Whisper Films has reportedly renewed its Formula One production contract with UK free-to-air broadcaster Channel 4.
The independent production company beat sports producer North One Television to the contract, according the Motorsport Broadcasting website.
Under the deal, Whisper will produce live coverage of the 2020 British Grand Prix for the channel, plus highlights of all 22 races through the F1 season.
It is unclear whether the contract extends for the length of Channel 4’s new F1 sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster Sky, which runs for the three years from 2020 to 2022.
The broadcaster’s prior sublicensing deal with Sky covered just the 2019 season.
Channel 4 awarded Whisper the contract for 2019 after having worked with the company during its 2016 to 2018 F1 coverage.
The production renewal is not a surprise given the close links between the pair: Channel 4 holds a 25-per-cent stake in Whisper, which is also part-owned by ex-F1 driver David Coulthard. The broadcaster’s F1 coverage is fronted by Coulthard.
Whisper also produced Channel 4’s coverage of the inaugural 2019 edition of W-Series, the women’s motorsport competition. Coulthard is a shareholder in W-Series and sits on its advisory board.