F1 on NBC Sports TV, streaming schedule for 2014 Australian Grand Prix - MotorSportsTalk

The second season of Formula One on NBC Sports kicks off with the Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

NBCSN will feature live coverage of both practice sessions and race qualifying. The race itself is 1:30 a.m. ET on March 16. A full listing is below.

Practices, qualifying and the race are also streamed online, via NBC Sports Live Extra.

A special half-hour season preview show, Countdown to F1, will occur immediately before FP1, at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 13.

Further programming is also planned around the Australian Grand Prix weekend, including a re-air of “Road to Ferrari” at 11 p.m. ET, and other bumper programming at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday.

Leigh Diffey returns to anchor the coverage with analysts David Hobbs and Steve Matchett, with Will Buxton live from Australia on the ground as pit reporter and insider.

Breakdown
Countdown to F1 – Thursday, March 13, 9 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Practice 1 – Thursday, March 13, 9:30 p.m. ET (Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra)
Road to Ferrari – Thursday, March 13, 11 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Practice 2 – Friday, March 14, 1:30 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra)
Qualifying – Saturday, March 15, 2 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra)
Qualifying Encore – Saturday, March 15, 6 a.m. ET (NBCSN)
Grand Prix – Sunday, March 16, 1:30 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra)
F1 Extra – Sunday, March 16, 4 a.m. ET (Live on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra)
Grand Prix Encore – Sunday, March 16, 6:30 a.m. ET (NBCSN)

The remainder of the entire 2014 F1 on NBC Sports schedule will be released soon.

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In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.

Read more about SuperMotocross