The BBC may consider dropping Formula One coverage once the contract with the rights holder, Formula One Management (FOM), comes to an end in 2014.
A report by the Guardian newspaper suggests the corporation has highlighted F1 and Wimbledon as areas to cut or dramatically reduce in order to save £60 million on sports programming in a bid to reduce annual spend by £300m in total.
The worlds largest broadcaster only acquired the rights to show F1 in 2009 when the then current broadcaster, ITV, wasn’t approached by FOM to renew the deal.
Whilst the sport may have an audience of millions, it isn’t seen as core programming, nor is it shown during peak-time hours, which, at a cost of £40m per year, is classified as wasteful.
It is yet unknown if the move will go ahead with a spokesperson at the BBC refusing to comment.
“We are looking at a range of ideas and it would be wrong to comment on what is speculation,” they said.
