Williams chairman defends TV deal
Williams chairman Adam Parr has launched a rigorous defence of Bernie Ecclestone following criticism of the Formula One supremo’s television deal.
It was announced on Friday that from next season Sky will screen all 20 races live for the next seven years through to 2018.
The BBC, which had an exclusive contract with F1 through to the end of 2013, will now only show 10 races per season live, with the remaining 10 broadcast via a highlights package.
The new package at least ensures F1 remains on free-to-air television, even if thousands of fans have voiced their protests and signed an online petition.
Parr, who in June complained it was time for the teams to challenge Ecclestone over the future direction of the sport, has become an ally of the 80-year-old on this particular thorny subject.
“If you are Bernie, and you are looking at the situation where your current partner is stopping, what do you do?” Parr said.
“I think he has sat back and put together something which is the best that could be done under the circumstances.
“Bernie is the guy who, above all, invented the principle of free-to-air broadcasting for Formula One, and he religiously believes in that.
“He believes in accessibility for the fans, and that has been his number one goal, and he has done a deal that keeps Formula One on the BBC.
“They are going to be doing half the races live, they are going to be using the same production values and they are not going to drop their standards for those races.
“Meanwhile, Sky I’m sure will do a fantastic job. It’s their chance to show what they can do.
“To me, out of a difficult situation, I hope we’re going to get the best of all possible worlds. I think Bernie put this deal together to ensure the fans would have as much as possible of what they’ve been enjoying.”
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admitted to “shock” when he first heard the news, but he can also appreciate the difficult position faced by Ecclestone.
“We have to take some positives from the situation,” Whitmarsh said. “Bernie has to go out there and do the deals, and with the BBC under some pressure to find a way forward, we have to assume Bernie has the best deal he can for the sport.
“In his view the commitment from the BBC and Sky together will increase the viewership.
“There’s some concern about the free-to-air nature of it, but we received some assurances when we saw Bernie, so I hope that’s what happens.
“I’m sure Sky will get behind the sport, and it’s important to retain as much free-to-air on the BBC as we can, and that’s what we have set out to do.”
