Formula 1 races will proceed on ESPN Networks within the United States by the 2025 season.
A brand new multi-year contract renewal was introduced in Austin on the second of two US stops for F1 through the 2022 season.
Under the renewal, at the very least 16 races will air on ABC and ESPN every season, greater than within the earlier 5 years since F1 returned to ESPN networks in 2018. Also, all race telecasts on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will proceed the commercial-free presentation used over the previous 5 seasons.
In what could also be a harbinger of an as-yet unannounced however long-rumored on-line playing enterprise, the brand new settlement additionally offers ESPN flexibility to roll out further methods for US followers to discover F1 content material over the subsequent three years, together with on ESPN+. The firms stated particulars on which can be to be introduced later.
“Formula 1 and ESPN have been a strong and successful team and we’re delighted to extend our relationship,” stated Burke Magnus, ESPN President, Programming and Original Content. “We look forward to serving fans in some new and innovative ways in the next three years as we continue to bring the reach and relevance of the Walt Disney Company networks and platforms to Formula 1.”
After setting a report in 2021 for the most-viewed F1 season on US tv, with a median of 949,000 viewers per race, the common has moved into seven figures in 2022. Through 18 races, dwell F1 telecasts are averaging 1.2 million viewers on ESPN networks – with a number of occasions attracting race-record tv audiences.
Earlier this yr, the telecast of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix on ABC generated a median viewership of two.6 million, the most important US viewers on report for a dwell F1 race.
“We are delighted to announce that our partnership with ESPN will continue,” stated Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO at Formula 1. “Formula 1 has seen incredible growth in the United States with sold out events and record television audiences, and the addition of Las Vegas to the calendar next season, alongside Austin and Miami, will see us host three spectacular races there. The ESPN networks have played a huge part in that growth with their dedicated quality coverage. We are excited to expand our relationship and continue to bring the passion and excitement of Formula 1 to our viewers in the US together.”
“After Formula 1 returned to the ESPN networks five years ago, the popularity of the sport has grown impressively,” stated Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation, Formula 1. “The extension and expansion of our partnership is a reflection of exciting times ahead and a result of our shared desire to bring Formula 1 to as broad and diverse an audience as possible in the U.S. The popular commercial-free broadcasts ensure that viewers continue to engage with F1 before, during and after the race. From next year we will have six races in the Americas, which means more favorable time zones to fans in the region, making the Formula 1 offering more compelling than ever.”
All race weekends will proceed to incorporate dwell telecasts of all three follow periods and qualifying (together with the F1 Sprint) in addition to pre-race and post-race protection. The new settlement consists of an elevated concentrate on qualifying, with extra periods airing on ESPN or ESPN2.
ESPN Deportes will proceed because the Spanish-language dwelling of F1 within the US, and ESPN’s protection of F1 consists of a devoted web site that experiences on the championship year-round.
In addition, ESPN studio exhibits together with SportsHeart will proceed on-site protection from races within the US, together with the brand new occasion in Las Vegas for 2023, with protection at different races probably added. ESPN additionally will probably be creating further ancillary programming on its platforms to assist its F1 protection over the subsequent three years.
During every of the 5 seasons that F1 has been on ESPN networks since its return, the quantity of F1 content material on ESPN tv and digital platforms has steadily elevated. This yr, the Sky Sports F1 packages Ted’s Qualifying Notebook and Ted’s Race Notebook had been added, airing on ESPN3 throughout race weekends, and the video podcast program Unlapped started showing on the ESPN YouTube channel.
Formula 1 returned to its unique US tv dwelling in 2018 – the primary race aired within the nation was on ABC in 1962. F1 races additionally aired on ESPN from 1984-1997.
Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix will air dwell on ABC with protection starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. The subsequent occasion within the 2022 F1 season is the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, Oct. 30. The race will air dwell on ESPN at 3:55 p.m. ET.
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