Formula One launches F1 TV ahead of World Championship

Formula 1 has launched its streaming platform F1 TV ahead of the 2022 World Championship. The streaming platform hosts shows and documentaries focused on the car racing sport. Users can also watch archived and new championships.

The development was first reported by Inc42.

The first F1 Grand Prix will take place in Bahrain in March, followed by Saudi Arabia, Australia, Azerbaijan, and the US. The F1 World Championship will take place across different countries over the next few months.

F1 TV offers subscription starting at $2.99 (Rs 248 approx) per month and going up $29.99 (Rs 2,484 approx) per year. The F1 TV Pro subscription gives users access to live F1 sessions. People can also catch up or replay old and other matches, including F2, F3, and Porsche Supercup, according to the company.

F1 is an international auto racing sport, which has a niche audience in India. Earlier, the F1 tournament would be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.

The development comes at a time when live sports is becoming an imperative addition to the programme catalogue for most streaming platforms. Last year, Disney and Viacom18 battled it out for the Indian Premier League (IPL) digital streaming rights, while Amazon Prime Video streamed the India VS New Zealand ODI (one-day international) series. SonyLIV, too, streams a few live sports tournaments on its platform.

F1 TV has entered the streaming market at a difficult time. Many streaming platforms have found it hard to gain paid users in India, with advertising becoming the new focus for larger streaming platforms.