04/10/2017
NEWS STORY
ESPN and Formula 1 have agreed to a multi-year linear and digital partnership that brings the FIA Formula One World Championship back to its original television home in the United States starting in 2018 when ESPN and ABC will televise all 21 races in the championship. The first Formula 1 race ever aired in the U.S. was on ABC in 1962.
Beginning with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 25, and ending with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, all of the races will air live in the United States on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC.
All in more than 125 hours of F1 programming, including all practice sessions, qualifying and races, will air live and in replay across ESPN platforms in 2018. Betting odds will be available online.
"ESPN has had a long commitment to motorsports, and Formula 1 is a crown jewel in the sport," said Burke Magnus, ESPN executive vice president of programming & scheduling. "There are many passionate Formula 1 fans in the U.S. and we look forward to bringing the pageantry, spectacle and excitement of F1 to viewers across the ESPN platform."
Among the season highlights will be the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, May 27 (Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.), which will air live on ESPN at and re-air later in the day on ABC after the Indianapolis 500.
The United States Grand Prix and the Mexican Grand Prix will air live on ABC while the Canadian and British Grands Prix will be featured live on ESPN. The Singapore Grand Prix, the only night race of the championship, will air on ESPN2.
"We are excited about the return of the world's foremost motor racing platform to the ABC and ESPN platforms," said Sean Bratches, managing director, commercial operations at Formula 1. "ABC's Wide World of Sports first started airing live grands prix in the early 1960's and this linear and digital partnership with ESPN represents a significant step forward in achieving Formula 1's aim of broadening the sport's appeal. The U.S. market is very important growth opportunity for Formula 1 and we are looking forward to working with ESPN to ignite the growing fan interest."
Formula 1 made its debut on American television with the airing of highlights from the Monaco Grand Prix on ABC's Wide World of Sports on June 10, 1962, one week after the race was run. Select races appeared on ABC until 1988. Monaco, of course famed for its legendary Casino.
ESPN began televising F1 races with a 10-race schedule in 1984, expanding to 14 races from 1985-1988, and then 15 from 1989-1993. ESPN aired 16 races in 1994, then a high of 17 in 1995, followed by 16 in both 1996 and 1997, the last years the championship appeared on ESPN.