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The BBC, F1's free-to-air British broadcaster, looks set to drop its coverage of the sport. The broadcaster has warned that it must cut costs, but F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone recently refused to renegotiate the BBC's ongoing contract.
And so British newspapers are reporting that the BBC, whose coverage has involved well-known F1 personalities including David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan, is set to be replaced from 2016 by ITV. ITV, which looks set to share the coverage from now on with Britain's existing pay broadcaster Sky, had the exclusive rights to F1 between 1997 and 2008.
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The Telegraph said Ecclestone "is almost certain to demand (from the BBC) a termination fee that could run into millions of pounds". The Daily Mail added: "It made no sense in the financial climate for the Beeb to be junior grand prix partners to Sky."
The BBC, ITV and Ecclestone all declined to comment. (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
Replies (6)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
R.I.P F1, -2016. You lived a good life until Ecclestone took it away.
James Raven
Posts: 2,443
Well, limited to summaries, loads of commercials and bad commenting....
James Raven
Posts: 2,443
Formula 1 will survive. But I might quit. Watched it since 1979 so perhaps BBC will do summaries?
khasmir
Posts: 893
Nooooo, plz nooooo...
I have been watching F1 on TV for nearly as long as I can remember on BBC and also on ITV with the excellent commentary from Murray Walker, until he retired. Now we can't get ITV anymore over here for free and Sky is not an option.
All that remains is a small and low quality Sky stream online... :'(
I could watch F1 on TV in French and with horrible commentary, but that is also not an option because it makes my blood boil and after 5 minutes my head would explode.
Pompey
Posts: 84
I'll stick with the excellent Sky F1 channel, slick, professional, the best F1 pundits on TV. Three days of full coverage and an uninterrupted race.
f1dave
Posts: 782
I agree Sky F1 is the best.