Formula 1 has reinforced its long-term commitment to one of its strongest European markets after extending its free-to-air broadcast partnership with Austrian broadcaster ServusTV through the end of the 2029 FIA Formula One World Championship season.
The multi-year renewal will see ServusTV continue as the exclusive free-to-air home of Formula 1 in Austria, providing comprehensive live coverage of every race weekend across its linear television and digital platforms. Austrian viewers will retain access to every practice session, qualifying, Sprint and Grand Prix, ensuring uninterrupted free-to-air coverage of the championship.
The agreement builds on a successful relationship that began in 2021 and reflects Formula 1’s broader media rights strategy of securing long-term broadcast partnerships in key markets while maintaining free-to-air accessibility, where it can maximise audience reach and fan engagement. Austria remains one of Formula 1’s most significant territories, driven by its deep-rooted motorsport culture, the annual Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring and the country’s close association with Red Bull‘s global motorsport operations.
Ian Holmes, Chief Media Rights and Broadcasting Officer of Formula 1, said, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with ServusTV, who have delivered world-class broadcasting for our passionate fans in Austria over the last six years. Their dedication to delivering high-quality, free-to-air coverage ensures that fans across the country can continue to enjoy the drama and excitement of Formula 1. This extension reflects the strength of our collaboration and a shared ambition to grow the sport and bring F1 closer to our Austrian audience.”
Matthias Brügelmann, Global Head of Content at ServusTV, added, “Over the past six years, ServusTV and Formula 1 have built a strong and successful partnership and extending this collaboration for a further three years is great news for motorsport fans in Austria. They can continue to watch their favourite sport free-to-air and in top quality on ServusTV and ServusTV On.”
For ServusTV, the extension further strengthens its position as the home of Formula 1 in Austria while enhancing its premium live sports portfolio. The broadcaster has invested heavily in high-quality motorsport production, with the renewed agreement ensuring Austrian audiences will continue to enjoy comprehensive coverage across both traditional broadcast and streaming platforms.
The renewal also adds to Formula 1’s growing portfolio of long-term international media rights agreements. Over the past year, the championship has secured several key broadcast extensions, including a new long-term agreement with Sky across multiple European markets, a renewed partnership with ESPN in the United States, and a three-year extension with FanCode for the Indian market. Together, these deals underline Formula 1’s strategy of combining premium subscription partnerships with strategically important free-to-air agreements to maximise both commercial value and audience reach.
The announcement comes as Formula 1 heads into the Austrian Grand Prix weekend at the Red Bull Ring, where the championship battle continues to intensify. Mercedes‘ Kimi Antonelli emerged as the early pace-setter by topping both Friday practice sessions, while teammate Geroge Russel, Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen and Ferrari‘s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remain firmly in contention as the fight for pole position and crucial championship points gathers momentum. The timing of the broadcast renewal allows Formula 1 to capitalise on heightened fan interest during one of the sport’s marquee events in Austria, further reinforcing the market’s importance within the championship’s global media strategy.
