The latest sports-centric free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel coming to the United States is being launched by Formula 1.
On Thursday, Formula 1 announced the launch of the Formula 1 Channel, which will feature “F1, F2, F3 and F1 Academy race replays and highlights, full reruns of classic Grands Prix, and popular racing documentaries.”
Races from the current seasons will be added to the Formula 1 Channel’s schedule five days after they occur.
The channel will launch prior to next month’s Miami Grand Prix, and will initially be available on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, and Pluto TV.
“The Formula 1 Channel is the latest development by F1 designed to further evolve and elevate our content experience for fans,” said Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation for the racing league in a press release. “This service caters to the diverse viewing habits of our USA fanbase and serves as a great entry point for new fans into the sport, through strong curated programming which aims to showcase the drama of F1.
“Together with C15 Studio, we hope to develop the Formula 1 Channel into an industry leading product, that serves alongside our existing live broadcast offering with ESPN and F1 TV, to give fans a truly comprehensive F1 experience 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
ESPN remains Formula 1’s primary broadcast partner domestically in a deal that runs through the 2025 season.
There’s really no downside to launching a FAST channel. They’re not meant to replace traditional media rights deals and partners, but rather supplement them with 24/7 archival and/or lower-level coverage. F1 fans now have another way to consume content in between races, and maybe some new fans will be attracted as well.
