Formula One's global television audience grew in 2008, a report by the sport's commercial authority has revealed.

The figures for last season jumped to 600m per race, which is three million more than in 2007, F1's official Global Broadcast Report said.

Italy, with nearly 38 million viewers in 2008, remains the leading television market in Europe, but the British market jumped seven percent to over 29 million viewers per race as Lewis Hamilton drove to the title.

However, Germany's audience continues to slip in the wake of the retirement of Michael Schumacher, despite there still being five race drivers on the grid.

With 29.6 million viewers on average per race, the country slipped behind France to now be Europe's third best television audience.


Outside of Europe, China for the first time eclipsed Brazil as the leading TV audience abroad, with 119 million viewers compared with Brazil's 110m.

Moreover, the five final races of the season saw average live audience figures grow by an impressive 25 percent.

2008 was the fourth consecutive annual increase for F1's TV audience, moving Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone to remark that the figures paint "an overall picture of the rude health" of the sport.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

 

It's good to hear that ratings are increasing given the chain of events that transpired this past season. I suppose as the series moves farther away from fair racing and more towards becoming a drama-filled soap opera with all the real racing happening behind smoke and mirrors, it was bound to pick up more fans.

 

That's a little much don't you think...... it has picked up since Schumacher stopped dominating since it was sorta boring to the average fan. and having the title decided on the last race of the last two seasons must of done wonders

 

The racing was great last year, but I really do think it was overshadowed to some degree by all the drama going on off the track with Bernie & Max, the stewards and the drivers.