The BBC have revealed the identity of the ten Formula One races that will be broadcast live on free-to-air television in the UK next year, along with their other plans for their uncomfortable switch to role as semi-live broadcaster.
After Sky Sports revealed plans for a new dedicated F1 HD channel from the start of 2012 earlier on Friday, the BBC also clarified their own 2012 plans.From next year, F1 will leave the exclusive free-to-air home it has occupied throughout the sport's history in the UK, with only half of 2012's races being shown live.
And the BBC has confirmed that they will cover the entirety of the race weekends in China, Spain, Monaco, Valencia, Britain, Belgium, Singapore, Korea, Abu Dhabi and Brazil live.
BBC viewers will enjoy an unaffected extent of coverage for those ten races, with practice sessions shown on interactive TV and online, and qualifying and the race shown live on BBC One and in HD.
The popular post-race interactive forum will remain part of the BBC's package as well for their live races.
For the other ten races, the BBC have confirmed that "extended highlights" of each race will be shown shortly after the conclusion of the live coverage on Sky Sports.
For early races in the Far East and Australia, a two-hour highlights package will be shown at 2pm on Sunday afternoons, while more traditional European starts will feature a 90-minute highlights show at 5.30pm.
The BBC also confirmed that there would be highlights shows for qualifying sessions at their non-live race weekends, and that their presenting team would travel to all races, regardless of whether they were live.
The Beeb has also kept full radio broadcast rights in the UK, meaning that races not carried live on television will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Whether or not the idea of seeing races such as Valencia and Abu Dhabi over the likes of Australia or Monza will be particularly appealing to BBC devotees in the UK next year remains to be seen.
However, the corporation has avoided taking the live rights to either the Bahrain or United States GPs for 2012, with both races appearing under threat of cancellation.
The BBC, like Sky, also made no firm statement on their presenting team for 2012, stating that the full line-up would be revealed later in the year.
Current anchor Jake Humphrey is expected to remain in the role, but other high-profile members of the BBC team, such as Martin Brundle, Ted Kravitz, and radio commentator David Croft have been linked with a switch to Sky.
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