BBC announces F1 coverage schedule for 2012
November 25, 2011 · 27 Comments
The BBC has revealed its coverage plans for all Formula 1 races in 2012, after Sky Sports announced the launch of their dedicated Formula 1 channel from March 2012.
BBC One will broadcast 10 races from the 2012 season live, including the British, Monaco and season-ending Brazilian grands prix. Of the other 10, there will be extended highlights programmes on BBC One, of either 90-minute or two-hour duration depending on race location.
Races in the Far Eastern time zone will have highlights broadcast on BBC One at 2pm, with those in the European time zone getting 90 minutes at 5.30pm.
The races that will be shown live on BBC One and BBC HD are: China (15 April), Spain (13 May), Monaco (27 May), Europe (24 June), Britain (8 July), Belgium (2 September), Singapore (23 September), Korea (14 October), Abu Dhabi (4 November) and Brazil (25 November).
The BBC’s coverage of all the live races will be as extensive as ever, with all the action on and off the track across TV, radio, online, red button and mobile. There will be full live coverage of both qualifying and race on BBC One, BBC One HD and the BBC Sport website, plus a one-hour evening highlights programme on BBC Three and BBC HD. For these races, all three practice sessions will be shown live on the red button and the website. The F1 Forum will continue on the red button for about an hour of comment and analysis after the programme.
The presentation team will be at all the races, including those that are not being broadcast live on BBC television. Full details of the team will be revealed at a later date.
For those races in the Far East time zone which take place early in the morning in the UK, two hours of highlights will be shown at 2pm.
For races which are run at a time that is early afternoon in the UK, 90 minutes of highlights will be shown at 5.30pm. Schedules are subject to change.
The full narrative of the weekend, including live text and audio commentary, news, interviews, pictures and highlights of all sessions on track, will also be available on the BBC Sport website and there will be live coverage of both qualifying and the race on radio. All 20 grands prix will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live or 5 Live Sports Extra.
The BBC Sport website and red button will broadcast live coverage of every second of on-track action for all the races that are live on BBC One and will have highlights of the others.
In summary, BBC F1 coverage for 2012 will be as follows:
- Extended highlights (90 mins) on BBC One and BBC One HD, 5pm for European time zone races and (120 mins) 2pm for early morning races
- Qualifying: Extended highlights (75 mins) BBC One and BBC One HD, Saturdays at 5.30pm for European time zone races and 1pm for early morning races (Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying and highlights will be on BBC Two and BBC HD).
- Live BBC races – all live on-track sessions streamed live on Red Button and on the BBC Sport website. Interactive forum on Red Button for an hour after each live race.
Sky Sports will screen all races live, 10 of which will be exclusive to the satellite broadcaster, they are as follows (Live BBC coverage in bold) :
Australian GP – Sky
Malaysian GP – Sky
Chinese GP – BBC & Sky
Bahrain GP – Sky
Spanish GP – BBC & Sky
Monaco GP – BBC & Sky
Canadian GP – Sky
European GP – BBC & Sky
British GP – BBC & Sky
German GP – Sky
Hungarian GP – Sky
Belgian GP – BBC & Sky
Italian GP – Sky
Singapore GP – BBC & Sky
Japanese GP – Sky
Korean GP – BBC & Sky
Indian GP – Sky
Abu Dhabi GP – BBC & Sky
United States GP – Sky
Brazilian GP – BBC & Sky
What do you think of the F1 coverage plans for 2012 ? Will you stay loyal to the BBC coverage of races or will you be a convert to Sky’s dedicated F1 channel, tell us in the comments box below.
Tags: BBC One, BBC Sport, British Grand Prix, F1 Forum, Formula 1, Monaco
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I think this TV deal is not good for the arm chair fan. Sky seems to rule the roost when it comes to the financial clout. I suppose I will have to get used to it
I have to say it’ll be interesting to see how this contract develops with viewing figures etc. I do think this is the way most sporting contracts are going now though, two broadcasters of which one is a terretrial partner and the other a pay one. Look at other sports for example, bdo darts, fa cup football, etc.
If I have read the press coverage correctly over this, it was the BBC who approached sky to cover formula 1 for the forseeable future. So why have sky got the lions share of the coverage, why not cover 10 races each? The USA race is in doubt, so that is one less race sky has exclusive coverage of. sky has just announced they will be launching a dedicated channel to cover formula 1, which will probably cost current subscribers more mony to subscribe to. Martin Brundle has just announced that he is going to sky, I do hope that the remaining presenters stay with the BBC. I for one will not be shelling out money to watch Formula 1 on sky.
Another sport domination by the Murdoch empire the reason why I wont subscribe to SKY TV . The best thing to happen is get them out of the newspaper industry in this country as well
I can’t believe Sky have got their hands on F1. I won’t be paying to watch the races.
Bad news..
I too will not be paying any more money to the greedy empire that is sky sports! I am fed up with the way they are dominating our television screens, formula 1 will be riddled with adverts as is every other sport watched on sky. Now espn have taken my beloved darts from the BBC, what next?
Many people I’ve spoken too are really upset about this and a lot of us can’t afford to pay for extra channels. I just got rid of the sports channels as there wasn’t anything worth watching and it was costing to much so why should I have to pay for just Formula 1 it’s not fair.
As dedicated F1 Fan, I won’t be bothering with 2012 F1, since Sly has got involved I’m just not interested anymore. Another F1 Fan lost R.I.P F1.
I agree I will never put any money in the pocket of SKY
My dad is in his 70′s and doesnt have Sky, he looks forward to watching th F1 on a weekend when it starts, and he says hes not getting Sky to watch it. So i agree with Debbie, why take something off the BBC when everyone has this channel MADNESS!!! x
I am so sick of satellite channels taking sport that was previously shown in full on BBC TV and also of the BBC for allowing this to happen, two most recent examples being, THE BDO World Darts Chamionship and now HALF of the F1 season. What’s NEXT BBC? MOTOGP? What exactly do sports fans get from a tv licence fee now? Not a lot unless u want to watch tennis, rugby or athletics, oh and euro 2012 or the Olympics woop dee doo. Come on BBC I’ve watched F1 for years every race and Qualifying every season. Some people can’t afford sky and the extra fee for HD so they can watch all the races. Once again it looks like ordinary sports fans are being given the big F.U. By the BBC. It’s about time the government stopped sky taking everything off of terrestrial tv and also ditched the licence fee because it just isnt worth it anymore
I am keen on Formula One and have followed it avidly over many decades now, good times and bad. I am absolutely not prepared to start paying for it on Sky. As long as the BBC has something worthwhile to watch I’ll stay with it. I really do hope Bernie and co catch a cold over this, although I doubt it. So much for a regard for the fans, those with money, but not those without.
What’s the point in watching half a season, don’t think I’ll bother this year, Thanks Sky!!
As usual with sports, greed has taken over. Bernie Ecclestone sbould be thoroughly ashamed of himself and his shallow need for even more billions. He’s effectively told f1 fans that they are irrelevant, unnecessary and worthless. The bbc are equally to blame, what on earth are we paying our tv licence for? Rubbish repeats, stupid soaps and reality shows. BBC you have let us all down by letting f1 go, along with the many other sports that you are too tight fisted to cover. I will not pay greedy Sky a penny more. Bernie Ecclestone can stuff f1 where the sun does not shine unless he listens to his many ex
loyal supporters without whom his sport would not have been such a success. Rip f1, goodbye.
I love my F1 but I refuse to pay sky for the privilege of watching it. I am really really upset that the bbc have let us down. reminds me of that abba song “money money money” well, I hope it’s one huge flop this year and somebody loses all that money.
I agree with quite a few of the previous comments and wonder why the BBC were not forced to offer the “share” with other TV companies. Ch4 I believe were prepared to go in with it. But NO, F1 fans along with other sports fans are to suffer again at the expense of money grabbing people looking to make more.
Not all people want Sky, especially for one sport they like be it football or F1.
If no-one paid for these sports channels we would get them as bundles with standard services be it Sky, Virgin or BBC / ITV. Interesting that Sky are only allowing Virgin the standard F1 channel (not HD) as long as it is sold as part of the sports package – Cost, an extra £22.50 P/M just to get 10 races on the f1 channel. Now that is a con by Sky.
Im a motor sport fan and slowly seeing all these disappear from terrestial free view TV.I have lots of channels all filled with soaps reality quiz and popular films repeated again and again.The BBC were first class with F1. A Top politician once said “all main sporting events will always be free to view on TV” He just never said half of it.
Being now in my 60s and a very keen F1 fan since I was a young lad. Murry Walker’s memorable commentary was synonymous for many of those years. That was until it went over to the commercial channel and we were all subjected to the infuriating advertising garbage every few minuets. Back to the Beeb with superb coverage from Martin, Eddie and DC and no annoying commercials. The last three or four seasons have been the greatest in F1 for many years too. Now poor old Bernie being a pensioner in these hard times decides he needs to fill his coffers a little more. Well listen up Bernie, me and many millions of dedicated F1 fans are not going to ripped off by paying Sky. You have deprived many people of few pleasures in life for the young and older citizens who are not as fortunate as you.
I’ve been a dedicated F1 viewer for many years,ITV was pathetic,BBC was first class, what a mess now Murdoch has got his grubby little hands on even more sport,& that bloke Ecclestone should have F1 taken off him, he must be the greediest man
an on the planet, with nothing but contempt for loyal F1 fans.I will not be paying for SKY sport on principal.
I’ve been a big fan of F1 on TV for many years. However I am very disappointed with the arrangements for 2012 and beyond (presumably). Basically, I do not subscribe to SKY and have no intention of doing so just to watch F1. As a result I see myself loosing interest in the sport simply because I won’t be able to watch all the races on terrestrial TV.
I believe there will a fairly large number of followers like me who will fall by the wayside never to watch the sport again. Therefore it is my considered view that the decision to only cover some of the races on terrestrial TV was flawed and will result in fewer viewers overall.
Obviously, the decision to change to Satellite pay TV was one that suited F1 as it boosted there income. Hopefully, they will realize their error when viewing figures fall and SKY dump them.
The BBC and the terrestial channels in this country need to get a grip. The entire entertainment industry bleats on about piracy. I remember when Virgin subscribers were shafted when mid season the series Lost was suddenly taken off in a legal dispute with Sky. Now Sky has all the live races with the Beeb only having half. No wonder people download these things I know I will and I urge others to too. I have followed F1 on ITV and BBC for many years. I won’t get Sky and pay the BBC licence fee as well so no Sky for me. But BBC race coverage this year will suck and to lose Brundle, they had a dream team worked together great. Still if most people download F1 coverage this year at least it will deprive Sky.
BBC keep F1. Get rid of the wishy washy soaps, reality rubbish and repeats that cost a fortune and have no bearing on real life or they could just give in and let Sky take over everything! At least then i could download all channels from foreign satellite channels without Sky being able to charge anything about it!
Freesat and Freeview have nothing to offer, all the decent programmes have been robbed by SKY, the number one name in greed.
Greed the scourge of the 21st century.
it is appalling.
I have cancelled all my subscription services to sky, and I wont be paying virgin more to see a few extra races, why of why did we let the BBC get F! back only to give it away to SKY. well done BEEB ….NOT!
I think its sad that sky take over major sporting events but thats commercial forces,however i still have a choice and WILL NOT become a subscriber to something i used to get for the price of a license fee.
I am sad to see the way F1 has gone to Sky.
I possibly would pay for Sky, but not just for F1. I don’t watch TV in general, just films, so Sky would be a total extravagance!
I’m not buying Sky just to watch F1, so the BBC and Ecclestone have ruined my enjoyment of F1 as far as 2012 is concerned.
The powers that be, will keep their greedy claws in F1, (I have no doubt of that), so they will eventually win the day, with those of us who cannot resist needing our F1 fix and eventually getting Sky.
It is a shame, but change is inevitable and we will have to roll with it or get left behind.
I’m sure F1 will lose a lot of fans! I don’t think F1 will gain new fans just for being on Sky, (since they could have already become fans and got it free or on the BBC)!
Showing too many reality-tv (ha ha) and dope-operas, (sorry, I meant SOAP operas), mean the BBC have lost the plot totally for me!
I will still follow F1 on the BBC for what that is worth and I will have to put up with the disjointed coverage for now.
Do the BBC realize that they are fighting for their lives here?
If I have to get Sky, I won’t be tuning in to the BBC, to watch something that I am paying for elsewhere!
PP.
BBC coverage has gone down hill. And like so many others, I will not be lining the greedy pockets of the Murdoch empire.
It was an inconsiderate deal for motor sport fans. Wow, sky have HD and a touch screen on their presentations…it’s a good job other countries are streaming it free online.