Motorsports fans are fuming with TEN Network over its plans to switch Formula One coverage from ONE to TEN, losing both High Definition and in some cases, Live broadcasts.

From this Sunday night, F1 screens on TEN from 9:30pm instead of on ONE. Bizarrely, the Qualifying Race is Live in all markets on ONE on Saturday, but not the big race.

This results in the coverage airing in Standard Definition and it means viewers in South Australia and Western Australia -including Perth viewers following local lad Daniel Ricciardo- will be unable to see it Live as they have enjoyed on ONE.

The switcheroo comes despite the network having regularly plugged the HD broadcasts on ONE.

On its Facebook page, TEN viewers are fuming:

– So much for live and HD, just lost another viewer. sad as your AFL, and F1 coverage was about all i watched on C10. Now a viewer gone altogether.

– What a joke! Give us live F1 coverage in Perth and in HD

– No. Just no. I take it that TEN are happy for us to use other means to watch F1 since they don’t care? #boycottTEN

– And they will wonder why their ratings plummet due to the majority watching streams online

– Will be boycotting all of your channels and advertisers…F1 deserves to be on HD and live for all states. For shame Channel 10, FOR SHAME!

– Welcome to 2005. Thanks chn 10

– FFS really who makes these decisions? Do they actually watch or understand sport?

– Is a spokesperson for ten/one going to actually explain the reasoning behind this decision? They think more people will watch a netball repeat and a re-run movie?

The move is believed to be ratings driven, to shore up TEN’s dwindling figures on Sunday nights from 9:30pm.

TV Tonight asked TEN about the imminent changes and the fan fury.

A spokesperson said, “As of this Sunday, April 22, Formula One will be broadcast on TEN at 9.30pm. This allows all Australians to access the Formula One coverage in a consistent time slot every Sunday night.”

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