Sky Sports has struck a partnership with the Formula 1 podcast The Fast And The Curious, the broadcaster confirmed as the racing calendar resumes after its mid-season break. The collaboration will see the podcast’s material featured inside Sky’s digital ecosystem, host-read adverts for Sky in every episode and Sky Media taking responsibility for ad sales.
What the deal includes
The agreement blends editorial and commercial elements. Highlights announced include:
- Collaborative social posts between Sky Sports and the podcast to promote episodes and engage audiences.
- Integration of Fast & Curious content within Sky Sports’ digital channels, exposing the podcast to the broadcaster’s wider audience.
- Host-read Sky Sports adverts in each episode.
- Sky Media representing advertising sales for the podcast.
The podcast, hosted by Betty Glover, Christian Hewgill and Greg James, frequently features current F1 drivers as guest co-hosts. Its tone ranges from light-hearted anecdotes to more probing conversations about culture and inclusion in the sport, material that has helped it build a broad following among both established and newer fans.
Commercial and audience implications
For Sky, the deal is framed as an innovation play that combines content reach with commercial upside. Billy McGinty, Sky Sports’ director of F1, said the partnership offered something “genuinely new and exciting” while helping to reach fresh audiences. The broadcaster will now have a route to tap into the podcast’s fanbase and host-led intimacy, while the podcast gains access to Sky’s promotional and sales infrastructure.
“We are always looking to innovate so this partnership offers something genuinely new and exciting for Sky Sports. Alongside unlocking commercial benefits, Greg, Betty and Christian have a brilliant ability to relate to the everyday fan, so it presents a great opportunity on both sides to reach new audiences and grow fandom together.”
Greg James, one of the podcast co-hosts, described the arrangement as a “very large mid-season upgrade” and said adding a Sky Sports “power unit” to the show would allow the team to expand their offer while remaining true to the podcast’s original aim: to be welcoming and accessible to new fans without losing the knowledgeable tone that appeals to long-term followers.
Programme content and tone
The Fast And The Curious mixes light and serious subject matter. Past episodes have included revealing anecdotes about younger drivers and behind-the-scenes mischief, as well as more considered discussions — for example with Lewis Hamilton about making the sport more welcoming for LGBTQ+ people. That range underpins the podcast’s appeal and is likely a key reason Sky sees it as complementary to its existing F1 coverage.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hosts | Betty Glover, Christian Hewgill, Greg James |
| Commercial partner | Sky Sports / Sky Media |
| Features | Host-read ads, social collaboration, ad sales representation |
From a fan’s perspective, the tie-up signals a more blended media environment around Formula 1: broad television rights holders are increasingly looking beyond linear broadcasts to podcasts and social-first formats to keep audiences engaged between grands prix. Sky has already invested heavily in F1 coverage for years; this new partnership is a further push to retain and grow that audience across platforms.
Operationally, the move also has straightforward commercial logic. Sky Media taking ad sales responsibility means the broadcaster can monetise an established podcast audience directly and offer advertisers bespoke packages that span broadcast and on-demand audio. For the podcast team, representation by Sky Media brings greater access to advertisers who typically work with large broadcasters.
As the season resumes, the partnership will be one to watch for how it affects promotion of both Sky’s F1 output and The Fast And The Curious’ editorial choices. If successful, it could be a template for similar collaborations between mainstream sports broadcasters and independent audio creators seeking scale without ceding creative control.
