Formula 1’s new live streaming service F1 TV Pro will not meet its target of a full public launch in time for the first race of the 2018 F1 season, as recently reported by the British media. However, the new system will undergo real-world tests with a limited number of users during the Australian Grand Prix weekend for stress testing.
For the moment, there has been no official comment from Formula One Management, while Formula One’s new global head of digital, Frank Arthofer, told media at the Circuit de Catalunya in February they were “in the process of beta trialling it now with the goal to launch for Australia on March 22nd.” A link to an apparent log-in page for the service was circulated on the internet earlier today. This was later discovered to be a staging site not intended for public use and the page has now been removed.
F1 TV Pro will allow fans in around 40 countries to purchase access to 24 live streams during Formula One grand prix sessions. It will be priced at $8-12 per month or $100 for a full year.
Speaking when the product was announced last month Arthofer said the “biggest pressure” they faced in launching the service was “delivering a great product and a stable technical experience for fans.” FOM originally said it would launch the service on desktop devices only before rolling it out onto mobile applications and connected television devices.
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