• The Pits

NBC set to unveil 2013 broadcast details

ESPN Staff
March 11, 2013
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NBC, which has taken over coverage of Formula One from Fox's Speed channel, has announced its schedule for the coming season.

The coverage starts with the Australian Grand Prix on on the NBC Sports Network cable channel at the less-than-appealing time of 1.30amET.

Only four of the 19 races will be shown on the main network with the highlight the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, May 26, a day that also features the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on rival networks. The other live grands prix on the main channel are those in Canada, the USA and Brazil.

Will Buxton, who switched to NBC from Speed, said the channel's aim was to win over new fans. "If you're watching the race with your 12-year-old son or daughter and they ask you a question, you'll switch it off if you can't answer it because you don't want to sound stupid.

To the likely unease of those who have followed F1 for a long time, he added: "It will frustrate the diehard fans, but we're going to reinforce the basics so we don't alienate anybody."

Buxton, along with his producer, will be the only NBC staff at races with the commentary being done from studios off TV feeds. "During races, pit lane is closed to everybody but the [F1 team's] crews," he said. "And that's true for every TV station on earth."

The remainder of the NBC team consists of Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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