F1 Viewing Figures Continue to Rise

Britain's Formula One broadcasters ITV said today that the dramatic and emotional scenes at the San Marino Grand Prix helped them attract almost half of the British viewing audience.

World Champion Michael Schumacher won the Imola race just hours after the death of his mother Elisabeth, and the British broadcasters believe many people will have tuned in to cheer on the German.

"To see a World Champion like Michael Schumacher achieve his first win of the year despite the tragic circumstances of his private life certainly made for some very moving TV images," said an ITV spokeswoman.

"The drama that had unfolded in the first three races continued in Imola and the figures again reveal that people are hooked on what has been happening so far this season.

"Schumacher's battle against personal tragedy, the fact his team Ferrari bring out their new car in Spain and that David Coulthard still heads Schumacher in the standings should make for very interesting viewing this weekend."

A peak viewing figure of 4.6 million has been claimed - that equates to a 42.8 percent audience share of all terrestrial and non-terrestrial television viewers at the time in the UK. The programme pulled in and average of 3.6 million people, a 35 per cent audience share, and the figures come as a further boost for the sport which was flagging last season.

There were hugely encouraging audience sizes for the opening three Grands Prix of the year, in Australia, Malaysia and Brazil, with the latter - shown at prime time on Sunday tea-time in the UK - seeing 7.2 million tune in.