Abu Dhabi Grand Prix bags Bafta TV award with Sky Sports coverage

The event saw a thrilling finish between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the final race of the season

Sky Sports News has won a TV Bafta for its coverage of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. At the event, there was a thrilling showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the last race of the season at Yas Marina Circuit.

The coverage beat the Grand National, Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the Uefa Euro 2020 football semi-final between England and Denmark to win the award.

“The award is another highlight and accolade to add to the record-breaking 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The drama surrounding the title deciding battle at Yas Marina Circuit will have a place in history and will be discussed as a motor sporting moment for generations to come," says Saif Al-Noaimi chief executive of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management.

"Yas Marina Circuit and the wider community of Abu Dhabi and the UAE are exceptionally proud to have played a part in this monumental story for fans across the world."

It is the second time in as many years that the event has been nominated for a Bafta, with Sky Sports nominated in 2021 for its coverage of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Last year, during the final race, Verstappen won his first World Championship while denying Hamilton an eighth with a dramatic and controversial last-gasp victory in Abu Dhabi.

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"This award is a tribute to the incredible Sky Sports F1 team who follow the frantic and frenetic sport across the globe,” said Sky Sports managing director Jonathan Licht after the award was handed out in a ceremony in London on Sunday night.

"In partnership with Formula 1, the teams delivered impeccable coverage to our customers of possibly the most dramatic climax we have witnessed, both during the race as Verstappen eclipsed Hamilton in that final lap, as well as the hours and days that followed. It was a sporting event that captivated the world."

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The last time a Formula One event won the award was in 2011 when BBC Sport won for its coverage of the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. That race marked the conclusion of the 2010 season in which Sebastian Vettel clinched the first of his four world titles.

The 2011 race was also the fourth time in five years an F1 event had won the Bafta award, with gongs also going to Jenson Button’s first win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006, the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix and the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Celebrities arrive at the Bafta TV Awards 2022 — in pictures:

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British actress Olivia Colman attends the 2022 Virgin Media British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) TV awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday, May 8, 2022. Hosted by comedian Richard Ayoade, the event celebrated the best of British television across a number of awards. EPA

Updated: May 09, 2022, 12:54 PM