Sky Sports F1, the dedicated channel for the pinnacle of motorsport, has been temporarily replaced for the winter.

It comes just six days after the end of the 2025 season, where Lando Norris won the World Championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing two points ahead of Max Verstappen.

The F1 channel has now been replaced by a specialist darts channel for the next couple of months, coinciding with the 2026 World Darts Championship.

Sky Sports F1 have been exclusive broadcasters in the UK and Ireland since 2012 - Photo: Race Pictures.

Sky Sports F1 to be replaced

Sky Sports have held exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 in the UK and Ireland since the 2012 season, and the 2025 season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit saw Verstappen win. However, a P3 finish for Norris was all he needed to become the 35th World Champion in F1 history.

Now, as another season comes to an end, Sky's dedicated channel will be replaced for a second successive year, with Sky Sports Darts taking its place.

The Darts World Championships conclude on January 3, 2026, with Sky Sports F1 expected to return swiftly after the darts come to an end.

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Norris fighting for award alongside darts star

It won't be the only fight between Formula 1 and darts, as Norris will be up against world number one and teenage sensation Luke Littler as they battle it out for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on December 18.

Littler's meteoric rise to the top of the rankings, including a World Championship win in 2025, has seen him nominated alongside the McLaren driver for the coveted prize in British sport.

The two of them were nominated alongside golfer Rory McIlroy, England women's rugby union star Ellie Kildunne, and England women's footballers and Euro 2025 winners Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton.

Photo: Race Pictures

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