Brazilian commercial broadcaster Globo is set to be faced with increased competition to its Formula 1 coverage from the motor-racing championship’s official over-the-top subscription streaming platform, should it succeed in extending its rights contract.
Globo’s current F1 rights deal is due to expire at the end of the 2020 season and any potential renewal will come with F1 TV stepping up its presence in Brazil from 2021, reports UOL.
F1 TV’s basic subscription offering, Access, is already available in Brazil, but the championship’s owner, Liberty Media, is said to be looking to launch the premium offering, Pro, from next season.
F1 TV Pro offers live streaming of races and qualifying sessions, along with other content, which Globo currently provides on an exclusive basis, including its own live streaming on its sports website.
The F1 TV Access service is priced at $2.99 (€2.75) per month in Brazil (or $26.99 per year).
Along with F1’s broadcast rights in Brazil, the future of the championship’s annual grand prix in the country is also currently unclear. The Brazilian Grand Prix has been staged at Interlagos in São Paulo since 1990 but the circuit’s hosting agreement expires following the 2020 event.
Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsonaro, has backed a proposal for the race to switch to Rio de Janeiro from 2021. The race deal offered by the Rio Motorsports entity is said to include the broadcast and marketing rights to the grand prix. Rio Motorsports, it is claimed, would sell on the free-to-air and pay-television broadcast rights and also offer Liberty Media a share of advertising and broadcast sponsorship monies.