F1 enters FAST lane with channel debut in US

Highly-popular motorsport franchise Formula 1 is making its move into the FAST market with the debut of its first FAST channel in the US.

The Formula 1 Channel will feature F1, F2, F3 and F1 Academy race replays and highlights, expert analysis, full reruns of classic Grands Prix, and popular racing documentaries.

The channel launches in the US ahead of the Miami Grand Prix taking place on May 5.

Formula 1 Channel, operated by F1 partner C15 Studio, will roll-out on FAST platforms such as Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, and Pluto TV.

ESPN holds the media rights to the motorsport series in the US, with live programming on the sport group’s dedicated streaming offering F1 TV.

F1 claims television audiences are at record numbers for the sport and has a fanbase of over 42 million in the US. The group said the move is part of F1’s strategy to keep up with the latest trends across the TV market amongst sports fans, with the recent growth of FAST channels in the US.

The launch comes hot off the heels of the NBA’s first-ever dedicated FAST channel on Roku in the US earlier this month. The leading golfing franchise, PGA Tour, also debuted its FAST channel in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Korea on Samsung TV Plus in September.

“The Formula 1 Channel is the latest development by F1 designed to further evolve and elevate our content experience for fans,” said Ian Holmes, director of media rights and content creation at Formula 1. “This service caters to the diverse viewing habits of our USA fanbase and serves as a great entry point for new fans into the sport, through strong curated programming which aims to showcase the drama of F1.

He added, “together with C15 Studio, we hope to develop the Formula 1 Channel into an industry leading product, that serves alongside our existing live broadcast offering with ESPN and F1 TV, to give fans a truly comprehensive F1 experience 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”