The streaming service will be rolled out for the start of the next season in 2018, allowing Formula 1 fans to enjoy racing on their own terms, the company revealed to Autosport.

Formula 1 streaming service
Racing fans have been longing for a way to stream F1 for years and under new ownership (Liberty Media), Formula 1 will finally make it happen.

- "We have an obligation to our fans, quite candidly, to ensure that they are able to access our content in any means they want," said Sean Bratches, F1's commercial chief to Autosport. "We would be derelict if we pursued a path for anything other than that."

The company is planning to build the platform entirely in-house, letting viewers subscribe directly to Formula 1 without having to go through a broadcast distributor. The price was not announced but it was said that the streaming service is “set to be rolled out for the start of next season” in 2018.

However, exceptions will apply in the first years because of existing broadcast deals that give TV broadcasters exclusive rights in some regions. One example is the UK, the company said. NBC in the US shied away from renewing its broadcast deal because of the plans.

- "Our objective is to create platforms in the direct-to-consumer arena that engage fans and leverage our assets - whether they are live races, archival  are data," he said.

Details regarding picture / audio quality and supported platforms were not announced.

Formula 1 is not the only company that is planning to cut the middle-man. Disney is planning to launch a standalone EPSN streaming service next year, and other sports leagues have already made the jump.

- Source: Autosport