Full 2015 F1 on NBC Grand Prix race schedule, air times and networks

By Tony DiZinnoMar 10, 2015, 10:51 AM EDT
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NBC Sports Group has revealed the race times and networks for the 2015 F1 season. Races will air on NBCSN (13 races), NBC (four) and CNBC (three), with comprehensive coverage also on the NBC Sports Live Extra streaming app.

More than 200 hours of coverage begins with the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. The race airs on Sunday morning, March 15, at 12:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN – here are the rest of the Australian Grand Prix times.

NBC’s coverage begins on Sunday, May 24 with the Monaco Grand Prix, and continues Sunday, June 7, with the Canadian Grand Prix. NBC’s coverage returns on Sunday, Oct. 25, with the United States Grand Prix from the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and concludes on Sunday, Nov. 1, with the Mexican Grand Prix.

NBCSN’s coverage will feature iconic Grands Prix, including the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the Singapore Grand Prix “under the lights” on the streets of Singapore, the return of the Mexican Grand Prix, and the season finale from Abu Dhabi.

In addition, NBC Sports Group will present comprehensive coverage of practice and qualifying of all 20 races across its family of networks and NBC Sports Live Extra.

Formula One is coming off its most-watched season ever for a single cable network, averaging 385,000 viewers for its 12 races on NBCSN, up 86 percent vs. 2013.

For all 19 races, NBC Sports Group’s coverage averaged 477,000 viewers, up 30 percent vs. 2013 (366,000) and up 15 percent vs. 2012 (414,000; FOX/SPEED; 20 races). Click here for more information on last year’s record F1 viewership.

Here’s the race schedule and networks. All times are ET:

2015 FORMULA ONE SCHEDULE
Date Grand Prix Time Network
Sun., March 15 Australian Grand Prix 12:00 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., March 29 Malaysian Grand Prix 2:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., April 12 Chinese Grand Prix 1:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., April 19 Bahrain Grand Prix 10:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., May 10 Spanish Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., May 24 Monaco Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBC
Sun., June 7 Canadian Grand Prix 2 p.m. NBC
Sun., June 21 Austrian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., July 5 British Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. CNBC
Sun., July 19 German Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. CNBC
Sun., July 27 Hungarian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. CNBC
Sun., Aug. 23 Belgian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 6 Italian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 20 Singapore Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Sept. 27 Japanese Grand Prix 12:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 11 Russian Grand Prix 6:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 25 United States Grand Prix 2:30 p.m. NBC
Sun., Nov. 1 Mexican Grand Prix 1:30 p.m. NBC
Sun., Nov. 15 Brazilian Grand Prix 10:30 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., Nov. 29 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN

F1: Max Verstappen provides late-lap thrills at U.S. Grand Prix

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Associated PressOct 22, 2018, 9:00 AM EDT
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Leave it to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to provide some late-race thrills at the U.S. Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s key block on Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton late in Sunday’s race denied Hamilton a chance to maybe chase down Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen to win. And it helped deny Hamilton’s bid for the season championship.

Verstappen’s defensive skills allowed the Red Bull driver to finish second, his best result yet at the U.S Grand Prix, his fourth podium in six races. By keeping Hamilton third, it kept the season championship alive, even if just another week to the Mexican Grand Prix.

Last season, Verstappen had surged past Raikkonen on a final-lap pass to finish third. It was the kind of aggressive move that earned him the “Mad Max” nickname. Before he could even reach the podium, race officials declared Verstappen’s move illegal and bumped an angry Verstappen down to fifth.

The Circuit of the Americas this week installed a new curb on the same corner, dubbed “Verstoppen,” to punish drivers who tried anything similar this year. It worked when Verstappen hit it hard enough in qualifying to knock his car out of the session with a damaged suspension and gear box. He started Sunday’s race 18th.

The Dutch driver launched a furious attack through the field and found himself in the thick of things late Sunday. His move to block Hamilton wasn’t on the same corner with the curbs, and it came with him playing defense instead of being the aggressor.

Verstappen had to make multiple moves to keep Hamilton behind him and finally drove the Mercedes wide, forcing Hamilton to finally concede the position and the race.

“I was trying to get close to Kimi but at the same time keeping an eye on Lewis in my mirror. It was close, but we managed to hang on,” Verstappen said. “It is safe to say today went a lot better than expected.”

Knowing Verstappen’s aggressive nature, Hamilton said there was too much at stake to risk a collision.

“The key to me was to make sure I finished ahead of Seb. I don’t care when you win a championship, just that you win,” Hamilton said. “”For Max, to come back from so far, he did a great job.”

Verstappen has been just as aggressive at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.

In 2016, race officials ruled he improperly left the track to gain an advantage on Vettel to finish third and he was bumped from the podium. Last season, Verstappen’s strong start sent him into the lead out of the first turn, while Hamilton and Vettel bumped each other. The collision ruptured one of Hamilton’s tires.

Verstappen won the race while Hamilton limped home in ninth place, but still won the season championship.