Formula 1 | Checkered flag on free-to-air F1: Rai definitively bids farewell to the Circus. Exclusive rights to Sky

Game, set & match: after several years of broadcasting, Rai will definitively say goodbye to the Formula One circus. Despite a final sensational attempt carried out by state TV, the offer presented to Liberty Media was deemed "inadequate", effectively closing the negotiations for the free-to-air broadcast of Formula One. A sensational coup if we think of Ferrari and the numerous enthusiasts who constantly follow the events of the Circus, not to mention that, considering this about-face by Rai, Formula One will be in exclusive use by Sky which will be able to broadcast all twenty-one GPs on its satellite channel (Sky Sport F1 HD.ed.).

It is not yet clear, however, what will happen to the entire motoring editorial team of the Viale Mazzini TV: in addition to having lost Formula One, in fact, Rai has also given up the rights linked to Formula E, the electric category sponsored by the FIA. State TV therefore does not have any television rights related to motoring, which is why it is reasonable to expect a dismantling of the entire technical structure (from Gianfranco Mazzoni to Giorgio Piola and Ivan Capelli. Ed.). The question therefore arises spontaneously: what will it happen to free-to-air Formula One? Without prejudice to the fact that the rights will definitively pass into the hands of Sky, pay TV will only broadcast four free-to-air events and these will be broadcast by the broadcaster TV8. The rest, obviously, will be given deferred.

A project similar to the one that Sky itself has been carrying out with MotoGP for a couple of seasons. Precisely in this sense, the Sky editorial team could entrust the former RAI technical staff with the task of commenting on the four GPs free-to-air, thus separating the "free" content from that offered on the pay platform. However, this will be decided later, the only certain thing is that after several years of broadcasting, Rai will say goodbye to the queen category of four-wheeled motorsport, leaving millions and millions of fans high and dry.

Roberto Valenti