• Channel 71 the new home of terrestrial motorsport coverage• Freeview HD and YouView homes will be connectedFrom October 9th Motors TV will be available to all regular free-to-air households across the UK in a move that’s set to dramatically increase the number of people able to receive the High Speed Television Channel.Following a successful seven-month trial on Arqiva’s Connect TV service, Arqiva has now enabled the dedicated motorsport network to be rolled out to the 9.2million households that receive television broadcasts via standard free-to-air TV platforms. New viewers are encouraged to re-tune their Freeview box or TV and switch to Channel 71, while YouView devices will automatically update. Compatible devices will also be able to pause and record programming, just like other standard free-to-air channels. Motors TV’s free-to-air service, which begins broadcasting around 11:00 this Thursday, will initially mirror that of its current full-time Sky, Virgin Media and connected-free-to-air programming. However, at a later date this will switch to 20:00 – 05:00 on weekdays while remaining on air 24/7 during weekends (Friday 20:00 – Monday 05:00). Sky, Virgin Media and connected-free-to-air output will remain unaffected. While some new customers might find that slightly frustrating, it does allow Motors TV to further expand its reach and offer far more motorsport fans the opportunity to tune in, as Head of Programming and Acquisitions, Frederic Viger, explains:“The Arqiva Connect TV trial proved there are far more motorsport viewers out there than were originally watching on our other platforms,” he said. “From the start we saw it as a stepping stone and the fantastic response has given us the confidence to continue expanding. Plus, many more potential viewers have also been very vocal on social media about wanting to receive the channel via Freeview HD and YouView. Well, this is the result!“For the first time ever terrestrial TV viewers can watch the widest range of live motorsport coverage in the UK, as well as world championships, international and national series, and the sort of grassroots categories that are already enjoyed by thousands of fans across the country. “I should also add that we couldn’t have picked a better weekend to expand our potential audience as we’ll be showing V8 Supercars’ showpiece event – the Bathurst 1000 – live in its entirety. I know that will go down very well indeed!”For the latest Motors TV schedules visit www.motorstv.co.uk, catch coverage bulletins by liking the www.facebook.com/MotorsTVInternational page, and engage in mindless motorsport drivel by following @MotorsTV on Twitter. Motors TV is available to Freeview HD homes with compatible Freeview HD equipment. The channel is broadcast in standard definition. The Freeview service is subject to coverage. An aerial upgrade may be required.