The Monaco Grand Prix will be "broadcast live on free-to-air" TV in the U.K. for "the first time in five years" as Channel 4 revealed its program details for the new season, according to Giles Richards of the London GUARDIAN. The terrestrial broadcaster will "again show 10 live Formula One races" as part of its co-broadcasting deal with Sky Sports, including the British GP at Silverstone on July 16. Sky will show all 20 races live. Channel 4 will also broadcast live for the first time the Russian, Singapore and U.S. grands prix, dropping Spain, Hungary, Italy and Mexico as a result. The channel has also "retained the rights" to the season-ending Abu Dhabi race. Channel 4 will continue with the format it used last season, which was "largely well received," showing practice and qualifying in full on the weekends it is broadcasting live, as well as the races "uninterrupted by commercial breaks and in high definition." The other races will be shown as extensive highlights later in the day and available on its on-demand platform, All 4. The services of the production company Whisper Films have "been retained" (GUARDIAN, 1/5).
ALL GRANDS PRIX LIVE: Sky Sports F1 will show every Formula 1 Grand Prix, qualifying and practice session live in '17. Ten of the year's 20 races will be exclusively live on Sky Sports, including the Canadian, Mexican and Brazilian GPs. And for the first time in U.K. TV history, viewers in the U.K. and Ireland with Sky Q can enjoy every Grand Prix in ultra high-definition. Customers with Sky Q can also enjoy split viewing, with different race camera angles and highlights alongside live coverage (Sky Sports).
