Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has said the motor racing series is developing a new online application that will offer a mix of free and subscription-only video content.

The app, which could be released as early as June, comes as the sport’s teams and stakeholders are becoming increasingly frustrated at F1’s inability to develop its content beyond traditional television broadcasts.

Ecclestone has restricted F1’s race coverage on the internet for several years in an effort to protect annual television rights income of around $500m (€362.3m).

However, he told the Bloomberg news agency: “We’re planning a new app; it’s a decent-size project. It’s something that we are working to get right.”

Ecclestone said television will continue to be the “mainstay” of Formula One, with the app for computers and mobile devices designed to drive extra revenue for the series. “We don’t do things for free,” he added.