Followers of System 1 in India have, for a few years now, been capable of watch F1 races stay on Star Sports activities, and even stream them on the Hotstar app lately. Nonetheless, 2023 brings a big shake-up on this system, with Star (and Disney+ Hotstar) selecting to not renew broadcast and streaming rights for F1 in India, following a distinction in perceived valuation of the property. Because of this followers of F1 in India now have just one official choice to observe F1 races stay – the F1 TV app with the Professional subscription.
Though the F1 TV app has been round for some time, and has offered world entry to F1 races and different content material, the subscription service was not made obtainable in India until lately. The F1 TV Professional subscription was launched in India in February at a beginning worth of Rs. 2,999 for one 12 months, though it’s now obtainable for Rs. 2,499 per 12 months or Rs. 299 monthly.
That is significantly dearer than Disney+ Hotstar, which is priced at Rs. 1,499 per 12 months for the Premium plan and presents way more content material than simply F1. So, the F1 TV Professional subscription is undoubtedly an costly providing for Indian F1 followers. Nonetheless, the app guarantees much more when it comes to options and content material past simply stay streaming the F1 races. This is all the things it’s essential know in regards to the F1 TV app and the F1 TV Professional subscription.
F1 TV Professional and Entry subscription plans
As talked about, the F1 TV Professional subscription is presently priced at Rs. 2,499 per 12 months, or Rs. 299 monthly, in India. Naturally, the annual plan presents higher worth for followers, who will acquire entry to your complete 2023 season of F1 at a single worth. Whereas the value exhibits in another way on sure platforms, I’ve discovered that costs are reflecting in Indian Rupees on each iOS and Android, so that you may need to use your smartphone to enroll in the subscription.
The ‘Professional’ subscription gives entry to stay stream all periods of F1 races, together with the follow and qualifying periods, together with stay on-board cameras and staff radio for all twenty drivers in every race. It’s also possible to stay stream assist sequence races from F2, F3, and the Porsche Supercup, which happen alongside F1 on choose race weekends.
As well as, you may as well view race replays and highlights for F1 and assist sequence, and watch exhibits, documentaries, and archives. Stay timings and knowledge are additionally obtainable, together with real-time telemetry, driver maps, and tyre utilization historical past.
Other than the Professional subscription, there’s additionally a extra inexpensive ‘Entry’ subscription on provide, priced at Rs. 1,629 per 12 months, or Rs. 239 monthly. This plan doesn’t allow you to stay stream F1 and assist sequence races, providing restricted content material reminiscent of replays, documentaries, and archives, in addition to stay race timings and knowledge. Given the shortage of options to stay stream races, I would not suggest this plan in any respect; it is value spending a bit extra and getting the ‘Professional’ subscription.
F1 TV: Platforms supported
The F1 TV app is offered on many alternative platforms, together with smartphones and tablets, in addition to good TVs, streaming units, and internet browsers. The app is offered for iOS and tvOS via the App Retailer, Android and Android TV units via the Google Play Retailer, Amazon app retailer for Fireplace TV, Roku, and Chromecast platforms. The app itself is free to obtain, however requires a paid subscription to entry most options and content material.
As soon as you’ve got subscribed, you possibly can log in and entry the subscription from all of your units the place you’ve got your account logged in. F1 TV states that the stay stream might be accessed on just one system at a time, though the app itself might be accessed on as much as six units concurrently to allow you to view timings and knowledge together with the stay stream. Nonetheless, I’ve been capable of entry the stay stream on a number of units concurrently, so customers may be capable to reap the benefits of this ‘loophole’ for now.
F1 TV: Streaming options and content material
The important thing draw of F1 TV is stay streaming of the System 1 races, together with follow and qualifying periods throughout race weekends, in addition to pre-race and post-race exhibits. All races for the season shall be obtainable to observe on the service. Viewers may also be capable to tune in to press conferences and grid walks produced and offered by F1 for the F1 TV app.
Moreover, any assist sequence races going down alongside F1 races on specific weekends may also be obtainable to observe stay on the F1 TV app with the Professional subscription. Notably, this contains entry to the System 2 championship, the primary assist sequence for F1. For the 2023 System 2 season, there are two Indian drivers on the grid – Jehan Daruvala is driving for 2022 F2 Constructor’s champions MP Motorsport, whereas Kush Maini competes in his rookie season in F2 for Campos Racing. This could seemingly pique the curiosity of Indian motorsports followers.
F1 TV has its personal presenter staff, which notably options long-time F1 analyst Will Buxton, together with Laura Winter, Lawrence Baretto, and Rosanna Tennant. Followers of System 1: Drive to Survive will instantly recognise Buxton, who has appeared prominently within the present.
The commentary staff options Alex Jacques, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer, James Hinchcliffe, and skilled contributions from former driver David Coulthard. Importantly, followers can swap the protection and commentary for System 1 races via the app itself and decide to tune into Sky Sports activities F1’s worldwide protection, led by David Croft and Martin Brundle. For individuals who beforehand watched F1 on Star Sports activities or Hotstar, this may really feel much more acquainted.
A giant further function is the power to modify to knowledge and telemetry together with tyre use per driver, interactive maps with the place of every driver on the circuit, and particular person helmet or automotive cameras for every of the 20 drivers in each race. The latter views additionally present unfiltered entry to the motive force radio, letting viewers tune in to stay conversations between F1 drivers and their race engineers on the pit wall. Usefully, you should utilize a multi-device setup to have the ability to have a few of these screens and views working concurrently alongside the common broadcast for a extra immersive and interactive viewing expertise.
