Here are your TV times for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix on NBCSN, Live Extra

By Sep 2, 2015, 6:16 PM EDT
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The European season concludes for the 2015 Formula 1 season, at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale di Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.

Here’s the breakdown on TV times for this weekend on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra:

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NBC Sports Group continues its presentation of the 2015 Formula One season this weekend with live coverage of the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, highlighting more than 50 hours of motorsports coverage across NBC, NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra this week.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 227 points) looks to build off his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix on August 23, his sixth win in 11 races this season, as he extended his lead to 28 points over Mercedes teammate and rival Nico Rosberg (199 points). Ferrari’s Sebastien Vettel (160 points) sits comfortably in third place, ahead of teammate Kimi Raikkonen (82 points) and Williams’ Felipe Massa (79).

Pre-race coverage will include special features on Vettel, who will be driving in his first Italian Grand Prix as a member of the Ferrari team. The four-time F1 champion joined Ferrari this past offseason, and has won three times at Monza, including his first win in F1 in 2008 driving for Toro Rosso. Hamilton is a two-time winner of the Italian Grand Prix, including his victory last season.

Coverage begins Friday on NBC Sports Live Extra at 4 a.m. with Practice 1, followed by Practice 2 at 8 a.m. ET on NBCSN. Live Extra airs exclusive coverage of Practice 3 on Saturday at 5 a.m., and NBCSN will present qualifying on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET. NBCSN live coverage of the Italian Grand Prix begins Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET, with an encore airing at 2 p.m. ET.

Lead F1 commentator Leigh Diffey will call this weekend’s action, and will be joined by veteran analyst and former racecar driver David Hobbs, and analyst and former race mechanic for the Benetton F1 team Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will serve as the team’s on-site reporter from Monza in Italy.

Date Program Time (ET) Network
Thur., September 3 Off The Grid: Silverstone 11 p.m. NBCSN
Fri., September 4 F1 Italian Grand Prix – Practice 1 4 a.m. NBC Sports Live Extra
F1 Italian Grand Prix – Practice 2 8 a.m. NBCSN
IndyCar Awards Show** 11:30 p.m. NBCSN
Sat., September 5 F1 Italian Grand Prix – Practice 3 5 a.m. NBC Sports Live Extra
F1 Italian Grand Prix – Qualifying 8 a.m. NBCSN
Sun., September 6 F1 Italian Grand Prix 7:30 a.m. NBCSN
F1 Extra  10 a.m. NBCSN
F1 Italian Grand Prix (Encore) 2 p.m. NBCSN

**Taped earlier this week

IndyCar disappointed by delay of video game but aiming to launch at start of 2024

By Mar 27, 2023, 3:00 PM EDT
IndyCar video game 2024
IndyCar
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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”