Gazprom Media-owned Match TV has renewed its Formula 1 broadcast rights in Russia, but has lost exclusivity as the premium version of F1TV, the series’ OTT platform, is set for launch in the country in 2021.
Match TV’s new deal, from 2021 to 2023, with Formula One Management, the commercial rights-holder of the F1 championship, is for all rights across each race weekend as well as races from Formula 2, Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup.
The Russian sports broadcaster’s current deal with FOM began in 2017 and was originally for three years, but was extended to include the 2020 season.
Match TV currently enjoys exclusivity over F1, but from 2021 the entire season and support races will be available to watch live on the F1 TV OTT platform in Russia via the F1 TV Pro subscription, which includes live coverage of all races.
F1 TV is currently available in the country, however only F1 TV Access, the OTT platform’s basic subscription package which does not offer live coverage.
F1 TV Access, which offers live leaderboard data, telemetry data, clips of team radio, live driver maps and tyre usage history, is priced at $2.99 (€2.65) per month in Russia.
The deal in Russia is the latest media-rights deal recently agreed by FOM, following on from announcements in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Sub-Saharan Africa.