SPEED™, FOX SPORTS CONTINUE TEAM APPROACH TO FORMULA ONE COVERAGE IN 2010
BUXTON JOINS SPEED AS GRID REPORTER
SPEEDTV.COM TO DEBUT FANTASY GAME, ENHANCED VIDEO OFFERINGS
The familiar faces of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett once again will lead the SPEED/FOX Sports Formula One broadcast team as SPEED rolls into its 15 th year as the exclusive U.S. cable broadcaster of the FIA Formula One World Championship, beginning with live coverage of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14 at 7:30 a.m. ET. One face, however, will be new to the U.S. viewing audience.
Will Buxton, the 29-year-old founding editor of GPWeek magazine, will report from the grid, replacing Peter Windsor, whose efforts remain focused on his start-up US F1 project.
“First up, I've got to admit that I’m just massively excited about the whole thing,” said Buxton, who will join the team shortly after he and wife Emma welcome their first child. “It’s a huge honor to be joining the SPEED team, and in particular to be doing so at the start of what could be an incredible era in the history of Formula 1.
“F1 is a bit of a soap opera at times,” Buxton added. “As a journalist it’s what makes the sport such a joy to report on. There’s always something going on in the background, and I won’t shy away from doing my best to get to the heart of every issue. That said, I don’t think that my job at SPEED is simply to report the news. Far from it. As one of the lucky few who can actually get into the F1 paddock, I think that probably my biggest responsibility is to open it all up to the American fans: to invite them in, sit them down, introduce them to a few people and show them what’s going on. It’s the fans that make this sport, so my job is to give them the access they deserve.”
According to Varsha, the SPEED team is welcoming its newest member with open arms.
“It's always a good sign when a job interview turns into a 'bench racing' session that goes beyond the appointed time,” Varsha said. “That's what we shared with Will when he visited our SPEED studios. Despite being the youngest member of our lineup, he's a veteran of television and print with experience of both Formula One and GP2. I look forward to working with him on what should be another thrilling and unpredictable grand prix season.”
Buxton, from Great Britain, served as the GP2 press officer from 2004 to the end of the 2007 season, and was sole communications/media representative for 2006 and 2007 He has been covering single-seater racing (F1, GP2, F2 and F3) since 2002.
Westbury Gillett will fill in for Buxton for the first few races of the season.
In 2010, SPEEDtv.com will increase its Formula One offerings, highlighted by a new fantasy game -- SPEED Fantasy Racing: GP Edition -- and a selection of video clips from practice, qualifying and race coverage. In addition SPEEDtv.com will introduce an enhanced stats package and continue with RaceCast timing and scoring from all sessions, as well as providing Matchett’s popular post-event “Chalk Talk” wrap-ups.
SPEED will air 15 races live, complete with practice and qualifying coverage, and for the fourth year, FOX will air four consecutive events, beginning with the Canadian Grand Prix, using the same on-air team. Practice and qualifying for those four events will be live on SPEED. Formula One broadcast schedule (subject to change; late night/early morning airings are listed as part of ‘broadcast day’):
Bahrain Grand Prix • Practice – March 12, 6 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – March 13, 6 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – March 14, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Australian Grand Prix • Practice – March 25, 1:30 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – March 26, 2 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – March 27, 1:30 a.m. ET, Live
Malaysian Grand Prix • Practice – April 1, 2 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – April 2, 4 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – April 3, 3:30 a.m. ET, Live
Chinese Grand Prix • Practice – April 15, 2 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – April 16, 2 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – April 17, 2:30 a.m. ET, Live
Spanish Grand Prix • Practice – May 7, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – May 8, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – May 9, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Grand Prix of Monaco • Practice – May 13, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – May 15, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – May 16, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Turkish Grand Prix • Practice – May 28, 7 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – May 29, 7 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – May 30, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Canadian Grand Prix • Practice – June 11, 2 p.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – June 12, 4:30 p.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – June 13, Noon to 2 p.m. ET/ 9 to 11 a.m. PT, Live on FOX
European Grand Prix • Practice – June 25, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – June 26, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – June 27, Noon to 2 p.m. ET/9 to 11 a.m. PT, SDD on FOX
British Grand Prix • Practice – July 9, 9 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – July 10, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – July 11, Noon to 2 p.m. ET/9 to 11 a.m. PT, SDD on FOX
German Grand Prix • Practice – July 23, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – July 24, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – July 25, Noon to 2 p.m. ET/9 to 11 a.m. PT, SDD on FOX
Hungarian Grand Prix • Practice – July 30, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – July 31, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – August 1, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Belgian Grand Prix • Practice – August 27, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – August 28, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – August 29, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Italian Grand Prix • Practice – September 10, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – September 11, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – September 12, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Singapore Grand Prix • Practice – September 24, 9:30 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – September 25, 10 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – September 26, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
Japanese Grand Prix • Practice – October 7, 1 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – October 8, 1 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – October 9, 1:30 a.m. ET, Live
Korean Grand Prix • Practice – October 21, 1 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – October 22, 1 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – October 23, 1:30 a.m. ET, Live
Brazilian Grand Prix • Practice – November 5, Noon, Live • Qualifying – November 6, Noon, Live • Race Coverage – November 7, 11 a.m. ET, Live
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix • Practice – November 12, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Qualifying – November 13, 8 a.m. ET, Live • Race Coverage – November 14, 7:30 a.m. ET, Live
SPEED™, anchored by its popular and wide-ranging coverage of NASCAR, is the nation’s first and only cable television network dedicated to automotive and motorcycle racing, performance and lifestyle. Now available in more than 79 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the industry leaders in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information, please visit SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority.
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