German Grand Prix performs solidly

The German Grand Prix viewing figures in the UK were higher than those recorded for 2012, unofficial overnight figures show.

Race
Live coverage of the race, from 12:00 to 15:30 on Sky Sports F1, averaged 820k (9.2%). Whilst the share is up year-on-year, the raw number is down on 2013, which averaged 882k (8.8%) for the equivalent timeslot. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is also down on the 1.12m (11.6%) number from 2012. On that occasion, Sky offered its portfolio of channels as free for the entire weekend. As always, all the numbers exclude those who watched online or at pubs and clubs.

BBC Two’s highlights show from 19:00 averaged 2.92m (14.9%), peaking with 3.57m (17.1%) at 20:05. Given that the 2013 race highlights programme followed on directly from Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory on BBC One, comparisons are really invalid, but for completeness purposes, that averaged 5.15m (31.2%). Yesterday’s rating however is up on 2012, which averaged 2.13m, also on BBC Two.

Given the above, it is no surprise that the combined 2014 average for the race sits at 3.74m, much lower than the inflated 2013 number of 6.03m. It is higher than the 2012 average of 3.25m. If you want to compare yesterday to the averages between 2009 and 2011, then the number is down between 360k and 560k. 2011, the last year that Formula 1 was exclusively on the BBC, averaged 4.30m (40.4%) for the German round.

Qualifying
Live coverage of qualifying on Sky Sports F1 from 12:00 to 14:35 averaged 416k (4.5%). Some of you will correctly point out that the programme went slightly longer than billed due to the red-flag period. The programme average therefore is probably in the region of 380k to 400k, however, it does not make a substantial difference in the grand scheme of things. BBC One’s highlights programme averaged 2.34m (17.8%) at 17:25. The combined figure, in the region of 2.7m is slightly down on last year, but in-line with the figures recorded between 2009 and 2011.

For a highlights round, with coverage of the race on BBC Two, it’s a better rating than what I was expecting in the context of the season’s ratings so far. Later this week, or next, I’ll be publishing a halfway review of the season’s numbers so far, and examine how well, or not, F1 is performing in comparison to previous years.

The 2013 German Grand Prix ratings report can be found here.