Formula One racing fans should notice an upgrade on Speed this year as the race coverage will originate in high definition for the first time.
The FIA Formula One World Championship's world feed had been transmitted in standard definition and upconverted by Fox Networks Group-owned Speed. The network made the move to HD in February 2008 before building and moving into a new state-of-art production facility in Charlotte, N.C., that year.
In a release, Rick Miner, Speed SVP of production & network operations said: "We couldn't be more pleased with this decision and our ability to bring our rabid F1 fan base coverage of their favorite racing in HD in 2011. And Speed is going the extra mile, installing continuous fiber service to guarantee the best possible picture quality."
The Formula One season opens March 13 with live coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Speed. Sixteen of the season's 20 races will be live and exclusive to Speed in the U.S., with four events airing on Fox.
