ITV Keeps Wheels Moving With Formula One Deal

ITV has extended its commitment to Formula One motor racing with a new five-year contract that will keep the sport at the heart of the broadcaster’s schedules until the end of the decade.

ITV has held exclusive rights to Formula One races since 1997 and recently secured the Daily Telegraph as the exclusive £4.5 million broadcast sponsor of its coverage of the forthcoming Formula One season (see ITV In Poll Position With Formula One Sponsorship).

Commenting on ITV’s continuing coverage of Formula One race days, Brian Barwick, ITV’s controller of sport, said: “Formula One has been a key live asset to us and we are delighted to retain our partnership with the sport. It remains big-time event television played across a global canvas and we believe passionately in it.”

He added: “We’re also proud of the manner in which our broadcasting of the sport has been widely acknowledged as innovative, creative and authoritative. F1 straddles the main part of the year and is consistently newsworthy.”

However, the sport was seen in focus last month with new research conducted by Initiative Media claimed that viewing figures were just one-fifth of those being claimed by the sport’s official organising body, Formula One Management (see Formula One Red-Flagged By Audience Research).

ITV has been bullish in its attitude to sports coverage lately, snapping up the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The broadcaster has also retained the rights to live UEFA Champions League football, the Rugby World Cup, football’s World Cup and European Championships (see ITV Snatches Boat Race Broadcast Rights From BBC).

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com

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