Omaha Productions Producing Alternate F1 Broadcasts For ESPN Featuring Will Arnett And Danile Ricciardo

Omaha Productions is bringing an alternate broadcast to ESPN 2 beginning June 18 with the Canadian Grand Prix.

The company produces the alternate Monday Night Football "Manningcasts" which have been wildly successful. Why not bring that same formula to Formula 1?

Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo will be part of the broadcast along with actor and comedian Will Arnett. The broadcast will be known as The Grandstand with Daniel Ricciardo and Will Arnett and will air on ESPN 2. Meanwhile, the usual race broadcast will appear on ABC.

The Canadian Grand Prix — which F1 is insisting will happen despite a significant part of the country being on fire — will be the first of three races that will get the alt-broadcast treatment. The other two are the remaining US-based races on the schedule: the United States Grand Prix and the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Ricciardo And Arnett Could Be A Pretty Solid Duo For An F1 Broadcast

"This is going to be a hoot!” said Ricciardo, per Deadline. “As you’d expect, Will and I are going to have some fun with the show, but we’re hoping it just feels like you’re watching F1 with your mates."

Ricciardo seems like a natural fit, but believe it or not, Will Arnett has some solid F1 knowledge. He even previously worked on a podcast with two-time world champ Mika Häkkinen

The more I learn about Formula 1, the more I’m intrigued by it,” Arnett said. “The opportunity to work with Mika on my podcast was fantastic, and I’m really looking forward to doing this show with Daniel. We’re going to have fun, and so will the viewers.”

This will be ESPN's first original broadcast of a Grand Prix since acquiring US broadcast rights in 2018. They simply rebroadcast the feed from UK broadcaster Sky Sports (as they should because that team is phenomenal over there. Shout out Crofty and Martin Brundle).

It'll be interesting to see if these broadcasts are as well received or if more people will stick with the normal broadcast.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle