> Channel 4 will broadcast the Formula One season finale live on Sunday after reaching a deal with Sky to share the television rights.
> The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be winner-takes-all for Lewis Hamilton, 36, and Max Verstappen, 24, with the pair level on points in the drivers’ standings. It will be a record eighth title for the Englishman if he wins.
> Sky has the rights to show all the races live, while Channel 4 is normally limited to a highlights package, though does broadcast the British Grand Prix live. The Times understands that a deal has been reached in which the satellite broadcaster will share the rights to Sunday’s race.
> Channel 4 will do a 30-minute pre-race show and will then switch to Sky’s commentary for the race, which will be followed by another 30-minute show with the Channel 4 team. The terrestrial channel will still air its highlights programme. A deal is expected to be announced on Thursday.
> There has been growing interest in F1 as the intensity of the battle between Hamilton and Verstappen has ramped up. The chaotic race on Sunday in Saudi Arabia attracted a record audience on Sky Sports F1, peaking at 2.66 million — the highest figure since Sky bought the rights ten years ago.
> It will not be the first time that Sky has shared the finale of a significant sporting event with Channel 4: it did so for England’s triumph in the men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019.
> More recently, Prime Video agreed to let Channel 4 screen the women’s final of the US Open tennis tournament, won by Emma Raducanu in September.
> Not since 1974 have the title protagonists arrived at the F1 season finale on equal points. If neither driver finishes the race then Verstappen will win his maiden title by virtue of countback, with nine grand prix wins to Hamilton’s eight. Should Hamilton win his eighth world title he will move clear of Michael Schumacher, though the Briton is already the most successful racing driver in F1 history, with the most race wins and pole positions. By Rebecca Clancy.
Calling it now, massive first corner pile up that takes out Hamilton, Verstappen and both their team mates. Bonus points if one of those 4 is borderline to blame and we get the spectacle of the title being decided by the stewards and or the Court of Arbitration For Sport…
I hope I’m wrong and it’s a clean race, but after Verstappen’s performance in the last race I can see him causing both of them to crash just so he can win by default
So, basically the same thing ESPN has done all year in the US?
Edit: I was just asking if it was the same kind of deal.
4 comments
> Channel 4 will broadcast the Formula One season finale live on Sunday after reaching a deal with Sky to share the television rights.
> The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be winner-takes-all for Lewis Hamilton, 36, and Max Verstappen, 24, with the pair level on points in the drivers’ standings. It will be a record eighth title for the Englishman if he wins.
> Sky has the rights to show all the races live, while Channel 4 is normally limited to a highlights package, though does broadcast the British Grand Prix live. The Times understands that a deal has been reached in which the satellite broadcaster will share the rights to Sunday’s race.
> Channel 4 will do a 30-minute pre-race show and will then switch to Sky’s commentary for the race, which will be followed by another 30-minute show with the Channel 4 team. The terrestrial channel will still air its highlights programme. A deal is expected to be announced on Thursday.
> There has been growing interest in F1 as the intensity of the battle between Hamilton and Verstappen has ramped up. The chaotic race on Sunday in Saudi Arabia attracted a record audience on Sky Sports F1, peaking at 2.66 million — the highest figure since Sky bought the rights ten years ago.
> It will not be the first time that Sky has shared the finale of a significant sporting event with Channel 4: it did so for England’s triumph in the men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019.
> More recently, Prime Video agreed to let Channel 4 screen the women’s final of the US Open tennis tournament, won by Emma Raducanu in September.
> Not since 1974 have the title protagonists arrived at the F1 season finale on equal points. If neither driver finishes the race then Verstappen will win his maiden title by virtue of countback, with nine grand prix wins to Hamilton’s eight. Should Hamilton win his eighth world title he will move clear of Michael Schumacher, though the Briton is already the most successful racing driver in F1 history, with the most race wins and pole positions. By Rebecca Clancy.
Calling it now, massive first corner pile up that takes out Hamilton, Verstappen and both their team mates. Bonus points if one of those 4 is borderline to blame and we get the spectacle of the title being decided by the stewards and or the Court of Arbitration For Sport…
I hope I’m wrong and it’s a clean race, but after Verstappen’s performance in the last race I can see him causing both of them to crash just so he can win by default
So, basically the same thing ESPN has done all year in the US?
Edit: I was just asking if it was the same kind of deal.