Okay, I am now in a position to watch not only free to air MotoGP (on two different channels, no less) but all of the F1 races live, too.
Having lived in Deutschland for nearly 20 years, I knew all I had to do was find out how to receive their TV channels to get this sorted. I found out a friend of mine did the same thing all this year (his wife is half-deutsch).
You need to either buy a satellite kit - that's FreeSat - for about £100 new, or much cheaper from the likes of ebay or car boot sales (again, my mate did well, with it costing him £25 from ebay, including hard drive recording) or use one you already have. Must be digital, mind, as the analogue stuff has all gone.
You then need to point your dish towards Astra 1 - which is on 19.2E - and find RTL - it doesn't matter which one, mine is tuned to RTL CH (Switzerland) - they all show it. RTL on other satellites is encrypted, so no use. When you tune it in, it might very well say that the channel is encrypted on Astra 1 - but it isn't.
That's F1 sorted, then. Okay - it's commentary is in German, but even if you don't speak the lingo, you get to see it, and you could always listen to 5 Live (but you'll hear what happens before you see it - so record both and start them at the same time, if you are fussy!).
For MotoGP, there are a couple of options - also with German commentary, but again, better than nought.
For this you need to tune to the same satellite, and get either ORF+sports, which is more likely called AustriaSAT, or find Sport1 - which is what used to be DSF in Germany - that shows all the races live. They are both on Astra 1, too.
Don't know which way to point your dish? Find that out on this excellent website:
http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/0 ... ulator-v2/
or here:
http://www.dishpointer.com/
Stick your location and the satellite you want to receive in the boxes and a satellite image will open, showing you all the details.
You can move the pointer so it is directly over your house (and even the side your dish is mounted on) if you like. It will give you the elevation and bearing in magnetic degrees, so it's made simple.
By the way - if you also tune into ZDF (German second channel) you can watch other stuff, too, such as the DTM.
have fun, and a happy new, sporting 2014!
I don't recall anything being said on Auntie Beeb at the end of the season and I don't watch Eurosport (the other broadcaster to lose out) so this has come as something of a shock.
