India|March'2009: Catch the world’s most exciting motorsport World Championship with ESPN STAR Sports, as Asia’s No. 1 sports content provider delivers extensive coverage of the 2009 Formula One season across its television, online and mobile platforms starting with this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

This year marks the 18th year the F1 is broadcasted on ESPN STAR Sports networks after the renewal of its deal last year with Formula One Management. Its television broadcast will showcase the 2009 F1 season across 23 Asian markets and ESPN STAR Sports will provide expansive online and mobile coverage on www.espnstar.com and mobileESPN respectively, and introduce a new F1 Fantasy online game. The coverage highlights include:

-- World-class television coverage: ESPN STAR Sports will broadcast an average of more than 310 hours of F1 content, including live event television broadcast of all 17 live qualifying sessions and main races such as the debut of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the final race in the F1 calendar. The comprehensive coverage includes the popular pre and post-race sports presentation, Race Day and Chequered Flag hosted by Paula Malai Ali and Steve Dawson respectively with former F1 driver Alex Yoong. Yoong joins STAR Sports’ F1 coverage this season to provide viewers with in-depth analysis and will team up with veteran race commentator Steve Slater in the commentary booth to deliver an exciting one-two punch that matches the thrilling live action on television

-- Live and authoritative online coverage on www.espnstar.com: Includes a lap-by-lap live race coverage on its Live Race Centre; online video content that features highlights from the qualifying races and main race as well as race analysis and previews, track circuit and driver profiles and classic F1 moments on its video player; expert and authoritative views on the sports’ big issues by race commentators Steve Slater and Alex Yoong as well as the latest news and updates

-- F1 Fantasy Online Game: www.espnstar.com’s Fantasy F1 Game flags off this weekend and will run throughout the 2009 F1 season. Participants become team managers who create their own Fantasy F1 team from a budget of $80 million and score points based on the performance of their three drivers, one engine, one constructor and a bonus circuit where the entrant will receive double points in the 2009 season. Points will be scored for all qualifying days and main races throughout the season starting with the Australian Grand Prix qualifying race on 28th March

-- Get F1 mobile content on the go from mobileESPN: More than 406 million potential mobile subscribers across Asia can get their F1 fix whenever and wherever they are in the form of headline news, results, driver standings, team standings and the F1 race calendar in English, Chinese and Bahasa Malay

More than 56.4 million* in-home pay TV viewers watched STAR Sports’ coverage of the sport last year. STAR Sports’ F1 broadcasts continued to expand interest levels in the sport – up to 36% of all F1 viewers in key metered markets* tuned in to watch F1-related content outside the qualifying and championship races. This comprised pre and post-race shows Race Day and Chequered Flag as well as F1 race highlight shows.
 

Reachout's News Bureau
 March' 2009