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How can I watch Formula 1 without Sky?

Our digital TV expert says...

The BBC has been the exclusive broadcaster of Formula 1 in the UK since 2009, but the broadcaster’s current contract with Formula One Management, part of the group of companies that promote Formula 1 and headed by F1 bigwig Bernie Ecclestone, is due to expire in 2013.

In July, a new rights deal was announced which will see both the BBC and Sky Sports, Sky (www.sky.com)’s group of sports channels, broadcast Formula 1 in this country from 2012 until at least 2018.

Will Sky show every Formula 1 race live?

You betcha. The satellite TV provider will be showing all races, qualifying and practice sessions live on a new high-definition (HD) channel dedicated to Formula 1 on TV and online, including on smartphones and tablets like the iPad using Sky Go.

From the start of the season in March, Sky Sports F1 HD will offer in-depth coverage to keep you gripped throughout the year. Build-up coverage will be shown on Sky Sports News and the action will also be available whenever you want it via Sky Anytime.

Where can I watch Formula 1 on Sky?

Long gone are the days when Sky Sports was only available via Sky, although this is of course still the most obvious option. Across Sky's sports channels, which require subscription on top of at least the basic Sky TV package, you'll get every Formula 1 race up until 2018 at least. The brand new Sky Sports F1 HD channel, launching in March 2012, is expected to bring more in-depth and action-packed coverage than ever before. Check it’s OK to get a satellite dish installed where you live before sign-up though.

Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) might be your next stop for a Sky Sports package. The cable TV provider will give you all five Sky Sports channels on top its basic TV bundle. Sky Sports 1 and 2 can also be subscribed to individually, while Sky Sports News comes as standard. Sky is yet to confirm whether Sky Sports F1 HD will be available through Virgin Media or BT Vision, but it remains a possibility until ruled out completely.

TV with Sports

Company	Package Name	Included Sports Channels	Sky Sports	ESPN	HD Sports Channels
	Sky Entertainment TV + Sky Sports + ESPN	15
	TV: XL + Sky Sports Collection	16

Can I watch Formula 1 without Sky?

The good news is yes. The bad news is yes, but only up to a point. The new rights deal means the BBC will still be showing races live, but only half the races in a season along with the qualifying and practise sessions from those races.

However, the terms of the deal stipulate that the BBC has the rights to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the Monaco Grand Prix and the concluding race of the season. All races the BBC shows live will also be shown live on the BBC Sport website in the UK.

The corporation will have highlights on TV, online and mobile for any race it is not showing live. Every race will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 live.

BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC, 3 and BBC 4 can all be watched via Freeview for, unsurprisingly, free, apart from the one-off cost of a Freeview set-top box. As you have a Freeview+ box, you will be able to record the BBC Formula 1 coverage and watch it when you want, as Freeview+ works like a digital video recorder.

Can I watch Formula 1 on Sky without a subscription?

Since August, non-Sky customers have been able to watch Sky TV via a desktop computer, laptop, iPhone or iPad without subscribing to Sky through Sky Go.

A Sky Go Monthly Ticket, priced between £15 and £49, will give you access to up to 32 live channels, including Sky Sports, depending which ticket you opt for.

Top Up TV offers a subscription-free way of accessing Sky Sports too. You can subscribe to Sky Sports 1 and 2 for a month at a time, paying only a one-off cost for the subscription. You’ll also need a set-top box with a viewing card slot.

However, as with BT Vision, with Top Up TV you would miss any races that are shown on Sky Sports 3 and 4. In addition, to watch the coverage on Sky Sports F1 HD, you'll need to be a paying Sky customer subscribed to either Sky Sports 1 or 2, or a Sky HD package. Sky has not yet confirmed whether Sky Sports F1 HD will be available on BT Vision, Virgin Media or Top Up TV services.

TV, broadband and phone packages

Company	Package Name	Channels	Broadband	Home Phone
	Sky Entertainment TV + HD + Sky Broadband Unlimited + Talk Freetime	Get channels like Sky 1, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and more
	TV Essential + More Broadband and Calls	70 Freeview channels
	TV: L + Broadband: 30Mb + Phone: M	100 channels including Virgin 1, Sky1, Comedy Central, Bravo and many more

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