---
title: "ESPN Confirms Commercial-Free Formula 1 Coverage for Rest of 2018"
description: "ESPN promises zero commercial breaks for the remaining 19 races of the 2018 Formula 1 season."
date: "2018-04-11"
modified: "2018-04-11"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20039/espn-confirms-commercial-free-formula-1-coverage-for-rest-of-2018"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "2018"
  - "ESPN"
  - "Formula 1"
  - "Mercedes-AMG"
  - "racing"
  - "Racing News"
---

# ESPN Confirms Commercial-Free Formula 1 Coverage for Rest of 2018

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/03/mercedes-red-bull-racing-f1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The world's largest sports TV network, *ESPN*, has confirmed that it will provide a commercial-free broadcast of the [2018 Formula 1 season](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18532/the-casual-fans-2018-formula-1-spotters-guide>) for the remaining 19 races. The announcement comes after the ad-free format was trialed during last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

*ESPN* announced prior to the beginning of the racing season that it would team up with *Sky Sports*, one of the leading European sports networks, to provide [first-class coverage](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18854/f1-tv-formula-1-streaming-service-announced>) of the pinnacle of motor racing. Of course, the transition didn't happen without encountering a few bumps along the way, with several glitches plaguing the season-opening race in Australia. Thankfully, the second round of the world championship saw considerable improvements with a nearly flawless broadcast throughout the weekend.

https://twitter.com/_/status/983781857899794433

According to the statement, the new changes will be implemented during the [qualifying and race portions](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19965/verstappen-explains-sudden-150-bhp-engine-boost-that-caused-bahrain-qualifying-crash>) of the race weekend but didn't specify if the practice sessions broadcasted over on *ESPN3* will also be commercial free. In addition, it's not clear as to what will happen when the *Sky Sports* broadcast itself goes into a commercial break or splits into a multi-screen in order to show an advertiser's message.

"We intend to present the [F1 races](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19947/liberty-media-lays-out-blueprint-for-f1s-future-at-bahrain-grand-prix>) in this way for the balance of the 2018 season," said Burke Magnus, *ESPN* Executive Vice President of Programming & Scheduling. "F1 fans are passionate and we listened to a lot of feedback from them—the fans are very informed and the feedback we received was both polite and constructive. It helped us."

"We don't have a completely finished product but we're very happy with the way the changes after Australia were received. We'll continue to keep working to make it better for the fans."

Sunday's main race coverage will continue to be sponsored by the popular line of car care products Mother's Polish, but it's not clear if their [sponsorship model](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18973/formula-1-teams-were-paid-way-less-in-2017-under-liberty-medias-ruling>) has been revised due to the lack of other advertisement revenues. For now, all we can do is be stoked about commercial-free Formula 1 racing.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)