Sky Italia launches F1 channel

Italian pay TV operator Sky has launched a dedicated Formula 1 channel, Sky Sport F1 HD.

Taking its lead from its sister BSkyB service in the UK, Sky Italia has launched a service that will show live races and a raft of magazine and wraparound programming.

The UK version of the Sky Sports F1 channel

A Sky Italia spokesman told TBI that Sky Italia has inked an agreement with Sky in the UK enabling it to show some F1 content in 3D.

In Italy, Sky has taken exclusive live rights to ten of the Grand Prix in the upcoming championship.

The rights to the other nine races are shared with public broadcaster RAI and the two will both televise the races.

Sky Italia held F1 rights between 2007 and 2009, but not on an exclusive basis.

The new channel launched this week. It will offer petrol heads a raft of interactive features ahead of and during races and practise sessions including pit lane and in-car views and a four-screen split view showing different views and data.