German automotive brand Audi has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with UK pay-TV heavyweight Sky Sports.
Through a tie-up unveiled today, Audi will be the official sponsor of the Sky linear channel specifically dedicated to motor racing's iconic Formula 1 (F1).
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Sky holds F1 rights in the UK until the end of the 2029 season, through an extension unveiled in late 2022. It also has a sub-licensing deal with free-to-air commercial broadcaster Channel 4 (through 2026), which shows the British Grand Prix live simultaneously.
F1 is seen as one of Sky’s premium sporting properties, hence having a linear channel specifically dedicated to that series.
Audi, meanwhile, is set to enter F1 as a team and power unit manufacturer in 2026, through the acquisition of the Sauber team. That move was first announced in mid-2022.
Earlier this month, premium experiences and retail brand Legends was selected to run the commercial partnership operations for Audi's upcoming F1 entry.
The Sky-Audi tie-up, running through the 2025, 2026, and 2027 seasons, will cover the full range of Sky Sports F1 programming, including every race, practice session, and qualifying session. It will also stretch across documentaries and other features aired.
The deal was planned and brokered by Sky Media and Omnicom Media Group, and stretches across live broadcasts, Sky’s various digital platforms, as well as its social media channels and the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
The partnership gets underway for the F1 75 Live event in London, UK, today, where all 10 F1 teams will showcase their 2025 car liveries live on Sky.
The 2025 season, meanwhile, gets underway in Melbourne, Australia, on March 16, with pre-season testing beginning in Bahrain on February 26.
Karin Seymour, director of client and marketing at Sky Media, said: “F1 has become one of the fastest-growing sports, with an increasingly diverse and engaged fan base driving record TV viewership and online engagement. As partners to Sky Sports F1, we’re helping Audi connect with this new wave of fans and be at the heart of the conversation.”
During the 2024 F1 season, video views of F1 content across Sky’s YouTube channel, online platforms, and mobile app, significantly increased.
