Categories: 2016 SeasonF1 News, Reports and Race Results

BBC confirms it is dropping F1 coverage, Channel 4 steps in

The BBC has confirmed it will no longer broadcast Formula One as part of a cost saving initiative, with Channel 4 taking over the rights in the UK.

Having originally held full exclusive rights to cover F1 in the UK since 2009, the BBC agreed to share with Sky Sports from 2012 in order to cut costs, retaining just half of the races live. However, BBC Sport has been asked to save £35million from 2016 and has terminated its contract to broadcast F1 as it represents a large percentage of the required saving.

"The current financial position of the BBC means some tough and unwanted choices have to be made," said Barbara Slater, the BBC's director of sport.

"A significant chunk of BBC Sport's savings target will be delivered through the immediate termination of our TV rights agreement for Formula 1.

"Any decision to have to stop broadcasting a particular sport or sporting event is hugely disappointing and taken reluctantly. There are no easy solutions; all of the options available would be unpopular with audiences."

Despite ITV having been tipped to take over the deal last week, the BBC has announced Channel 4 will broadcast Formula One for the first time.

Channel 4 confirmed via Twitter it will take over the three remaining years of the BBC contract and promises to show races live without ad breaks.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.