F1 News

Formula 1 viewership suffers huge drop in France

Formula 1 viewership suffers huge drop in France

17-01-2020 08:45 Last update: 12:20

Bevan Youl

Former Formula 1 driver and four-time World Champion Alain Prost has revealed that the viewing figures for the sport have dropped by over seven million after a move from free-to-air coverage.

The ability to watch F1 around the world without having to pay is increasing more and more with several broadcasters acquiring the rights to the sport.
 
In France, it used to be broadcasted free-to-air on TF1, which now has rights to four races, but a switch to pay service Canal Plus has seen a huge drop in average numbers of viewers.
 
“We used to have 8 million fans in France watching TF1, but now that it is on Canal Plus it is 750,000,” Prost told Speed Week.

“But that’s how it works when you move everything to pay-TV.”

Up until last year in the United Kingdom, Channel 4 had the rights to broadcast almost half of the races throughout the year.

But a new deal with Sky Sports for 2019 meant that only they would be able to show every race, with Channel 4 reduced to just the British Grand Prix and delayed highlights of the rest across the calendar.