Italy To Lose Free-To-Air Formula 1 Coverage In '18

Formula 1 is to "all but disappear" from mainstream free-to-air TV in Italy in '18, with only the country's own race at Monza expected to be featured live on RAI, according to Adam Cooper of MOTORSPORT. Until last season, Italy operated on a similar system to the U.K., "with all the races carried live by Sky Italia and nine live on RAI, together with highlights of the rest." Recent negotiations over '18 arrangements "led to RAI failing to satisfy Liberty's financial requirements," and no deal was made, leaving Sky as the "only source of live races this season." The Italian situation is the "opposite of that in France," where live F1 races are returning to free-to-air on TF1, which will be showing the French and Monaco GPs, and two others, plus highlights. However, that arrangement "may yet be replicated in Italy, albeit not on a mainstream channel." It is understood that Sky is "working on a deal to have four live races and highlights of the rest on its free-to-air digital subsidiary TV8" (MOTORSPORT, 1/19).