Note: This post is now rendered obsolete following the announcement that Channel 4 will be taking over the BBC’s rights from 2016 onwards. A new post will be uploaded in due course.
In the biggest shake-up of the Formula 1 calendar in quite some time, the 2016 season will contain 21 races, with a bit of a calendar reshuffle. The season was originally set to start in April, but now it looks like a March start is back on the cards. It is tradition for The F1 Broadcasting Blog each year to predict the BBC and Sky pick order. The main changes are that Malaysia and Russia swap ends on the calendar. Baku, listed as the European Grand Prix, has been added in June, controversially clashing with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 2016 is the fifth year of the current BBC and Sky broadcasting contract. The calendar, as it is stands, is therefore as follows:
I’ve done the calendar above as a table, given the amount of year-on-year changes, it means that there are a few timing changes which may influence the pick order – although sadly for BBC, the Australian Grand Prix will not be on at 07:00 UK time! Because of the way the BBC and Sky deal works, both sides have to ‘pick’ races. The races that BBC pick will be shown live on BBC One and Sky Sports F1, while the races that Sky pick will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports F1, with highlights on BBC One. The picks go as follows:
– BBC pick three races (pick 1, 2 and 3)
– Sky pick three races (pick 4, 5 and 6)
– BBC pick one race (pick 7)
– Sky pick one race (pick 8)
This continues until every race has been picked. There are 21 races on the calendar, so BBC will screen ten races live with Sky screening eleven races exclusively live. We found out earlier this year that the picks do not change in the event of a race being dropped from the calendar. Even though Germany was dropped from the 2015 calendar, the picks stayed the same, meaning BBC were able to broadcast three races in a row live. There are a lot of different factors in the 2016 season, more so than usual, with the European Championships playing a part throughout the middle phase of the season. However, crucially, the Olympic Games does not clash with the Formula 1, which is a genius move. Again, this post is only for discussion and a bit of fun with the pick orders. My tally for 2015 of getting 11 out of 19 correct was slightly better than usual though, which is good!
BBC pick Britain, Abu Dhabi and Brazil – Abu Dhabi and Britain are compulsory picks being the last race of the season and the home race respectively. From the BBC’s perspective, USA and Mexico run deep into primetime at a time of the year where they will have big programming, and Canada clashes with the opening weekend of Euro 2016, so again Brazil is the only option for their third pick in my view. What it does mean is that they definitely cannot pick Mexico, as they can’t have three live races in a row. Does the fact that the title race looks likely to be resolved earlier than usual change things? I don’t think so given that Mexico and USA run deeper into primetime than Brazil, and thus would disrupt BBC One’s schedule more. I’d expect to see Sky picking Canada, USA and Australia. It’s a tie between Australia and Monaco really, but the season opener is still a big deal in the eyes of Sky. BBC could in theory pick Australia instead of Brazil, but they haven’t picked Australia since this deal began, and I don’t see that changing. There might have been more chance of BBC picking Australia had it stayed in April, but not now. Ridiculously, the British Grand Prix now falls on the same day as not only the Wimbledon final (meaning demotion to BBC Two) but also with the final of Euro 2016.
Mexico and Monaco I would expect to be on BBC’s and Sky’s agenda early, a primetime race and a prestigious race. Bahrain too has to figure somewhere, arguably its positioning makes it a great pick for BBC. I can see BBC picking Bahrain, and as discussed earlier, Sky pick Mexico. In reality, Mexico would probably be left until the end given that BBC have already gone for the last two places, but I’m trying to do it blocks so the post does not get too confusing. Mexico takes priority over Monaco because it could be a championship decider.
We are left in this position:
March 20th – Australia (Melbourne) – Sky
April 3rd – Bahrain (Sakhir) – BBC
April 17th – China (Shanghai)
May 1st – Russia (Sochi)
May 15th – Spain (Barcelona)
May 29th – Monaco (Monaco)
June 12th – Canada (Montreal) – Sky
June 19th – Europe (Baku)
July 3rd – Austria (Red Bull Ring)
July 10th – Britain (Silverstone)
July 24th – Hungary (Budapest)
July 31st – Germany (Hockenheim)
August 28th – Belgium (Spa)
September 4th – Italy (Monza)
September 18th – Singapore (Marina Bay)
October 2nd – Malaysia (Sepang)
October 9th – Japan (Suzuka)
October 23rd – USA (Circuit of the Americas) – Sky
November 6th – Mexico (Mexico City) – Sky
November 13th – Brazil (Interlagos) – BBC
November 27th – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) – BBC
Normally, at this stage, I’d work down from start to finish, but Euro 2016 complicates matters. For that reason, I think we will see BBC pick Monaco and Sky pick Italy. It is unusual for me to label Monaco as pick nine, but I do think BBC will consider Bahrain high priority, whilst the addition of Mexico bumps it further down the order. BBC are certainly not going to jump for any race that clashes indirectly or directly with Euro 2016. Sky probably would want some exclusive live F1 content during the Summer next year, but it certainly won’t be at the sacrifice of screening either USA or Mexico exclusively live, for example. Following that, BBC pick Germany, Sky pick Belgium, BBC pick Singapore and Sky pick Malaysia. Lastly in this set, BBC pick Russia and Sky pick Spain. Spain does clash with the end of the Premier League season though, which is worth bearing in mind.
The schedule therefore looks like this:
March 20th – Australia (Melbourne) – Sky
April 3rd – Bahrain (Sakhir) – BBC
April 17th – China (Shanghai)
May 1st – Russia (Sochi) – BBC
May 15th – Spain (Barcelona) – Sky
May 29th – Monaco (Monaco) – BBC
June 12th – Canada (Montreal) – Sky
June 19th – Europe (Baku)
July 3rd – Austria (Red Bull Ring)
July 10th – Britain (Silverstone) – BBC
July 24th – Hungary (Budapest)
July 31st – Germany (Hockenheim) – BBC
August 28th – Belgium (Spa) – Sky
September 4th – Italy (Monza) – Sky
September 18th – Singapore (Marina Bay) – BBC
October 2nd – Malaysia (Sepang) – Sky
October 9th – Japan (Suzuka)
October 23rd – USA (Circuit of the Americas) – Sky
November 6th – Mexico (Mexico City) – Sky
November 13th – Brazil (Interlagos) – BBC
November 27th – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) – BBC
We’re left with China, Baku, Austria, Hungary and Japan. BBC cannot pick China or Hungary, Sky cannot pick Japan, otherwise they would be showing three races in a row live, which they cannot do unless something drops out. At this stage, it is between Baku and Austria. It is assumed that Baku will clash with the final few hours of the 24 Hours of Le Mans but not the end of the race. Austria clashes with the London ePrix, but it is not a direct clash – the ePrix starts at 16:00 UK time, although there will be personnel clashes. I think BBC pick Austria as it forms a double-header with Britain. Sky pick Baku, BBC pick Japan and Sky pick both China and Hungary.
Which leaves us with this final calendar:
March 20th – Australia (Melbourne) – Sky
April 3rd – Bahrain (Sakhir) – BBC
April 17th – China (Shanghai) – Sky
May 1st – Russia (Sochi) – BBC
May 15th – Spain (Barcelona) – Sky
May 29th – Monaco (Monaco) – BBC
June 12th – Canada (Montreal) – Sky
June 19th – Europe (Baku) – Sky
July 3rd – Austria (Red Bull Ring) – BBC
July 10th – Britain (Silverstone) – BBC
July 24th – Hungary (Budapest) – Sky
July 31st – Germany (Hockenheim) – BBC
August 28th – Belgium (Spa) – Sky
September 4th – Italy (Monza) – Sky
September 18th – Singapore (Marina Bay) – BBC
October 2nd – Malaysia (Sepang) – Sky
October 9th – Japan (Suzuka) – BBC
October 23rd – USA (Circuit of the Americas) – Sky
November 6th – Mexico (Mexico City) – Sky
November 13th – Brazil (Interlagos) – BBC
November 27th – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) – BBC
I don’t think we will know the actual picks until the New Year, as the Euro 2016 draw does not take place until December. Either way, this is an initial guess at how things will transpire.
Updated on October 18th, 2015.
Motorsport Broadcasting 