Skip advert
Advertisement

BBC Formula 1 coverage in danger

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has warned that the BBC could lose its free-to-air coverage completely.

BBC’s Formula 1 coverage in danger

Bernie Ecclestone has stated that the BBC’s coverage could be cut altogether after it was shown that the viewing figures from Sky’s dedicated F1 channel, about 1 million in the UK, are sufficient to satisfy teams and sponsors.

Ecclestone said to The Guardian: ‘We will never move all countries to pay per view only though it wouldn't make any difference here in the UK.’ This was following the news that broadcasting rights to show F1 in Italy have been sold to Sky Italia.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Currently, the BBC only has rights to show half of the races live, with the other half being condensed into hour-long highlights. The Sky F1 channel shows every race in full, and live with extensive analysis. This joint deal runs out in 2018.

Ecclestone went on to justify the statement, saying that in the UK, ‘Sky reaches over 10m. We don't get 10m on the BBC, normally about 6m or 7m.’

The current deal between Sky, the BBC and Ecclestone was forged when the previous Concorde agreement, which stated that F1 must be free-to-air, ran out in 2011.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024