Formula One has confirmed its live subscription service, F1 TV, will launch ahead of the Spanish GP in May. Announced in February, the over the top (OTT) service is an alternative to TV coverage.
F1 TV will be available in two service tiers. Available in 58 markets (find the list here), F1 TV Pro features live races and all 20 driver onboard cameras. Moreover, side-by-side viewing and feeds exclusive to the package also make way. Subscribers will have the added luxury of personalizing the way they watch the race, the content viewed and how and when it’s accessed.
As expected, all practice and qualifying sessions, and the race itself will be live. This includes press conferences, and pre- and post-race interviews. The latter will be especially enticing to U.S. viewers watching through ESPN. If that weren’t enough, Formula 2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup events will find their way onto the service later in the season.
At launch, F1 TV will only be available on desktop PC. Apple, Android and Amazon devices will follow shortly thereafter. By summer, the service will be available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV devices. Pricing will range from $70-$150 annually, and $8-$12 monthly. Service costs will vary according to the market.
F1 TV Access will serve as the less-expensive, non-live subscription tier. Access will provide live race timing and radio broadcasts, and extended highlights of each session of the race weekend. The upside is archive footage accompanies the option. It still remains unclear if this is unique to F1 TV Access, or a general feature however. Access will be available on a near-global basis at launch, and like Pro, will see updates throughout the season.
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