BT Sport has signed up leading British motorcycle riders, Cal Crutchlow, Bradley Smith and Scott Redding to help promote its coverage of MotoGP from 2014.
The trio, Isle of Man-based Crutchlow, Oxfordshire’s Smith, and Gloucestershire-born Redding, will feature in BT Sport programmes and marketing, as well as be brand ambassadors for the telecoms giant, joining the likes of Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Owen Farrell and Heather Watson.
BT’s five-year deal with Dorna Sports for exclusive rights to televise motorcycle racing’s premier championship starts in 2014, kicking off with the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix in March.
Crutchlow is currently fifth in the MotoGP standings with Smith lying eleventh in an impressive MotoGP debut season with seven events to go.
Marc VDS Racing Team rider Redding is currently leading the Moto2 World Championship by 21 points, the main feeder series to the MotoGP championship.
“It’s exciting to be involved with BT Sport and I am looking forward to contributing to the programmes next season,” said Crutchlow.
“I hope that I can bring some real insight from a rider’s point of view.”
Crutchlow has recently signed a two-year deal with Ducati and his first race for the Italian team, one of MotoGP’s most eagerly anticipated events, will be shown live on BT Sport next year.
His Monster Tech 3 team-mate, Bradley Smith, said: “It’s going to be a lot of fun to be working with BT Sport at the start of a challenging new venture that promises so much for MotoGP.”
Fellow graduate of the MotoGP Academy, Scott Redding, said: “I’m very happy to be involved with BT Sport and to be part of a fantastic MotoGP line-up from the start.
“BT Sport will bring a really fresh approach to MotoGP on TV.”
Redding will move up to the main MotoGP class next season, competing against the likes of Crutchlow and Smith, as well as renowned motorcycling stars Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez.
Grant Best, senior channel executive producer BT Sport, said: “We think MotoGP will be huge for BT Sport. We’re thrilled to have signed three of the biggest British talents, Bradley, Cal and Scott, from the world’s top two-wheeled motorsport, as BT Ambassadors.
“They will be invaluable to our plans to promote MotoGP in the UK. British enthusiasts will be able to follow every single second of the action, but we also want to welcome many new fans to the sport.”
BT Sport takes over the rights to MotoGP from the BBC from the start of the 2014 season and the UK’s newest TV sports network promises to revolutionise the way the championship is covered.
It will deliver comprehensive coverage of all MotoGP race weekends, including the free practices on the Friday and full coverage of Moto2 and Moto3, as well as the elite MotoGP.
All of BT Sport’s live race weekend coverage will be hosted on-site, with additional studio programming coming from BT Sport’s state of the art facilities at the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London.
BT Sport intends to create an exciting second screen experience with the ability to see races from the riders’ perspective alongside other interactive features.
Viewers will be able to catch up on any live action they miss as BT Sport will make the programming available on demand.
Live MotoGP coverage will be enhanced by additional motorcycle-related programming in between Grand Prix weekends.
An announcement of BT Sport’s on-air team for its MotoGP coverage is expected in the coming weeks.
For me BBCSport and BritishEurosport do the best in live Broadcast of motorsport. I know I attend live UK meetings nexts year I’m going to watch the BRDC Formula4 Championship Winter Series 2014..