Darts takes over F1’s TV spot just days after Norris clinches championship
Sky Sports has pulled the plug on its F1 channel just six days after Lando Norris claimed his first World Championship in Abu Dhabi. The McLaren driver edged out Max Verstappen by a nail-biting two points to become Formula 1’s 35th world champion.
The dedicated F1 channel has now switched to all-darts coverage ahead of the 2026 World Darts Championship.
This isn’t the first time motorsport fans have had to make way for the arrows. Sky made the same temporary change last winter, prioritizing darts coverage during F1’s off-season.
Sky has been the exclusive home for F1 in the UK and Ireland since 2012, with millions tuning in to watch Norris make history at the Yas Marina Circuit. Even though Verstappen won the final race, Norris’s third-place finish was enough to secure the championship.
F1 fans won’t have too long to wait for their favorite channel to return. The darts championship wraps up on January 3, 2026, with regular F1 programming expected to resume shortly after.
The battle between darts and F1 isn’t limited to television schedules. Both sports will go head-to-head in another arena next month.
Norris will compete against teenage darts sensation Luke Littler for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on December 18.
Littler, who rocketed to the top of the world rankings after winning the 2025 World Championship, joins Norris as a frontrunner for Britain’s biggest sporting honor.
The pair face tough competition from golf star Rory McIlroy, England rugby ace Ellie Kildunne, and Euro 2025 winners Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton from the England women’s football team.
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