Hamilton boosting British TV numbers
Even in the wake of Michael Schumacher's absence in 2007 – not to mention the loss of other big names including Juan Pablo Montoya and Jacques Villeneuve – almost all grand prix broadcasters around the world are recording higher figures in each race.
"What we have now is even more exciting than anything Michael Schumacher gave us and he gave us a lot," said McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
Unsurprisingly, Britain's ratings boost has been the most impressive, with 7.7 million tuning in to ITV for Hamilton's maiden win in Montreal compared with 5.4m for the same race one year ago.
When the McLaren driver won again at Indianapolis a week later, 7.3m were watching — a full 2 million higher than in 2006. Monaco and Spain, meanwhile, were both 1 million spectators higher than last year.
The increase in Germany is more modest, but – considering the popularity of the retired Schumacher – significant. The biggest audience for RTL's free-to-air coverage of a race last year was 7.3 million, yet the US grand prix attracted 7.7m Germans to their television sets.
Even in Fernando Alonso's home country, the ratings are growing. 5.3 million Spaniards watched Telecinco's Indianapolis coverage, compared with 2.7m for the Primera Division football match between Seville and Villarreal.
06/19/07 Lewis Hamilton’s exciting assault on the Formula One World Championship has boosted viewing figures for ITV. Almost all of the ratings are higher for the first seven races in 2007 compared with the equivalent grands prix in 2006.
ITV had a peak of 7.7 million for the Canadian Grand Prix, compared with 5.4 million for the same race last season, and 7.3 million for the United States Grand Prix compared with 5.4 million in 2006. Last year, the events were held slightly later in the year.
The Monaco and Spanish Grands Prix, which were held on similar dates in both seasons, attracted an extra million viewers compared with 2006.
However, Kevin Alavy, the head of analytics at Initiative Sports Futures, which collates international figures, said: “We are still examining all the data, but we have not heard anecdotally of any other significant increase in viewing around the world." The Times Online