It’s going to be a busy weekend. There’s MotoGP from Assen, Formula 1 from Valencia, not to mention the World Cup, Wimbledon and Glastonbury. All on the BBC. Fighting over the single BBC Red Button stream on Freeview. This isn’t going to work, is it?

Inevitably, MotoGP comes off worst. The Dutch TT, as it’s known, isn’t the same as other weekends, so it’s qualifying for all three classes on Friday 1150-1505. That’s on the Red Button, but not on Freeview, which only has eyes for Wimbledon at that time. So for qualifying, the place to go is the BBC MotoGP website. Which, given that most people will be at work anyway, probably isn’t the biggest problem in the world.

The news most likely to outrage, is that the MotoGP race won’t be live on any proper BBC channel, just the Red Button. Thankfully, that will be on Freeview: 0950-1205 for 125cc and Moto2, then 1240-1405 for MotoGP. Highlights are then on BBC Two for an hour at 0200 on Sunday morning, repeated at 0700 on BBC One. Brilliant, I’m sure you’ll agree.

Those MotoGP shenanigans mean that Saturday’s final practice session for the European Grand Prix, on the Red Button 0955-1105, won’t be on Freeview. So Formula 1 does lose out a bit. Again, the BBC Formula 1 website will be the place to go for that. Except you really ought to be watching the MotoGP.

The reason the MotoGP race has been demoted to the Red Button is presumably because it clashes with Formula 1 qualifying, which is on BBC One, Saturday at 1210. Having MotoGP on BBC Two at the same time would be too much motorsport for the BBC to get away with, realistically, so it’s Wimbledon instead.

The good news is that the Freeview Red Button looks pretty free on Sunday, so the Formula 1 race from the tedious streets of Valencia should have full alternative stream and F1 Forum service.

So there you go: it’s all there to be enjoyed, you just have to find it. Accentuate the positive and all that.

Handy Links:
BBC TV motorsport schedule
BBC Sport Red Button schedule