Just in time for the roaring return of the Australian Grand Prix, Kayo Sports has put the pedal to the metal, renewing its rights to the upcoming Formula 1 season showing every race, qualifying session and practice lap.
The 2026 campaign marks the twelfth straight season Foxtel has been in the driver’s seat, having first secured the rights back in 2015.
The extension ensures Australians can continue to enjoy every moment of one of the world’s premier motorsports competition, with every race live and in 4K for Kayo Sports subscribers.
Coverage will also include unique live feeds and minis content from Kayo Sports ensuring fans will be rich in content this F1 season. The coverage will also be available to Foxtel subscribers.
‘No Brainer’
For this new series, Kayo will take its successful 360 series covering the AFL and NRL and apply the format to F1 with a a new weekly show called Motorsport 360.
Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany explained to B&T that this is “long overdue” and was simply a “no brainer”.
Like AFL and NRL fans, motorsport supporters also have an insatiable appetite for content between races. And while motor racing doesn’t operate on the same neat weekly cadence as those codes, the appetite for constant analysis and storylines remains just as strong.
NRL 360:
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“One of the issues with motor racing is that there’s no single motor sport that’s on every week. But, we actually put things together and went well actually across F1, Moto GP, and Supercars its on 43 weeks of the year,” said Delany.
With an added push from Supercars CEO James Warburton, Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscribers are going to be treated to a motorsports talk show for 43 weeks of the year.
“It’ll have a show format, but it’ll also be very rich in video verticals, both in the Kayo app, but also on social media,” added Delany.
Delany also lifted the lid on the “huge” commercial interest the show has created, which began “the minute the rumour started swirling”.
Revamped F1 Circuit
The 2026 season marks one of the most anticipated starts to a Formula 1 campaign in its history, with new regulations that promise to deliver improved on-track action. In addition, the sport welcomes a new team, refreshed driver line-ups, engine providers and race destinations that will add to the excitement and engagement for those following the series.
“We’re delighted to be extending our partnership with the Foxtel Group so that our fans in Australia can continue to enjoy comprehensive coverage of Formula 1 on Kayo SPORTS and FOXTEL. The quality of the product and immersive experience they provide for fans takes them closer to the action, continuing to keep spectators on the edge of their seat,” said Formula 1 chief media rights and broadcast officer Ian Holmes.
“With new regulations, new teams, new drivers, new race locations and more, there’s never been a more exciting time to engage with the sport. As a forward-thinking, ambitious and technology-focused business, we’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Kayo SPORTS in taking our spectacular product to more and more fans across Australia.”
Stacked Content Slate
Kayo Sports boasts the most stacked local content slate in the country, streaming and broadcasting every AFL and NRL game live, featuring huge cricket exclusivity, as well as an extended motorsport suite that completes the picture.
Extending its rights on the F1, to drive alongside Supercars and MotoGP, cements motor racing as the fourth pillar of Kayo Sports premium tier-one offering. It’s a “total tapestry” play that is reaching 10 million Australians a month and giving fans plenty of variety.
This not only benefits Kayo, but also the sports organisations who have chosen to utilise its services. “We can feed AFL fans into Formula One. We can feed super cars into Formula One. Formula One into Supercars. It’s a big ecosystem, and so it works very well. Our fans and the content providers love it,” explained Delaney.
As part of the deal, Network 10 will continue to be the free-to-air broadcast partner for the Australian Grand Prix. And outside of Aussie territory, Kayo Sports will continue its longstanding partnership with Sky Sports. Keeping the likes of fan favourite’s David Croft and Martin Brundle on Aussie screens.
With the rights all squared away, and the opening weekend fast approaching, there is only one more thing left to do, and that’s to listen to “Crofty’s” famous race starter: “it’s lights out and away we go,” or as he revamped for last night’s event: “it’s lights out and way we Kayo.”
