Two days before the season opener in Bahrain, Formula 1 has inked a media rights deal in India, where it claims to have a 60 million strong fan base.

Streaming platform FanCode, according to a PTI report, has secured the streaming as well as broadcast rights for the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons. Last year, Formula 1 did not have a media partner in India and fans could only watch the action on F1 TV, a subscription based membership platform.

However, the FanCode subscription is substantially cheaper than the one offered by Formula 1. The season pass costs only Rs 600 and includes a record number of 24 Formula 1 races besides action from its feeder series Formula 2 and Formula 3.

In a statement, Formula 1, which staged three rounds in India from 2011 to 2023, said it has added massively to its fan base in the country over the past four years.

”There is a growing appetite for Formula 1 in India, particularly amongst younger and female supporters. Nearly 60 million fans follow the sport and 1 in 2 started following F1 in the last four years.

”This partnership allows Formula 1 to tap into a rapidly emerging fanbase and invites FanCode’s audience of nearly 100 million passionate sports fans into the world of F1.

”The agreement grants FanCode exclusive rights to broadcast all F1 race weekends, including all practice and qualifying sessions, F1 Sprint events and Grands Prix,” the statement read, according to the PTI report.

Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation at Formula 1, added: ”We have found a strong broadcast partner in them with expert knowledge on how we can best serve our 60 million existing fans and reach new audiences in India. Together, we will take our combined expertise to produce premium content that showcases the sporting spectacle that is F1.”