NBC Sports Group Announces This Week's Motorsports Television Coverage

NBC Sports Group continues its comprehensive 2015 motorsports coverage this week, highlighted by live presentations of the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Long Beach and Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix, both this Sunday on NBCSN.

Race coverage on NBCSN begins at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday morning with the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, and continues at 4 p.m. ET with live INDYCAR coverage from the streets of Long Beach, Calif.

NBC Sports Live Extra - NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets - will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of this week's INDYCAR and F1 telecasts via TV Everywhere.

INDYCAR GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH - SUNDAY AT 4 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBCSN's presentation of the 2015 Verizon INDYCAR Series continues this Sunday at 4 p.m. ET with live coverage of the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Last weekend, James Hinchcliffe (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) earned his first victory of the season at the inaugural Grand Prix of Louisiana, leading the final 15 laps of the rain-shortened race. Through two races this season, a trio of Team Penske drivers - Juan Pablo Montoya (84 pts), Helio Castroneves(74 pts), and 2014 Series Champion Will Power (70 pts) - occupy the top three spots in the drivers' standings. In addition, all three drivers have taken the checkered flag at Long Beach, including two victories for Power (2008 & 2011).

Four-time Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Paul Tracy and INDYCAR driver Townsend Bell will provide analysis of this week's race, alongside play-by-play voice Brian Till. Robin Miller, Marty Snider, Kevin Lee and Kelli Stavast will handle pit reporting duties. Weekend coverage begins on Friday at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN with a live edition of INDYCAR Countdown, followed by qualifying on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

In addition, NBCSN will provide coverage of the Indy Lights race from Long Beach on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, immediately preceding live GP of Long Beach coverage. Kevin Lee (play-by-play), Anders Krohn (analyst) and Katie Hargitt (reporter) will provide commentary.

F1 BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX - SUNDAY AT 10:30 A.M. ET ON NBCSN

The F1 season rolls on this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN with live coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Last weekend, Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) earned his second win of the 2015 campaign, and fourth Chinese Grand Prix title of his career, with a victory at Shanghai International Circuit ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel earned his third podium in three races with a third-place finish, and currently sits 13 points behind Hamilton (68). Vettel is a two-time winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix, while Hamilton earned his first Bahrain GP victory last season.

Coverage begins Friday morning at 7 a.m. ET with exclusive coverage of Practice 1 on NBC Sports Live Extra, followed by live Practice 2 coverage at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN. CNBC will provide live coverage of qualifying on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. ET, prior to race coverage on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Lead F1 announcer Leigh Diffey will call this weekend's action, and will be joined by veteran analyst and former racecar driver David Hobbs, and analyst and former race mechanic for the Benetton F1 team Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will serve as the team's on-site reporter from Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.

SEASON PREMIERES OF /DRIVE ON NBC SPORTS AND OFF THE GRID THIS WEEKEND

NBCSN presents the season premieres of the original series /DRIVE on NBC Sports and Off the Grid this weekend, beginning tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. ET with the Middle East episode of /DRIVE on NBC Sports, immediately following Bahrain GP practice. In this week's season premiere, /DRIVE hosts Chris Harris, Matt Farah and Mike Spinelliexplore the unique car culture of the Arabian peninsula, home to two exciting Formula 1 races - the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. An epic road trip in three of the world's fastest supercars culminates along one of the greatest driving roads on earth - the dramatic "road to nowhere" that winds up Jabal Al Jais, the UAE's tallest mountain.

NBCSN will present the season premiere of Off the Grid with its Melbourne episode this Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET, immediately following the Bahrain Grand Prix. Off the Grid host Will Buxton takes viewers behind the scenes of the Australian Grand Prix. From discovering how a city park turns into a race track to interviewing some of Australia's most famous racing drivers (Mark Webber, Daniel Ricciardo and Jamie Whincup), Off the Grid: Melbourne is a racing fan's guide.

Click here for a preview of Off the Grid: Melbourne.

NBCSN PRESENTS COVERAGE OF NASCAR K&N PRO WEST SERIES AND WHELEN MODIFIED SERIES THIS WEEKEND

NBCSN presents continuing coverage of the NASCAR K&N Pro West and Whelen Modified Series this weekend, beginning Friday morning at 12:30 a.m. ET with the NASCAR K&N Pro West Series race from Irwindale Speedway. In addition, NBCSN will air coverage of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series event from Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, Conn., on Saturday at 12:30 a.m. ET.

Dave Burns (play-by-play) Jeff Burton (analyst) and Heather DeBeaux (reporter) have the call for the NASCAR K&N Pro West Series race, while Ralph Sheheen and Ray Evernham team up to present the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series race.

Following is this week's motorsports coverage schedule on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra:

Date Program Time (ET) Network
Fri., April 17 NASCAR K&N Series - Irwindale 12:30 a.m. NBCSN
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Practice 1 8 a.m. NBC Sports Live Extra
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Practice 2 11 a.m. NBCSN
/DRIVE on NBC Sports: Middle East 12:30 p.m. NBCSN
IndyCar Countdown 5 p.m. NBCSN
Sat., April 18 NASCAR Whelen Series: Thompson 12:30 a.m. NBCSN
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Practice 3 8 a.m. NBC Sports Live Extra
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Qualifying 11 a.m. CNBC
IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach - Qualifying 6 p.m. NBCSN
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Qualifying 7:30 p.m. NBCSN
/DRIVE on NBC Sports: Middle East (Encore) 9 p.m. NBCSN
Sun., April 19 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 10:30 p.m. NBCSN
F1 Extra 1 p.m. NBCSN
Off the Grid: Melbourne 1:30 p.m. NBCSN
Indy Lights Series: Long Beach 3 p.m. NBCSN
IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach 7 p.m. NBCSN

MOTORSPORTS ON NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: NBC Sports Live Extra - NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets - will stream this week's INDYCAR and Formula One coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra via "TV Everywhere," giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play and Windows Store.

MOTORSPORTSTALK: MotorSportsTalk (@MotorSportsTalk) on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on Formula One, the Verizon INDYCAR Series, and other open-wheel and off-road racing from around the world. The site also serves as the destination for all news, analysis and video from NBC and NBCSN productions of INDYCAR and F1, including contributions from on-air commentators.

Photo credit: Facebook

To post a comment, you must register and login.