Sky F1 taken off air as darts takes centre stage
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The dedicated Sky F1 channel has been temporarily replaced by a specialist darts channel to coincide with the 2026 World Darts Championship.
It comes just days after Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, became the 11th British driver to win the Formula 1 world championship at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Sky F1 replaced by specialist darts channel as world championship begins
Sky Sports has held the live Formula 1 broadcast rights in the United Kingdom and Ireland since the 2012 season, with the F1 2025 campaign marking the broadcaster’s 14th season of covering the sport.
The season concluded in Abu Dhabi last weekend as Norris secured his maiden title by finishing in third place.
Max Verstappen won the race at the Yas Marina circuit, but was unable to get a fifth consecutive championship across the line with the Red Bull driver falling short of Norris by just two points.
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Sky F1’s post-season coverage over recent years has been restricted to an end-of-year review show, with the channel mainly showing race replays and features filmed by the broadcaster over the winter break.
For the second year running, the Sky F1 channel has been replaced by a specialist darts channel – Sky Sports Darts – ahead of the Christmas period.
It is expected that the Sky F1 channel will return soon after the darts championship concludes on January 3 2026.
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The World Darts Championship, held at Alexandra Palace in London, has become one of the highlights of the sporting calendar over recent years, largely due to the emergence of teenage sensation Luke Littler.
Littler was 16 when he made his debut at the 2024 championships, losing to Luke Humphries in the final.
The teenager returned to secure his first world title at the age of 17 in 2025, defeating three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in the final in early January.
Littler’s triumph has seen him nominated alongside Norris for the long-running BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
Fellow nominees include golfer Rory McIlroy, England women’s rugby union player Ellie Kildunne and England women’s footballers Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton.
Littler, now 18, made a winning start to his title defence on Thursday, seeing off Darius Labanauskas by a 3-0 scoreline.
Speaking after his first-round victory, Littler gave Norris his backing to win the Sports Personality award.
Asked during his post-match interview if considers himself the favourite for the BBC gong, Littler laughed: “No, I don’t think so!
“If I had to give [you] my winner, definitely Lando.”
The winner will be announced during the BBC’s annual ceremony on December 18.
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