Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy

Wednesday 6 May 2026

Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy

  • Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until the end of the 2034 season while Italy retains exclusive rights until end of 2032
  • Sky and NOW are the only place to watch live coverage of every practice, qualifying, sprint and Grand Prix
  • Partnership includes Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 ACADEMY and Porsche Supercup 

Sky and Formula 1 have today announced a new multi-year agreement giving Sky Sports viewers in the UK and Ireland, and Sky Sport viewers in Italy, exclusive access to all the action from every Formula 1 race weekend through into the next decade.

In the UK and Ireland, where 2025 was the most watched F1 season ever on Sky Sports, fans will be able to watch all the action through to the end of 2034 season, with Sky Sports’ rights in Italy running through to the end of the 2032 season.

Under the new agreement that adds a further five seasons to the existing partnerships in both markets, Sky will continue to show every practice, qualifying, sprint and Grand Prix on Sky Sports (UK and I) and Sky Sport (Italy), and streaming service NOW.  In the UK, highlights of every Grand Prix and live coverage of the British Grand Prix will continue to be made available free-to-air. Sky Sport will continue to elevate its Formula 1 storytelling in Italy by airing every Grand Prix live on the dedicated Sky Sport F1 channel, complemented by free-to-air coverage on TV8, including the live broadcast of every Italian Grand Prix, an approach that expands the championship’s visibility.

Dana Strong, Group CEO Sky, said: “We’re proud of the role we’ve played in supporting the sport’s growth through world-class storytelling, innovation and long-term investment. This new agreement secures Sky as the home of Formula 1 for years to come, as the sport enters an exciting era with more British talent on the grid and rising stars like Kimi Antonelli. I want to thank Stefano and the F1 team for our continued partnership, which we’re excited to build on in the years ahead."

Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said: “Sky has always been a dedicated, trusted and passionate partner since we began our relationship many years ago. Their world leading approach to live broadcasting, content creation, behind the scenes analysis led by a truly amazing group of on-screen talent has made the difference in continuing to grow our sport in the UK, Ireland and Italy and I am delighted we will be taking our partnership into the next decade. I want to thank Dana and all the team at Sky for their determination to get this deal in place and to continue to bring the excitement of Formula 1 to our passionate fans.”

The partnership also includes comprehensive coverage of Formula 1’s support events, with Formula 2, Formula 3, F1 ACADEMY and Porsche Supercup all remaining part of Sky’s offering, giving motorsport fans complete access to the future stars of the sport.

Sky’s award-winning Formula 1 coverage will continue to be shared with international broadcast partners, reaching fans in more than 100 markets worldwide. Fans will continue to enjoy insight and analysis from Sky’s expert line-up featuring former World Champions alongside world-class commentary and much-loved segments from Martin Brundle’s Grid Walk through to Ted’s Notebook and Bernie Collins’ expert analysis live from the pit wall.

For Italian viewers, the iconic voice of Carlo Vanzini will continue to guide fans through the action, joined by commentary from former F1 drivers such as Marc Gené and Ivan Capelli, along with analysis from trackside reporters.

Since becoming the home of Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland in 2019, Sky has played a central role in the sport’s growth in those markets. Total viewing has increased by 90%, with under-35s up 120%, and female viewership has more than doubled. In the past three seasons alone (2023–2025), viewing has grown by 14%, culminating in a record-breaking 2025 season with 162 million viewer hours. Buoyed by the strong performances of Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli respectively, viewership in Italy has opened with a 25% rise in the 2026 season. The audience for the Italian driver’s first victory at the Chinese Grand Prix drew 1.2 million viewers live on Sky, along with a further 1.4 million on TV8.

Sky’s coverage has continued to push the boundaries within the sport, with award-winning analysis via the SkyPad and innovation in the form of its Ghost Car feature which allows viewers to see in remarkable detail how key battles across the grid play out. The introduction of onboard cameras as well as access to enhanced real-time data has also brought fans even closer to the action, allowing them to experience a race from inside the car of their favourite driver. 

The partnership with F1 adds to Sky’s market-leading portfolio in the UK and Ireland with more top-quality sport than anywhere else, with most of Sky’s sport rights secured until near the end of the decade. That includes 1,500 games from the Premier League, Women’s Super League, EFL and SPFL; year-round coverage of both tennis and darts, every shot from the golf Majors, home men’s and women’s international England cricket, and more action from the NFL, Netball Super League and rugby league. 

In Italy, Sky Sport is positioned as “La Casa dello Sport.” Its core pillars include motorsport, with more than 17 championships and over 200 races each year across MotoGP, SBK, WRC, and more; tennis, with 6,000 matches across over 100 ATP and WTA tournaments, including exclusive coverage of Wimbledon and the US Open; and football, with 2,000 matches from Serie A, Premier League, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1, as well as 185 of the 203 UEFA Champions League matches and full exclusive coverage of the UEFA Europa League and Conference League. The lineup also features top-tier basketball, volleyball, rugby, golf, track and field, and more.

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