F1 could lose German broadcaster RTL

Take a look at all the hardware hanging off the Mercedes F1 engine. It's complicated, it's expensive and the engine sounds horrible. Fans are running for the exits and race attendance will be down in 2015

AR1.com predicted that fans would stop following F1 in droves now that the thrill of the screaming engines is gone, replaced by the boring, very costly green engines that fans hate.

F1 could be set to lose one of its major free-to-air broadcasters in a key market, according to Germany's Sport Bild.

Last week, RTL blamed "incomprehensible rules" and "counterproductive external representations" for a significant ratings decline in Germany this year. AR1 blames the boring parade put on by Mercedes and cars that no longer thrill anyone.

Although the German Nico Rosberg, driving a works Mercedes, was in the hunt for the title to the very end, RTL said its average audience had dropped by almost a million viewers per race this season compared to 2013.

Reportedly, they were the worst ratings in 20 years, when Michael Schumacher won his first world championship in a Benetton.

Now, Sport Bild claims RTL is contemplating not renewing its formula one deal beyond 2015, with its current contract said to be worth some EUR 50 million per season.

"We are still achieving a market share of 30 per cent," spokesman Matthias Bolhofer said, "but overall, the development of the audience is not satisfactory."