NBC Sports Group to Air Over 18 Hours of Formula One Grand Prix Coverage this Weekend

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) aims for an unprecedented eighth consecutive victory this Sunday, when NBC Sports presents live coverage of the United States Grand Prix at 2 p.m. ET, highlighting more than 18 hours of Formula One coverage across NBC, NBCSN and CNBC this weekend.

Race coverage will begin with F1 Countdown, NBC's 60-minute, on-site pre-race show, at 1 p.m. ET hosted by NBC Sports Group's lead F1 commentator Leigh Diffey. Diffey will be on-site at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, alongside David Hobbs (analyst), Steve Matchett (analyst), and Will Buxton (reporter).

In addition to pre-race analysis, F1 Countdown will feature a sit-down interview with Diffey and Vettel, and an introduction to the race voiced over by Rush director Ron Howard.

Vettel, who has already clinched the 2013 World Championship, enters Sunday's United States Grand Prix Looking to etch his name in the record books after earning his seventh consecutive win at Abu Dhabi two weekends ago. An eighth straight victory would break the record for most consecutive wins in a Formula One season, eclipsing Michael Schumacher's seven consecutive wins in 2004.

Sunday's United States Grand Prix is the 43rd running of the race, which dates back 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The United States Grand Prix made its debut at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin last year, when Lewis Hamilton (then-McLaren, now Mercedes) overtook Vettel to take the checkered flag.

NBCSN will air live coverage of practice on Friday at 1 p.m. ET. Live coverage of qualifying will air Saturday on CNBC at 1 p.m. ET. In addition to NBC's live coverage of the United States Grand Prix, NBCSN will air an encore presentation of the race on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

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