F1 Wants 8K Broadcasts With No Lag Because That's What the Kids Like

It's hard to imagine better Formula 1 TV coverage than what we already get—or, at least it is for me. I began watching the sport 30-plus years ago in a foreign country where every race was broadcast for free, but somehow never on the same channel or by the same network. Once in the U.S., things got more complicated as F1 was only broadcasted by Speedvision, which meant forking out monthly money for cable TV and then paying for a special sports package in addition to the basic lineup. Watching Speedvision turned into watching Speed, then NBC Sports, then ESPN, and most recently there's also F1 TV. Nowadays, all I have to do is reach into my pocket for my iPhone and I can watch F1 anytime, anywhere. Still, F1 believes the experience can be improved.

F1 and its official broadcast partner, Tata Communications, are currently looking to upgrade their services to millions of fans who watch F1 around the world—whether it be via TV or streaming. In an in-depth interview with Motorsport.com, Tata's Vice President and Global Head of Media and Entertainment Dhaval Ponda explained what lies ahead for one of the most-watched sports in the world.

For starters, there's 8K definition. I often re-watch F1 races from the '80s and '90s with my son and he complains that things are so grainy he can't even make out what's what. I may shake my head but it's true, especially for folks who have only been watching F1 for a few years. HD and 4K show so much detail, whether on the cars, tires, or even the tracks, that it's hard to imagine it getting any better. But as Ponda told Motorsport.com, it's all about the youths and their expectations.

“What happened gradually over the last couple of years is audiences globally, in almost every single part of the world, have got used to having content in 4K. And for the young generation this is where the bar is now set,” said Ponda. "And it will definitely happen because, for the current generation that has got used to 4K, for them, 8K will really offer a finer detail and a higher level of quality.”

I remember when F1 first turned up in HD, and later on in 4K, and I get what Ponda is saying here. Once an audience gets accustomed to a high-quality product, it will demand the same or better as time goes on. Personally, I watch F1 exclusively via F1 TV as I find it to be the easiest and most cost-effective way to do so, and I've never had any complaints about picture quality. The app's maiden season was definitely a shit show, but it seriously improved in its sophomore year.

Ponda also references "the young generation," and rightly so. Like most legacy sports, F1 has spent the last six years trying to bring in younger viewers to make sure that it doesn't age out along with its gray-haired diehard fans. A strong social media presence and, of course, a little-known Netflix series called Formula 1: Drive to Survive have proven to be exceptional tools.