Channel 4 Secures Free-to-Air F1 Rights in UK After BBC Ends Contract

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has acquired the free-to-air rights to Formula One in the UK after the BBC opted to cancel its contract three years early.

Channel 4 has signed a three-year deal with F1 that will begin in 2016, after beating off competition from ITV.

Speculation was rife recently that the BBC would be terminating its contract with the sport as part of uts to its sports rights division.

In November, F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone rejected the BBC’s request to renegotiate its existing contract, saying the broadcaster must honour its contract. 

Despite finally agreeing to the BBC’s request, Ecclestone is likely to demand a termination fee from the corporation which could be several millions of pounds. 

The BBC’s shared F1 deal with Sky Sports, worth £12m a year, was not due to expire until 2018 but they were determined to save as much of that money as possible. 

Ecclestone said: “I am sorry that the BBC could not comply with their contract but I am happy that we now have a broadcaster that can broadcast Formula One events without commercial intervals during the race.

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