Scheduling: The 2016 British Grand Prix

This weekend, Formula 1 comes home for the British Grand Prix! The Silverstone circuit plays host to round ten of 21 in the 2016 season. As is normally the case in the era of ‘split broadcasters’, the free-to-air broadcaster will be screening the race live… whether we will still have that to the same degree and reach in 2019, we don’t yet know.

Channel 4’s coverage on Sunday clocks in at four hours long, their longest race day show yet. You would have to go back to the mid-1990s to find a British Grand Prix programme that long, although of course the BBC in 2010 and 2011 were on air from 12:10 to around 16:45 (including their Red Button forum show).

Disappointingly, there is no spin-off programming to the weekend that helps cross-promote F1 to Channel 4’s other shows. This was mooted pre-season but has not come to fruition. Sunday Brunch is being billed though as a “Grand Prix show” with some F1 features.

There is also an one-hour special originally shown in 2012 focussing on Nic Hamilton, which will be broadcast on Saturday morning. On-site, Channel 4 will have an extended team with Eddie Jordan, Mark Webber and Susie Wolff all present alongside their usual line-up. Murray Walker has filmed a VT to be shown during the weekend as he is unable to attend in person. Elsewhere, the Speedway Grand Prix comes to the UK and Suzi Perry will be presenting BT Sport’s live coverage.

Channel 4 F1
Sessions
08/07 – 09:55 to 11:40 – Practice 1
08/07 – 13:55 to 15:35 – Practice 2
09/07 – 09:55 to 11:20 – Practice 3
09/07 – 11:55 to 14:30 – Qualifying
10/07 – 12:00 to 16:00 – Race
10/07 – 23:05 to 00:10 – Highlights

Supplementary Programming
09/07 – 06:55 to 07:55 – Nic Hamilton’s Racing Dream
10/07 – 09:00 to 12:00 – Sunday Brunch: Grand Prix show

Sky Sports F1
Sessions
08/07 – 09:45 to 12:00 – Practice 1
08/07 – 13:45 to 15:55 – Practice 2 (also Sky Sports 1)
09/07 – 09:45 to 11:15 – Practice 3
09/07 – 12:00 to 14:35 – Qualifying (also Sky Sports 1)
10/07 – 11:30 to 16:15 – Race (also Sky Sports 1)
=> 11:30 – Track Parade
=> 12:00 – Pit Lane Live
=> 12:30 – Race
=> 15:30 – Paddock Live

Supplementary Programming
07/07 – 15:00 to 15:30 – Driver Press Conference
07/07 – 18:00 to 19:00 – The F1 Show: British Special (also Sky Sports 1)
07/07 – 20:45 to 21:00 – Paddock Uncut
08/07 – 16:30 to 17:00 – Team Press Conference (also Sky Sports 1)
08/07 – 17:00 to 17:30 – The F1 Show (also Sky Sports 1)
13/07 – 20:30 to 21:00 – F1 Report: Review

BBC Radio F1
08/07 – 09:55 to 11:35 – Practice 1 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
08/07 – 13:55 to 15:35 – Practice 2 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
08/07 – 20:00 to 21:00 – Preview (BBC Radio 5 Live)
09/07 – 09:55 to 11:05 – Practice 3 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
09/07 – 12:55 to 14:05 – Qualifying (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
10/07 – 12:30 to 15:30 – Race (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)

British Superbikes – Snetterton
09/07 – 16:00 to 18:00 – Qualifying (Eurosport 2 and Quest)
10/07 – 12:30 to 13:45 – Race 1 (Eurosport 2)
10/07 – 12:30 to 18:00 – Races (Quest)
13/07 – 21:00 to 22:00 – Highlights (ITV4)

GP2 Series – Britain (Sky Sports F1)
08/07 – 12:00 to 12:50 – Practice
08/07 – 15:55 to 16:30 – Qualifying (also Sky Sports 1)
09/07 – 14:40 to 16:10 – Race 1
10/07 – 09:25 to 10:40 – Race 2

GP3 Series – Britain (Sky Sports F1)
09/07 – 08:45 to 09:20 – Qualifying
09/07 – 16:20 to 17:20 – Race 1
10/07 – 08:15 to 09:15 – Race 2

IndyCar Series – Iowa Corn 300 (BT Sport//ESPN)
10/07 – 22:30 to 01:00 – Race

Porsche Supercup – Britain (Eurosport 2)
10/07 – 10:45 to 11:30 – Race

Speedway Grand Prix – Britain (BT Sport 1)
09/07 – 16:30 to 20:30 – Races

Virgin Australia Supercars – Townsville (BT Sport 2)
09/07 – 07:00 to 08:45 – Race 14
10/07 – 07:00 to 08:45 – Race 15

World Superbikes – Laguna Seca (British Eurosport 2)
09/07 – 19:15 to 20:30 – Superpole
09/07 – 22:15 to 23:30 – Race 1
10/07 – 22:15 to 23:30 – Race 2

As always, if anything changes, I’ll update the schedule.

Updated on July 8th to reflect Murray Walker’s status.

News round-up: BT continue IndyCar experiments; Perry confirms commitments for rest of ’16

In the last round-up covering the smaller pieces of news from the past few months, BT Sport is the main player experimenting with their portfolio as we head into the Summer.

BT Sport take IndyCar commentary in-house
I have watched a fair bit of IndyCar this season thanks to its exciting, close racing. Whilst the racing has been good the ABC commentary, led by Allen Bestwick, Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear, has not. Watching the Duel in Detroit last weekend, at times the trio ‘zapped’ the excitement out of races, almost as if they were dialling in from elsewhere. The broadcasting rights in America are shared between ABC and NBC and, because of the agreement in place, the remainder of the season is covered by NBC.

NBC’s commentary is superior to ABC’s offering, primarily thanks to Leigh Diffey commentary. Over in the UK, BT Sport take the American commentary feed, that is… until now. For IndyCar’s return to Road America on June 26th, commentary will be provided in-house by BT Sport, with Keith Collantine and Ben Evans leading the way. At the moment, this is just for Road America as a trial run, with the potential for the idea to turn full-time. I can see the logic behind it. At times the US commentary feels like an ‘info commercial’ in and out of the advert breaks, whereas the UK commentary will be without any interruptions.

To the outside world, the tweaks BT are making to their IndyCar coverage are very small but go a long, long way to the dedicated viewer, although the direction has been haphazard with yo-yoing in the past few years. Viewing figures for the Indianapolis 500 were slightly lower than previous years with an average of 12k (0.09%) from 15:30 to 21:00, peaking with 31k (0.16%) on BT Sport 1.

On the subject of BT Sport, for those wondering, Suzi Perry confirmed her exact commitments for the remainder of this season on her Instagram page. Perry said that she will (or has already) work on seven MotoGP races, two speedway events and Rally GB. Perry’s original commitment for the Indianapolis 500 fell through after a change of direction.

Sky’s F1 partnership with Brunswick Films continues
Sky Sports are continuing their partnership with Brunswick Films with a series of four films airing during the race day programming focussing on James Hunt. The first piece aired during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. The remaining pieces will air during the Silverstone, Monza and Texas weekends. Rohan Tully, Brunswick Films director, said “They used to film anti-clockwise moving slowly around the track so they would get every corner. They would also have to walk with the cameras most of the time because some of the tracks didn’t even have running tracks around back in the day. So to get the footage at the time, comprehensively, was a struggle in itself.”

It is brilliant to see footage like this. However, as is always the case, it would have been good to have this as well in a standalone programme. The amount of new documentary programming that has aired on Sky Sports F1 this year stands at zero, which is incredibly disappointing for a network that will be broadcasting Formula 1 into the next decade. It would be good to have some new programming turn up, but I do not see it happening.

Is Formula E endangered in the UK?
The absence of a London ePrix in the provisional Formula E calendar for the 2016-17 season will have raised alarm bells about the future of the series in the United Kingdom. With viewing figures dropping compared to the inaugural season, the question is whether ITV will renew for season three. The incentive of screening season three decreases if London remains absent. The highest peak audience for a live race in season two remains Buenos Aires, which peaked with 248k (1.2%) back in January.

In their current state, the numbers are simply not good enough for either ITV(1) or ITV4, whichever slot you place Formula E in, the programme loses viewers hand over fist compared to the slot average. Failure to find a free-to-air home means that Formula E is essentially dead in the UK. I’m certain BT Sport or Eurosport will pick it up, but any potential for growth will have evaporated. Their best hope for keeping ITV will be letting them have it for free.

Scheduling: The 2016 Canadian Grand Prix

Next weekend sees Formula 1’s annual June stateside trip to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix! Unfortunately for Formula 1, next weekend also marks the beginning of Euro 2016, heralding a summer of sport that also includes Wimbledon and the Olympic Games from Rio.

Sky Sports F1’s live coverage from Montreal sees the qualifying programme clash with Wales vs Slovakia and the build-up to England vs Russia, whilst the race itself on the Sunday clashes with the first half of Germany vs Ukraine. To be honest, from FOM’s point of view, you could not really schedule either qualifying or the race any differently: move qualifying to 18:30 UK time and you run into more of the England build-up, move the race to 18:30 UK time and you get into a clash with Poland vs Northern Ireland. Alternatively, what is worse: a double header from Monaco to Canada or a double header from Canada to Baku. I’ll let you decide…

Due to the aforementioned Euro 2016, BBC’s radio coverage is on the light side, with only updates from qualifying and the race itself covered on either 5 Live or their sister station. As if ratings have not dropped significantly already this season, I am expecting the percentage drops to be severe for Canada, also partially due to the fact that Channel 4’s coverage is highlights only whereas the BBC aired Canada live from 2013 to 2015. I fear for Channel 4’s numbers over the weekend, I really do. Like last year, Sky are simulcasting the race on Sky Sports 1.

Staying with Channel 4, their coverage of the World Endurance Championship begins on Saturday 11th June, with highlights of the first round from Silverstone at 06:35. Below are all the details you need.

Channel 4 F1
Sessions
11/06 – 22:00 to 23:35 – Qualifying Highlights
12/06 – 22:40 to 00:45 – Race Highlights

Sky Sports F1
Sessions
10/06 – 14:45 to 16:50 – Practice 1
10/06 – 18:45 to 21:00 – Practice 2
11/06 – 14:45 to 16:15 – Practice 3
11/06 – 17:00 to 19:45 – Qualifying
12/06 – 17:30 to 22:15 – Race
=> 17:30 – Track Parade (also Sky Sports 1)
=> 18:00 – Pit Lane Live (also Sky Sports 1)
=> 18:30 – Race (also Sky Sports 1)
=> 21:30 – Paddock Live

Supplementary Programming
08/06– 20:30 to 21:00 – F1 Report: Preview
09/06 – 16:00 to 16:30 – Driver Press Conference
09/06 – 20:45 to 21:00 – Paddock Uncut
10/06 – 21:00 to 21:30 – Team Press Conference
10/06 – 21:30 to 22:00 – The F1 Show
15/06 – 20:30 to 21:00 – F1 Report: Review

BBC Radio F1
11/06 – 19:00 to 20:00 – Qualifying Updates (BBC Radio 5 Live)
12/06 – 18:45 to 21:30 – Race (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)

British GT – Silverstone (Motors TV)
12/06 – 12:30 to 16:00 – Race

FIM CEV Repsol – Catalunya (BT Sport//ESPN)
12/06 – 09:45 to 15:00 – Races

FIM World Endurance Championship – 12 Hours of Portimao (Eurosport 2)
11/06 – 09:15 to 12:00 – Part 1
11/06 – 19:00 to 21:45 – Part 2

IndyCar Series – Firestone 600
~~11/06 (Saturday night) – 01:30 to 04:00 – Race (BT Sport//ESPN)~~
12/06 – 19:00 to 21:30 – Race (BT Sport 2)

Speedway Grand Prix – Denmark (BT Sport 1)
11/06 – 17:45 to 21:15 – Races

World Rally Championship – Italy
10/06 – Day 1 Highlights
=> 22:30 to 23:00 (BT Sport 1)
=> 22:35 to 23:05 (Motors TV)
11/06 – Day 2 Highlights
=> 21:15 to 21:45 (BT Sport 1)
=> 22:35 to 23:05 (Motors TV)
12/06 – 08:00 to 09:00 – Stage 1 Live (BT Sport 1)
12/06 – 11:00 to 12:00 – Power Stage Live (BT Sport 1)
12/06 – Day 3 Highlights
=> 21:30 to 22:00 (BT Sport 1)
=> 22:35 to 23:05 (Motors TV)
14/06 – 19:00 to 20:00 – Highlights (Channel 5)

World Touring Car Championship – Moscow
11/06 – 12:00 to 13:30 – Qualifying (Eurosport 2)
12/06 – 10:00 to 12:00 – Races (Eurosport 1)
=> 10:00 – Race 1
=> 11:00 – Race 2

As always, if anything changes, I will update the schedule.

Last updated on June 7th to reflect Channel 4’s race highlights being pushed back ten minutes. Updated as well on June 12th to reflect the rain-delayed IndyCar race being rescheduled.

Scheduling: The 2016 Monaco Grand Prix / Indianapolis 500

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.

Scheduling: The 2016 Berlin ePrix / Italian MotoGP

The penultimate stop on the 2015-16 Formula E calendar takes the championship to Berlin this weekend. It marks round eight of ten before the season concludes with a double header in London in early July.

On the Formula E broadcasting side, Allan McNish is co-commentator alongside Jack Nicholls due to Dario Franchitti’s Indianapolis 500 commitments. It is a replica of BBC’s 5 Live team with Jennie Gow presenting for ITV, the only difference is that Tom Clarkson has yet to get involved with Formula E! Due to Peston on Sunday, Formula E’s highlights programme on ITV airs slightly later than usual on Sunday morning at 11:00.

Speaking of the famous American oval race, BT Sport//ESPN will be covering both Indy 500 qualifying days live for the first time ever. The move is an attempt by the channel to boost their IndyCar coverage in response to feedback from fans. Elsewhere on free-to-air television, British Superbikes is airing live on Quest TV due to coverage of the French Open Tennis and the Giro d’Italia cycling tour on Eurosport.

On two wheels, Suzi Perry will not be presenting BT Sport’s MotoGP coverage due to illness. Below are all the scheduling details you need…

MotoGP – Italy (BT Sport 2)
20/05 – 08:00 to 15:00
=> 08:00 – Practice 1
=> 10:45 – Reaction and Build-Up
=> 12:00 – Practice 2
21/05 – 08:00 to 15:15
=> 08:00 – Practice 3
=> 11:00 – Qualifying
22/05 – 07:30 to 09:15 – Warm Up
22/05 – 09:30 to 15:00
=> 09:30 – Moto3 race
=> 11:15 – Moto2 race
=> 12:45 – MotoGP race
=> 14:00 – Chequered Flag

MotoGP – Italy (ITV4)
23/05 – 21:00 to 22:00 – Highlights

Formula E – Berlin (online via YouTube)
21/05 – 07:10 to 08:10 – Practice 1
21/05 – 09:25 to 10:10 – Practice 2
21/05 – 10:45 to 12:10 – Qualifying

Formula E – Berlin
21/05 – 14:00 to 16:30 – Race (ITV4)
22/05 – 11:00 to 12:00 – Highlights (ITV)

British Superbikes – Brands Hatch Indy
21/05 – 14:00 to 16:00 – Qualifying (British Eurosport 2 and Quest TV)
22/05 – 12:30 to 18:00 – Races (Quest TV)
25/05 – 21:00 to 22:00 – Highlights (ITV4)

DTM – Austria
21/05 – 16:30 to 17:45 – Race 1 (BT Sport//ESPN)

Euroformula – Belgium
21/05 – Race 1
=> 13:25 to 14:20 (Motors TV)
=> 13:30 to 14:30 (BT Sport//ESPN)
22/05 – Race 2
=> 12:15 to 13:10 (Motors TV)
=> 12:15 to 13:15 (BT Sport//ESPN)

Formula 3 Europe – Austria
21/05 – Race 1
=> 09:30 to 10:30 (BT Sport 1)
=> 09:35 to 10:40 (Motors TV)
22/05 – 10:10 to 11:15 – Race 2 (Motors TV)

Formula V8 3.5 – Belgium (BT Sport//ESPN)
21/05 – 12:00 to 13:30 – Race 1
22/05 – 14:45 to 16:00 – Race 2

IndyCar Series – Indianapolis 500 Qualifying (BT Sport//ESPN)
21/05 – 21:00 to 23:00 – Day 1
22/05 – 21:00 to 23:00 – Day 2

International GT Open – Belgium
21/05 – 14:30 to 16:00 – Race 1
=> 14:20 to 16:00 (Motors TV)
=> 14:30 to 16:00 (BT Sport//ESPN)
22/05 – 13:15 to 14:45 – Race 2
=> 13:10 to 14:45 (Motors TV)
=> 13:15 to 14:45 (BT Sport//ESPN)

Virgin Australia Supercars – Winton Supersprint (BT Sport 1)
21/05 – 06:30 to 08:15 – Race 10
22/05 – 04:15 to 06:30 – Race 11

World Rally Championship – Portugal
20/05 – 19:00 to 20:00 – Stage 2 (BT Sport 2)
22/05 – 09:00 to 10:00 – Stage 3 (BT Sport 1)

Last updated on May 19th at 18:00 to reflect Suzi Perry’s illness.

Update on May 21st at 15:15 – Allan McNish commentated on Formula E practice and qualifying but had to pull out of the race commentary itself at the last minute, according to lead commentator Jack Nicholls.