Sky to launch dedicated F1 channel

Reuters: Sky television will launch a dedicated pay TV Formula One channel in Britain next year with live coverage of every race in high definition (HD) and without the interruption of advertisements, the broadcaster announced on Friday.

Sky said it would show every practice and qualifying session live on Sky Sports F1 HD when the 2012 season starts in Australia in March.

The lack of commercials during races – ensuring an uninterrupted 90 minutes at least – will appeal to fans although the move to pay-television in Britain for the first time after decades of free-to-air has caused widespread anger.

A standard definition Sky Sports subscription currently costs more than 500 pounds ($780) a year.

The commercial broadcaster and the publicly-funded BBC, the current live television rights holders, are sharing the coverage in Britain between 2012 and 2018. The BBC will broadcast half a season’s races.