Broadcast rights open
No Formula 1 on free TV? Unrest shortly before the start of the season
02/25/2026 – 10:16 a.mReading time: 1 min.
The start of the 2026 Formula 1 season is getting closer – but German fans could be left empty-handed on free-to-air television. Now time is running out for Sky too.
Less than two weeks before the start of the Formula 1 season in Melbourne on March 8th, there is still uncertainty about free TV broadcasts in Germany. According to the contract, pay-TV broadcaster Sky as the rights holder must show four races on free-to-air television, but has not yet found a suitable partner.
Sky confirmed the situation to the German Press Agency without giving any further details. For German motorsport fans, this means an uncertain wait before the new season with a total of 24 Grand Prix. The racing calendar extends from the start in Australia to the finale on December 6th in Abu Dhabi.
RTL broadcast seven races last year and reached an average of 1.405 million viewers. This represented a decrease from the previous year, when 1.595 million fans tuned in.
The situation surrounding TV rights in Germany has changed significantly in recent years. RTL showed all races for the last time in 2020 and achieved an average of almost four million viewers. After that, the Cologne broadcaster lost TV poker with Sky and was only allowed to broadcast four races per season for two years.
RTL rejected another four-race contract for 2023. Sky then had to ensure the required free TV broadcasts via its own channels. In 2024, RTL and Sky agreed on a new contract: seven races per season in exchange for football rights.
