover all races live, whilst BBC Sport would cover 10 live including the British Grand Prix and show highlights of the other 10.[5][6] 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.

There was a lot of controversy about switching Formula One coverage at least in part to pay television,[7] as the BBC brought Sky into the discussions a few days before the deal was announced despite a rival bid from Channel 4.

Commentary team

On 9 December 2011, Sky announced their coverage team for the 2012 season.[8] The presentation team consists of:

  • Simon Lazenby – Presenter for main F1 shows of qualifying and race day.
  • Martin Brundle – Commentator for qualifying and race day, will also provide grid-walk and punditry before race. Previously covered F1 on ITV between 1997–2008 and on the BBC from 2009–2011. He will do his famous grid walk on every 20 races of the 2012 season. He will also provide expert analysis on races and will provide his opinion.
  • Anthony Davidson – Commentator on practice and race day pundit. Previously covered F1 on ITV for one race in 2006, and on BBC Radio 5 Live from 2008–2011. He will commentate alongside David Croft for the forthcoming 2012 season.
  • David Croft – Commentator on practice sessions, qualifying and race day. Previously covered F1 on BBC Radio 5 Live from 2006–2011. He will commentate on every session of the across the weekend, Practice, Qualifying and indeed the Race. He will also be head commentator for practice along side Anthony Davidson and co-commentator for qualifying and the race.
  • Ted Kravitz – Pitlane reporter and will also host an F1 Magazine programme. Previously covered F1 on ITV from 2002–2008 and on the BBC from 2009–2011. He will give any bits of gossip down from the pitlane. He has being providing excellent information for years.
  • Natalie Pinkham – Pitlane reporter. Previously held similar role on BBC Radio 5 Live in 2011. She will be providing the key information that viewers will need.
  • Steve Rider – Presenter for Legends interviews programme. Previously host of Formula One occasionally on the BBC from 1985–1996 and on ITV from 2006–2008.
  • Georgie Thompson – Presenter for F1 Magazine show with Ted Kravitz.
  • Damon Hill – Expert analyst who will provide insight from ten races throughout the year (Australia, Bahrain, Monaco, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, India, USA and Brazil).

Availability

Sky Sports F1 HD is exclusive to Sky and will be provided to all Sky customers who take the HD pack.[9] Subscribers to all of the Sky Sports channels without Sky's HD pack will receive a standard definition version.[10] Both Virgin Media and Smallworld Cable will offer the standard definition version of the channel to Sky Sports subscribers only, it is not available separately.[11][12] The channel will also be provided through Sky Go.

None of the 2012 races will be aired on Sky 3D, as Formula One Management do not offer a 3D feed.

Launch

On 13 January 2012, Sky Sports F1 released an advert saying Sky Sports F1 and F1 HD will be launched on 9 March 2012, seven days before the start of the 2012 Formula One season. During 2012, the channel will run between 9 March and 30 November and will be on air for sixty-three hours during race weeks and thirty-two hours during non-race weeks.[13] Sky Sports F1 announced via Twitter that there will not be a dedicated Sky Sports F1 app, however the F1 section on the Sky Sports News app will be enhanced.[14]

Support races

In February 2012, it was announced that Sky Sports F1 would also broadcast a number of support races live.[15] Support races announced so far include:

  • GP2 - Formula 1 feeder series. Previous champions include Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean. The 12-round 2012 GP2 series will begin in Malaysia on 23-25 March and follows a global circuit through 10 countries. Sky Sports F1 will show the two races per weekend; a feature race and a shorter sprint race.
  • GP3 - Single seater motor racing series launched in 2010 as a feeder series for the GP2 series.

Sky Sports will take the World Feed Commentary for GP2 and GP3 which come from Will Buxton who is usually joined by various co-commentators (mainly F1 Reserve drivers such as Karun Chandhok last year).

2012 Formula One season

The forthcoming 2012 season will start on 16 March (live practice) from the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Australia. Sky Sports will broadcast every practice session, qualifying session and race live. The season will pass 19 countries on the way. Formula One will visit the United States for a Grand Prix taking place in Austin, Texas at the brand new Circuit of the Americas. The season will come to a end at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix on 25 November 2012.

Sky Sports News

For the forthcoming Formula One season Sky Sports News will have two F1 pit-lane reporters; these are Rachel Brooks and Craig Slater. They will be giving exclusive content to SSN viewers on the latest and updated Formula One news.

References

  1. ^ "F1 coming to Sky Sports". Sky Sports. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Sky Sports launches F1 channel". UK: Sky Sports. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  3. ^ Mills, Adam (13 December 2011). "Q&A with Sky F1". BadgerGP.com. Badger GP. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Formula One Administration Ltd announces new BBC Agreement". Formula1.com. 20 March 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  5. ^ Gallop, Ben (29 July 2011). "New F1 deal explained". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  6. ^ Plunkett, John (29 July 2011). "BBC and Sky to share F1 broadcast rights". guardian.co.uk. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  7. ^ Duncan, Philip (2 September 2011). "BBC/Sky F1 deal under scrutiny amid growing unrest from furious fans". Daily Mail. Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Sky Reveal 2012 Team". UK: Sky Sports. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Sky Sports F1 coming to Virgin Media". Digital Spy. 16 January 2012.
  10. ^ "Sky Sports F1 TM HD – The Ultimate Formula 1 TM Experience". BSkyB. 25 November 2011.
  11. ^ "Formula 1 fans on pole with Virgin Media and Sky Sports F1". Virgin Media. 16 January 2012.
  12. ^ "We will offered ..." Twitter. 12 December 2011.
  13. ^ "F1 HAS A BRAND NEW HOME" (PDF). Sky Media. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2012.
  14. ^ "A dedicated F1 app ..." Twitter. 12 January 2012.
  15. ^ "Sky Sports to show GP2 & GP3". Sky Sports. 2 February 2012.
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