Pay-television broadcaster Sky has struck a deal to become the exclusive rights-holder in the UK and Ireland for the Formula One motor-racing world championship from 2019.
The deal with Formula One Management will run for six years, through to 2024.
Sky will show exclusive live coverage of every grand prix. The British grand prix and highlights of all other races and qualifying sessions will be shown by Sky on a free-to-air basis. The broadcaster’s soon-to-be-launched Sky Sports Mix channel, which will be available to Sky subscribers who do not have a sports package subscription, will also show at least two other primetime live races per season.
From 2017, the championship will also be available on Sky in ultra high definition via the Sky Q service, with the dedicated Sky Sports F1 channel, which launched in 2012, showing every race.
Sky already shows live coverage of every race, but commercial broadcaster Channel 4 started a three-year deal this season to show coverage of 10 races per season. Channel 4 picked up the rights after public-service broadcaster the BBC gave up its rights earlier than planned due to budget cuts.