Formula One: ESPN finalizes television schedule for 2018 season
By Alex Herbst
ESPN announced on Monday their finalized 2018 schedule for the Formula One world championship across all of their networks.
The Formula One world championship will have a new home in 2018, with ESPN and ABC taking over coverage for the first time in over a decade.
They replace NBC Sports, who previously held rights to the world championship and increased viewership of F1 year-over-year during their contract. Now, ESPN will carry coverage of the events across their family of networks.
On Monday, ESPN revealed what networks will cover every practice, qualifying, and race session for Formula One in 2018. Fans better learn where to find ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPNEWS, as these three networks will combine to cover the majority of the racing seen on track around the world. ESPN and ABC will combine to cover just six events on their main channels.
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The majority of practice sessions will be seen on ESPN3, with occasional broadcasts on ESPN2 and ESPNEWS. These networks will also combine to cover qualifying, with ESPNEWS getting the most. All coverage of Formula One across the ESPN networks will feature commentary from Sky Sports F1.
While ESPN has confirmed their lineup for practice, qualifying, and race day, there is no word yet on any shoulder programming to be seen on any ESPN networks. One outlet that could be found for this programming is ESPN’s upcoming OTT product, ESPN+.
Here is the full list of practice, qualifying, and race sessions across the ESPN networks:
| Race | Session | Date | Start time (ET) | Network |
| Australia | Practice 1 | Thursday, March 22 | 9 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 2 & 3 | Friday, March 23 | 1 a.m., 10 p.m. | ESPN3/ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, March 24 | 2 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, March 25 | 1 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Bahrain | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, April 6 | 7 a.m., 11 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, April 7 | 8 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, April 7 | 11 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Saturday, April 8 | 11 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| China | Practice 1 | Thursday, April 12 | 10 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 2 & 3 | Friday, April 13 | 2 a.m., 11 p.m. | ESPN3/ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, April 14 | 2 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, April 15 | 2 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Azerbaijan | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, April 27 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, April 28 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, April 28 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, April 29 | 8 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Spain | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, May 11 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, May 12 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, May 12 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, May 13 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Monaco | Practice 1 & 2 | Thursday, May 24 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN2/ESPNEWS |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, May 26 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, May 26 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, May 27 | 9 a.m. | ESPN (Encore 3:30 p.m., ABC) | |
| Canada | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, June 8 | 10 a.m., 2 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, June 9 | 11 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, June 9 | 2 p.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, June 10 | 2 p.m. | ABC | |
| France | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, June 22 | 6 a.m., 10 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, June 23 | 7 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, June 23 | 10 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, June 24 | 10 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Austria | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, June 29 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, June 30 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, June 30 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, July 1 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Britain | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, July 6 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, July 7 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, July 7 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, July 8 | 9 a.m. | ESPN | |
| Germany | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, July 20 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, July 21 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, July 21 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, July 22 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Hungary | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, July 27 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, July 28 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, July 28 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, July 29 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Belgium | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, August 24 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, August 25 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, August 25 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, August 26 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Italy | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, August 31 | 5 a.m., 9 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Sept. 1 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Sept. 1 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, Sept. 2 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Singapore | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Sept. 14 | 4:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Sept. 15 | 6 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Sept. 15 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Saturday, Sept. 16 | 8 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Russia | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Sept. 28 | 4 a.m., 8 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Sept. 29 | 5 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Sept. 29 | 8 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, Sept. 30 | 7 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Japan | Practice 1 | Thursday, Oct. 4 | 9 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 2 & 3 | Friday, Oct. 5 | 1 a.m., 11 p.m. | ESPN3/ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Oct. 6 | 2 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| Race | Sunday, Oct. 7 | 1 a.m. | ESPN2 | |
| United States | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Oct. 19 | 11 a.m., 3 p.m. | ESPNEWS/ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Oct. 20 | 2 p.m. | ESPN3 | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Oct. 20 | TBD | ESPNEWS (delayed) | |
| Race | SUnday, Oct. 21 | 2 p.m. | ABC | |
| Mexico | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Oct. 26 | 11 a.m., 3 p.m. | ESPN3/ESPNEWS |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Oct. 27 | 11 a.m. | ESPN3 | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Oct. 27 | 2 p.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, Oct. 28 | 3 p.m. | ABC | |
| Brazil | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Nov. 9 | 9 a.m., 12 p.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Nov. 10 | 9 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Nov. 10 | TBD | ESPNEWS (delayed) | |
| Race | Sunday, Nov. 11 | 12 p.m. | ABC | |
| Abu Dhabi | Practice 1 & 2 | Friday, Nov. 23 | 5 a.m., 8 a.m. | ESPN3 |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Nov. 24 | 5 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Nov. 24 | 8 a.m. | ESPNEWS | |
| Race | Sunday, Nov. 25 | 8 a.m. | ESPN2 |
Next: 2018 preseason F1 driver power rankings
Be sure to tune in for the 2018 Formula One season opener this weekend from the streets of Melbourne, Australia. The Australian Grand Prix can be seen on Sunday at 1:00 am eastern live on ESPN2 and the ESPN app.