F1 back on Rai in 2026? A proposal to bring the circus back to Free-to-Air TV

Numerous rumors are circulating about a potential return of Formula 1 to Rai’s free-to-air broadcasts starting with the 2026 season. This would mark an epic comeback for the Italian public broadcaster

A sensational rumor has recently lit up the world of F1 fans, particularly in Italy. Reports from national media outlets suggest that Rai is considering investing in the broadcast rights for Formula 1 from 2026 onwards. Such a move would represent a remarkable return, coming eight years after Rai, TV8, and Sky Italia simultaneously aired the 2018 Italian Grand Prix in Monza. However, it is worth noting that in 2018, Rai only broadcast the Italian GP, having lost its F1 TV rights the previous year.

The 2017 F1 season marked Rai’s final contribution to the sport, albeit with most races shown in delayed coverage and only five Grands Prix aired live. Sky Italia had replaced Rai as the exclusive broadcaster of F1 content in 2013, covering everything from practice sessions to races. For over two decades prior, Rai had been the home of legendary F1 moments, before being relegated to delayed race broadcasts. Since then, Sky Italia has continuously enhanced its offering, securing broadcast rights for F1, F2, and F3 until 2027, following a contract renewal at the end of 2022.

Today, Rai Radio Uno holds the live radio rights for all F1 races, sharing them with Sky-owned broadcaster RTL. Should Rai return to televising F1, it is unlikely to displace Sky Sport or TV8 (Sky’s free-to-air satellite channel offering delayed race broadcasts). Instead, Rai would likely compete alongside these channels from 2026 onwards—a fitting year to reenter the scene, given the impending overhaul of F1’s car designs.

Although these are just rumors at this stage, the potential return of Rai underscores the growing popularity of Formula 1, which has achieved record-breaking viewership figures in recent seasons. In addition to the forthcoming new era of car designs, another potential catalyst for renewed interest is the much-anticipated arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari—a move that has already captivated the F1 world since yesterday’s announcement. Time will tell if this legendary comeback becomes a reality, but fans can certainly look forward to what promises to be an exciting development in the world of Formula 1 broadcasting.

Photo: Rai Sport, Scuderia Ferrari