This week, Formula 1’s long-anticipated Internet streaming service went live just ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. The introduction of its own online stream was a huge priority for Liberty Media, the sport’s owner, which is trying to bring the 21st century to a series that until now had stoutly ignored the Internet. This new stream probably represents the biggest fan-facing change Liberty has made since buying F1’s commercial rights from a vulture fund, and it’s an offering many of us have been crying out for. Many other racing series have been live-streaming their races for some time now. But I’m not going to sugar coat it—this new F1 viewing option seems really quite mediocre, particularly considering the cost.
You pays your money…
There are actually two different subscription levels on offer. F1 TV Pro—$ 11.99 per month here in the US—gets you the races as well as all the other track sessions live and on-demand after the fact, along with all 20 cars’ onboard feeds, unedited team radio broadcasts, an archive of past F1 races, documentaries, live timing, and a driver tracking map. F1 TV Access—just $ 2.99 in the US—is a little more basic. You still get the archives, documentaries, timing, scoring, and some radio feeds, but this tier only offers replays of each session.
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