RTBF, the French-language public-service broadcaster in Belgium, will continue to cover motor racing’s top-tier Formula 1 (F1) until 2027, through a deal extension unveiled today (October 17).
Through the renewal, RTBF will continue to cover F1 action on its Tipik and La Une channels for the next four seasons, as well as on the Auvio digital platform.
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Tipik and Auvio will cover all races, practice, and qualifying sessions, as well as sprint races, while select main races will also air on La Une.
The previous extension between RTBF and F1 was unveiled in early 2021 and was due to run out at the end of the 2024 campaign. The public-service broadcaster shares rights with Play Sports, the network owned by telecoms operator Telenet.
The Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one of the most iconic on the F1 calendar, and last week extended its stay on the series' calendar until 2025.
Next year, it will take place on July 28.
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By GlobalDataBenoit Delhauteur, RTBF’s head of sports, said: “F1 is precisely the sport with which we can reach all age groups and particularly younger audiences.
“What’s more, we’re finding that we’re watched on Auvio and Tipik by a more female audience than for our other sports broadcasts.
“Extending our contract with F1 means continuing to tell a story that fascinates a very large number of people in French-speaking Belgium.”
Michaella Snoeck, Formula 1’s head of media rights, added: “As F1 continues to grow and attract new audiences, we are delighted to extend the special relationship with our long-standing broadcast partner.
“We look forward to working with RTBF to further improve our broadcast offering and build a best-in-class viewing experience for fans in Belgium.”
Earlier this week, meanwhile, F1 unveiled a multi-year commercial partnership covering races in the Americas with American Express, the international credit card provider.
Meanwhile, the 2024 season schedule for F1 Academy, the series’ new all-female development category, has been unveiled, with seven races to take place.
These will be held in Saudi Arabia, the US, Spain, the Netherlands, Singapore, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi. All locations except the Netherlands and Spain are first-time hosts, and all races will take place on the same weekends as those circuits host F1 grands prix.
The F1 Academy season will open on March 7 and come to a finish on December 8. All 10 F1 teams are supporting the series by each providing a driver and having their livery on one car.
The final round of this year's F1 Academy series received broadcast exposure in over 100 territories.
