The last weekend of May is usually a special occasion for motor racing fans, and this year is no different with both the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 taking place! In the UK, the Monaco round of the Formula One season airs exclusively live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights being broadcast in an early evening slot on Channel 4.
The usual Channel 4 team is joined by Mark Webber this weekend, his third appearance of the year with the team. The 100th Indianapolis 500 airs exclusively live on BT Sport 1 in an extended five and a half hour time slot. Suzi Perry was originally down to present BT’s coverage of the blue riband event, but plans have since changed. BT will not be taking the US international feed in its entirety, with Ben Evans, Keith Collantine, Oliver Webb (in London) and Jonathan Green (in Indianapolis) filling in the gaps. Green will be interviewing the drivers before the race. Caution periods aside, the race will air commercial free.
On the scheduling front, Thursday’s action in Monaco will also air live on Sky Sports 1. I believe it is the first time under the current contract that the GP2 Series has aired live on Sky Sports 1. A second edition of The F1 Show airs on the traditional F1 ‘rest day’ on Friday, but like the reduction in length to the usual show, this show has also been cut from one hour to 30 minutes compared with previous years. Below are all the details you need…
Channel 4 F1
Sessions
28/05 – 17:45 to 19:30 – Qualifying Highlights
29/05 – 17:45 to 20:00 – Race Highlights
Supplementary Programming
29/05 – 07:05 to 08:00 – Historic Monaco Grand Prix Highlights
Sky Sports F1
Sessions
26/05 – 08:45 to 11:00 – Practice 1 (also Sky Sports 1)
26/05 – 12:45 to 15:00 – Practice 2 (also Sky Sports 1)
28/05 – 09:45 to 11:15 – Practice 3
28/05 – 12:00 to 15:00 – Qualifying
29/05 – 11:30 to 16:15 – Race
=> 11:30 – Track Parade
=> 12:00 – Pit Lane Live
=> 12:30 – Race
=> 15:30 – Paddock Live
Supplementary Programming
25/05 – 14:00 to 14:30 – Driver Press Conference
25/05 – 20:30 to 21:00 – F1 Report: Preview
25/05 – 21:00 to 21:15 – Paddock Uncut
26/05 – 16:00 to 16:30 – Team Press Conference (also Sky Sports 1)
26/05 – 16:30 to 17:00 – The F1 Show (also Sky Sports 1)
27/05 – 17:00 to 17:30 – The F1 Show: Monaco Special
29/05 – 16:15 to 17:15 – Historic Monaco Grand Prix Highlights
01/06 – 20:30 to 21:00 – F1 Report: Review
BBC Radio F1
26/05 – 08:55 to 10:35 – Practice 1 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
26/05 – 12:55 to 14:35 – Practice 2 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
28/05 – 12:55 to 14:05 – Qualifying (BBC Radio 5 Live)
29/05 – 13:00 to 15:00 – Race (BBC Radio 5 Live)
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 – Monaco (BT Sport 1)
29/05 – 11:00 to 12:00 – Race
FIM CEV Repsol – Aragon (BT Sport 2)
29/05 – 09:45 to 15:00 – Races
GP2 Series – Monaco (Sky Sports F1)
26/05 – 11:00 to 11:50 – Practice (also Sky Sports 1)
26/05 – 15:10 to 16:00 – Qualifying (also Sky Sports 1)
27/05 – 10:10 to 11:40 – Race 1
28/05 – 15:00 to 16:20 – Race 2
IndyCar Series – Indianapolis 500 (BT Sport 1)
29/05 – 15:30 to 21:00 – Race
World Superbikes – Donington Park (Quest TV)
28/05 – 11:00 to 13:15 – Qualifying
28/05 – 14:15 to 16:15 – Race 1
29/05 – 11:30 to 16:15 – Support Races and Race 2
As always, if anything changes, I will update the schedule.
Last updated on May 28th.
Motorsport Broadcasting 
Been watching Indy practice all this week actually excited for it 🙂 but what I’m finding strange is GP2… Qualy and practice on sky sports 1… But neither race is on there???? Seems curious to me
I agree it makes no sense, but I’m not surprised. What’s more disappointing is the lack of supplementary programming on the F1 channel, to give viewers more information about the GP2 and 3 races to be shown at European F1 weekends.
I can’t really get into those races when I don’t know enough about the competitors. I’ve looked online for some helpful introductions, but there doesn’t seem to much out there to help me.
I would think Sky could get more F1 fans interested with some kind of magazine programme before the race weekends. Iit can’t cost them much to make something similar to the F1 Report – with Natalie Pinkham talking to an informed journalist and a senior experienced person from one of the teams, to preview the races and provide information that enables potential fans to get a better understanding, and hence improving our engagement when watching the races Sky broadcasts.
Unfortunately the overall trend this season so far on the F1 channel, seems to be cutting back on new complimentary programming in between race weekends – instead they just continue to repeat material that’s been shown several times a month for 3 or 4 years in some cases. I suspect that without the competition provided by the BBC through their comprehensive integrated approach to F1 broadcasting across TV, radio and internet platforms.
Now the BBC are relegated to making a few short films for the website from just outside the race tracks (to comply with FOM’s strict rules) and haven’t even got FP3 on the radio this coming weekend; while C4 just don’t have a good enough platform and infrastructure to best take advantage of their TV coverage rights.
On both live and highlights races the programmes have been pretty good, if you are prepared to ensure you either watch it when broadcast, or don’t mind the long waits for it to appear on their poor catch-up service (and then tolerate the bizarrely jarringly random insertion of adverts, and incessant use of Twitter hashtags like some kind of overwrought proof of their ability to engage with social media).
Sky now have less incentive to keep up standards in terms of their overall output, due to the weakened competition!
Sucks that C4 highlights are in direct opposition to the 500. It’s the greatest race in the world.
No WTCC live from Nurburgring Nordschleife? That’s what I find disappointing? Enjoyed that last year before the 24 Hours of Nurburgring.
Thanks for covering Indy David, can’t wait for Sunday!
and i need to know where are the porsche super cup race as that also missing from the Eurosport UK list and what time does the race
i forgot to add Start to my above post