
Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone (third from right), "Napoleon" in the British tabs, got his start in facing in 1949.
Jun Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Tumblr
ROME – Italian News Corp. subsidiary Sky-Italia announced Wednesday that it had acquired exclusive rights to broadcast the 2013 seasons for Formula 1 auto racing in Italy. Terms of the deal, which will start in March 2013, were not disclosed.
Sky-Italia said in a statement that nine of the season’s 20 Formula 1 World Championship races will be broadcast live without charge, with the remainders broadcast with a delay. Paying subscribers will be able to watch all the races on computers, tablets, and smart phones.
PHOTOS: 26 of Hollywood’s Most Popular Athletes-Turned-Actors
Thanks in part to the historic Formula 1 success of Italian carmaker Ferrari, the sport is a popular one in Italy, by some measures second in popularity only to soccer among Italian viewers.
This agreement with FOM adds to Sky’s already outstanding Sports offer,” Sky-Italia chief executive Andrea Zappia said in a statement. “These investments show how our company is determined to confirm its leading position in the Italian TV market.”
Among Sky-Italia’s other recent sports acquisitions are the next two editions of both the Summer and Winter Olympics and the 2014 World Cup of Soccer in Brazil.
Related Stories
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day