Belgian telecoms firm Telenet has renewed its exclusive coverage of motor racing’s elite Formula 1 series through 2027, which it will continue to show live through its Play Sports broadcast brand.
This means that every practice and qualifying session, sprint race, and Grand Prix proper, will all be broadcast live and exclusively on Play Sports alongside shoulder content and ancillary programming.
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Of particular interest to the Belgian market will be the continued exploits of Dutch-Belgian driver Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 World Drivers Champion, and his Red Bull team.
The former Telenet-F1 tie-up ran through the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, with action from the iconic series also shown in that market by the public-service broadcaster RTBF (that deal runs through 2027 as well).
F1 recently confirmed that the iconic Belgian Grand Prix, part of the circuit since 1950, will remain as an F1 event through 2031 in a unique rotational deal.
However, the lengthy extension will not see the Spa-Francorchamps race take place every year consecutively during that period – instead, it will be held in four years out of six (2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031). In 2028 and 2030, meanwhile, other venues will take its slot.
In 2025 the Belgian Grand Prix will take place across July 25-27.
Both the Play Sports primary channel, and its motorsports-centric Play6 channel, will deliver the broadcasts.
Telenet already holds the rights to the secondary Formula 2 and tertiary Formula 3 series’, as well as the Porsche Supercup stock car racing series, and motorcycle racing’s MotoGP World Championship, rounding out a strong lineup of motor racing content on the Play Sports channels.
Telenet is 100% owned by Liberty Global, the major US media group that shares a chair, John Malone, with Liberty Media (Liberty Media was spun off from Liberty Global and trades seperately).
Alongside its motor racing slate, the broadcaster also holds rights that include tennis’ ATP and WTA tours, soccer’s UEFA Champions League, and Dutch Eredivisie.
