German public-service broadcaster ARD is in talks over assuming free-to-air rights to the Formula One motor-racing championship from the 2018 season, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The German newspaper said ARD would rival current incumbent, commercial broadcaster RTL, for the rights.
Citing sources close to F1’s owners, Liberty Media, FAZ said a decision on Germany’s Formula One rights after the current season is set to be made after the series’ summer break at the end of August or early September.
Pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland and RTL extended their F1 rights for two years, from 2016 to 2017, under a deal struck in August 2015.
RTL has shown coverage of F1 since 1991.