Hamilton hopes fans will keep watching F1 in pay TV era
Jun.15 - Lewis Hamilton hopes Formula 1 can ride the wave of its "transition" from free television coverage.
Across the spectrum of the sport's broadcast markets, the trend towards pay-TV coverage is growing by the month and year.
"We used to have 8 million fans on TF1 in France," said F1 legend Alain Prost.
"Now there are less than 750,000 on digital television on Canal Plus. But that's how it works when you move everything to pay TV."
According to Speed Week, seven time world champion Hamilton is also concerned.
"There seems to be a tendency that you have to pay for what you want to see on television," said the Mercedes driver. "You have to pay for Netflix too.
"I see this as a kind of transition. The world has changed in that way. I just hope people stay loyal to the sport and at least follow it on social media.
"I think Formula 1 is doing a good job to make the sport more accessible to the fans, but there has to be more if they're going to be persuaded to pay for F1 on television," he added.
Former F1 driver David Coulthard has an even stronger position on the matter of pay TV.
"Formula 1 belongs on free television," he said. "But I understand the economics of it.
"I'm happy that Channel 4 has found a solution with Sky so that at least the highlights of the other races are shown," the British broadcaster added.
Here you can order your own F1 TV subscription.
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I have been a loyal F1 fan since 1970 at Watkins Glen when JYS took a moment to talk about track conditions with a young support race driver.....me. BUT, I will not pay to watch races on tv. Full stop.
I guess sky dont care in Europe aslong as the Overall viewers/users of Sky increase, sky pay f1 in germany, the home of MB and they have 1.1 Million viewers, laughable
I have been an F1 fan since the 1960s when F1 was affordable. Every year the costs go up as the owners change and the aim goes from entertainment to making profits. Circuits have been dropped because the country's governments or organizations cannot afford to "pay" for the race to be held. It's all about money. Even the drivers are squeezing the teams for more. When will it end? Thank you Channel 4 in the UK for at least putting on the highlights FREE.
Here here, Re C4, old chiseled jaw and his company does a great job for f1 fans in the uk
If F1 goes on pay tv then I will stop watching it on Sky, I pay enough for my tv with Sky subscription plus tv licence and that is too much at times.Sky make enough out of adverts so if people stop watching Sky then the advert revenue will go down.
If channel 4 keep the highlights then maybe I will watch that.