Formula 1 has confirmed that Sky Italia will broadcast F1 live in a new three-year deal, but its German counterpart has pulled the plug on F1.
While Sky Italia receives exclusive broadcast and digital rights until 2020, Italian F1 fans will unfortunately suffer a cut-back in free-to-air coverage as state broadcaster RAI, a partner of F1 for practically half a century, failed to reach a deal with F1.
Viewers will benefit from a limited free-to-air coverage however as TV8, a subsidiary of Sky, picks up four races, including the Italian Grand Prix.
"It is very important to have reached this agreement which will ensure that all the races will be broadcast live," said F1 media right's boss Ian Holmes.
"Also, it is crucial to have maintained a free to air package of rights, which will always include the Italian Grand Prix, part of the Formula 1 World Championship since its origins in 1950.
"Sky Italia has shown a great commitment to the sport and will offer the Italian fans a deeper and broader experience than ever before, more hours and more quality analysis across Sky’s channels and platforms."
Germany is set to follow an opposite direction from Italy, with pay-channel Sky Deutschland dropping its F1 coverage after failing to agree terms with Liberty Media, the company's CEO Carsten Schmidt announced in New York.
Free-to-air broadcaster RTL will pick up the mantle however and continue its live broadcasting of all races, although likely interspersed with ad breaks, until 2020.
Just two months before the season kicks off in Melbourne, Formula 1 has yet to release specific details about its new OTT streaming services and disclose the European countries where the service will eventually be rolled out in 2018.
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