BBC Sport and Sky Sports have confirmed their coverage plans for the 2015 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.
Following the axing of the Korean Grand Prix from the provisional calendar for the new season, both UK Formula 1 broadcasters have revealed how they will cover the bumper 20-race schedule.
The BBC will show exactly half the live races for free-to-air viewers in 2015, starting with the second round in Malaysia on March 27-29, with extended highlights of the other 10 race weekends throughout the season.
Other highlights from BBC Sport’s live race schedule include the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 5, the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on August 23, and the final two rounds in Brazil and Abu Dhabi in November.
2014 world champion Lewis Hamilton will open his title defence exclusively live on Sky Sports F1 at the traditional season-opener in Australia in mid-March, as the Briton aims to win another world championship and match Sir Jackie Stewart’s British record of three F1 world titles.
Sky Sports will again screen every session from all F1 race weekends live throughout the 2015 season, including exclusively live coverage of the Monaco, Singapore, America and Mexico Grands Prix.
As in the previous three seasons, the division of live and non-live races is reached through a negotiation process between Sky and BBC bosses.
The BBC is able from the outset to choose three races it wants to screen live, with Sky then picking the next three that it wants to show exclusively live.
Following this process, the remaining division of the BBC’s live and Sky’s exclusively live races are decided on alternating picks.
The BBC’s preferred picks are based on a wide variety of factors as the corporation aims to put together a strong cross-section of the season, with those not shown live on TV strongly complemented by extended TV highlights, live radio and online coverage.
After a thrilling 2014 season which culminated in around eight million people tuning in across both broadcasters to watch Lewis Hamilton crowned as the new Formula 1 world champion, the 2015 season is set to be another highly anticipated campaign.
The Australian Grand Prix on March 15 will open one of the most eagerly awaited seasons in years, with new driver line-ups at McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Sauber and Toro Rosso, the introduction of the Mexican Grand Prix, and three drivers making their F1 debuts including Max Verstappen becoming the youngest ever at just 17.
Sky’s executive producer for Formula 1, Martin Turner, commented: “All eyes are on world champion Lewis Hamilton and Sky Sports F1 will be the only place to follow every race of his title defence.
“There are so many exciting story lines next season and we’ll cover every twist and turn from Australia to Abu Dhabi.”
BBC Sport’s Head of Formula 1, Ben Gallop, says: “Like all F1 fans, we can’t wait for the 2015 season.
“With Lewis Hamilton as World Champion, F1 in Britain is in a great position and we’re delighted with our race package.
“These live races, combined with our ever-popular highlights programmes and our extensive coverage on radio and online means F1 fans can follow every step of Hamilton’s title defence on the BBC.”
Sky Sports F1 subscribers will again be enjoy every practice and qualifying session live, plus uninterrupted race coverage, from each and every Grand Prix weekend on its dedicated Formula 1 channel in 2015.
In addition to a full calendar of live Formula 1 coverage, fans will enjoy a unique insight into the future of their sport with live coverage of Formula 1 feeder series GP2 and GP3.
The live race weekends will be supported by weekly episodes of The F1 Show, beginning on 7 March 2014, interactive coverage via Sky Race Control, round the clock coverage on Sky Sports News, skysports.com/f1 and @SkySportsF1.
BBC Sport will again offer usual extensive range of Formula 1 coverage across TV, radio and online during the 2015 season.
Both channels are likely to retain their current on-air presentation line-ups for the 2014 season, with Suzi Perry leads the BBC’s coverage alongside David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan, while Sky’s output is presented by Simon Lazenby alongside Martin Brundle, Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert.
The 2015 season begins with the three pre-season winter tests, starting in Jerez on Sunday, February 1, with regular updates, reports from trackside and interviews across Sky Sports News HQ and online via skysports.com, with the BBC Sport website also set to provide live text commentary and video.
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