Dutch racing driver and Formula One World Champion, Max Verstappen, and premium Nordic streaming service provider Viaplay announced on Monday that they have signed a multi-year partnership. Viaplay, which will be launched in the Netherlands on March 1st, 2022, will feature the Dutch driver’s exclusive content for its viewers.
In December 2021, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen made history as the first Dutch driver to win the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. The title meant the 24-year-old was Formula 1’s youngest ever driver and race winner and saw him named Dutch Sportsman of the Year.
What can viewers expect from this partnership?
Verstappen’s fans will be able to stream ‘unique’ documentary programming in which he reveals his secrets to conquer Formula 1’s toughest circuits. It would also feature glimpses into his life away from the sport’s unrelenting pressures, and more.
According to the statement, Verstappen will become a Viaplay ambassador in all markets in which Viaplay holds rights to show Formula 1.
Verstappen will start the defence of his crown in March 2022. Every race from the new Formula 1 season – including the Dutch Grand Prix from the seaside track at Zandvoort – will be shown live on Viaplay in the Netherlands and all Nordic and Baltic countries. From 2023, Viaplay will also show Formula 1 in Poland.
Speaking on the development, Max Verstappen says, “I am really looking forward to this exciting partnership with Viaplay, as our ambitions to be the best in our fields match each other. It is amazing that I will be able to reach lots of fans with the unique content that we are going to create together.”
In addition, Jos Verstappen – Max’s father and a famous former driver in his own right with 106 Grand Prix starts to his name – will join Viaplay’s team of international Formula 1 analysts.
Anders Jensen, NENT Group President and CEO adds, “Max Verstappen and Viaplay are a perfect fit. We are a world leader in streaming sports, where we are well on our way to showing more than 100,000 live hours every year from an unmatched rights portfolio, while Max’s thrilling skills have taken him to the top as the 34th World Drivers’ Champion. And we’re both ready to accelerate even further! We look forward to working closely with this talented and charismatic superstar.”
About Viaplay and its Netherlands’ launch
Nordic Entertainment Group’s Viaplay operates streaming services, TV channels, radio stations, and production companies. Headquartered in Stockholm with a global perspective, NENT Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Currently, their services are available in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the US. This year, the company will launch its service in the Netherlands and the UK, followed by Canada, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland by the end of 2023.
Viaplay will launch in the Netherlands on March 1st, 2022, with a combination of premium live sports, Viaplay Originals, international films and series, and kids content. Alongside Formula 1, the service will be the Dutch home of Bundesliga, PDC darts, and more, with Premier League to follow from August.
The service will be a single package priced at €13.99 per month and will be available through distribution partners including VodafoneZiggo and KPN and as a direct subscription.