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The Beeb has bagged the rights to broadcast Formula One (F1), having signed an exclusive five-year deal.

F1 will return to the Corporation’s screens in 2009 after more than a decade’s absence.


Auntie, which snatched the rights from commercial rival ITV, remained quiet on the financial terms of the deal which includes exclusive rights to TV, radio, full broadband and mobile.

Beeb execs said they were very excited about the new agreement - hardly surprising given the recent resurgence in popularity the sport has seen in the UK, buoyed by wonder kid Lewis Hamilton’s impressive arrival on the circuit last season.

F1 Administration Ltd CEO Bernie Ecclestone said he was “delighted” with the new deal.

“I wish to thank ITV for their commitment to Formula One and the high quality of their coverage," he said in a statement. "It is an exciting time in Formula One and the BBC has some innovative new ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base.”

ITV oversaw terrestrial television coverage of F1 in Blighty for 12 years, during a difficult decade for the sport.

It suffered in the popularity stakes after new safety rules were imposed in 1998, following the death of Ayrton Senna four years earlier.

But according to many F1 commentators and aficionados, Hamilton’s arrival heralds a new and exciting time for Grand Prix motor racing.

Still, it’s not exactly been a bed of roses for the driver’s constructor McLaren over the past year. Last September Surrey-based McLaren was fined $100m and kicked out of the constructors' championship for spying on rival team Ferrari. ®


Comment:that means ad free coverage for us. I was getting tired of those blimin ads coming all the way through the race.

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Uninterrupted races at last !! Thumbs up to the bbc

sounds good to me, no more adverts

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I know...I'm really chuffed about that...pity it couldn't happen sooner.

I hated having those ads coming in and then when the race comes back we find out that someones had an accident or miss a vital piece of action which could decide the race.
no more ads yippee
must have cost a fair buck though considering F1 loves ads...bbc might have had to pay extra because of their no ads policy.

It's us the UK public what pay, BBC is why we have to pay £135.50 a year for a TV Licence

yeah we end up paying in the end...
I hear auntie is gonna be bidding for champions league rights as well.
might have to pay a bit extra to uefa again because of the ad thing as currently i understand that itv has to screen a few ads from the champions league sponsors for free during the champions league.