Sky Deutschland to resume Formula 1 broadcasting

Sky Deutschland has struck a new agreement with Formula 1 to carry the motorsport’s 2019 and 2020 seasons on satellite, cable, IPTV, web and mobile in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it has German-speaking rights.

The new agreement marks a reversal of Sky’s decision to pull out of Formula 1 last year to focus on a narrower range of sports that it could carry exclusively, leaving RTL as the free-to-air broadcaster of the sport in Germany.

Under the new deal, Sky will broadcast all 21 race weekends from the forthcoming season across its platforms. Formula 1 will be available with the Sky Sport package both on linear TV and via streaming with the Sky Go app. Formula 1 fans without a Sky subscription can follow the sport via the Sky Ticket streaming service without the need to take out a long contract.

Customers with the advanced Sky Q box can watch all 21 Formula 1 races live in 4K UHD on Sky Sport UHD.

Formula 1 said that fams in Germany would also be able to to watch Formula 1 free to air on RTL and also on F1 TV.

Holger Enßlin, Sky’s managing director, legal, regulatory and distribution, said” “The complete Grand Prix weekends live, no advertising interruptions throughout the race and broadcasts in Ultra HD for Sky Q customers – with this great package we will once again offer the best coverage of Formula 1 on German television, starting with the new season. By taking this step, we are listening to the wishes of many of our customers who missed our way of broadcasting Formula 1 last year.”

Ian Holmes, Formula 1’s director of media rights said: “It’s great to be working together again with Sky, helping them to enhance and elevate their broadcast offering of the sport. The breadth of their coverage over the years has always impressed us and I am sure their subscribers will once again be looking forward to Sky’s comprehensive coverage of the sport.”