Hong Kong E-Prix peaks with 355,000 viewers on BBC Two

A packed weekend of motor sport to kick start the traditional season saw Formula E lead the way on its BBC Two debut, overnight viewing figures show.

Formula E makes BBC Two debut
As part of their commitment to air one race on linear television, BBC aired the Hong Kong E-Prix live on BBC Two this past weekend. The race brought in a solid audience, according to audience numbers supplied by Overnights.tv.

An average of 229k (4.6%) tuned into the broadcast from 07:30 to 09:30. Sunday’s audience is an improvement on the last two seasons for Hong Kong, when the race aired on tape-delay on Channel 5.

In a positive sign, the BBC’s race coverage saw consistent growth throughout the broadcast, increasing its audience in most of the five-minute segments between 07:35 and 09:05. The race peaked with 355k (6.5%) at 09:00 as the race concluded.

It is Formula E’s highest UK audience for an Asian-based race since their first ever E-Prix in 2014. Back then, live coverage of the Beijing E-Prix on ITV4 averaged 266k (4.7%) and peaked with 477k (6.8%).

BT Sport and Eurosport make negligible difference to the overall picture, averaging 5k (0.10%) and 8k (0.16%) respectively, if anything showing the importance of free-to-air for Formula E.

For me, Formula E’s audience is solid, whether it is enough to convince the BBC to move the series off the Red Button for the latter half of the season, I do not know. If the peak was nearer to 500,000 viewers, I think the decision may be easier, that is if there is even a discussion here.

Last weekend’s race was Formula E’s first on a mainstream television channel since June last year, so expectations from a viewing figures perspective are lower as a result. With a bit of promotion, a European race could peak at around 800,000 viewers on BBC One, potentially. Time will tell if the BBC genuinely considers that a viable option this season.

MotoGP’s return peaks with 249,000 viewers on BT
A new season of MotoGP kicked off on BT Sport 2 with the Qatar GP. The leading bike series was unaffected by tough football opposition on Sky.

The race brought in an audience similar to previous years. The 90-minute MotoGP slot averaged 190k (1.3%) from 16:30 to 18:00, a slight decrease on last year’s figure of 211k (1.5%), but an increase on the 2014 and 2017 averages.

A peak of 249k (1.6%) watched as Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso went wheel-to-wheel over the finish line for the second year running. The peak audience is in-line with the past two years, which peaked with 247k (1.3%) and 255k (1.9%) respectively.

Free-to-air highlights of the championship moved from Channel 5 to Quest, with the audience dropping significantly year-on-year. Quest aired two highlights shows at 18:00 and 23:00 respectively. Their premiere airing averaged 140k (0.9%), with the repeat bringing in 50k (0.8%).

The combined Quest audience of 190k is down 58 percent on Channel 5’s highlights audience for Qatar last season of 456k (2.5%). It is lower than all bar three MotoGP races on either ITV4 or Channel 5 since the highlights arrangement started in 2014.

Cumulatively, the drop for the highlights airing meant that MotoGP peaked with 513,000 viewers in the UK over the weekend, when accounting for BT’s live airing and Quest’s two repeats, a disappointing number for the championship.

As with all the figures in this piece, on demand platforms such as BT Sport’s online services and MotoGP’s VideoPass over-the-top offering are not included, which may make a small difference to the total MotoGP numbers.

IndyCar struggles on Sky return as St Pete opener plagued by technical issues
It was not a good Sunday for IndyCar, on all fronts. The series returned for a new season in St Petersburg, and with it came a change of channel for UK viewers, as the championship moved from BT Sport to Sky Sports F1.

Viewing figures struggled, with the race averaging 19k (0.11%) from 16:30 to 20:30, a decrease on last year’s BT audience of 25k (0.16%) over a shorter 200-minute time slot. Sky’s coverage peaked with 56k (0.32%) at 18:40 on Sunday, compared with 56k (0.38%) one year ago on BT.

The season opener faced MotoGP on BT and Premier League football on Sky, which may have impacted figures. Last month, F1 testing brought in a higher audience than IndyCar managed, although testing aired across the F1 channel and Main Event.

Considering the buzz when the IndyCar deal was first announced, Sky’s audience is disappointing. IndyCar, from a UK perspective, failed to move the needle outside of the Twitter bubble. However, IndyCar could benefit from cross-promotion during Sky’s main F1 coverage this year, so the picture could change as the season progresses.

The problems with Sky’s IndyCar broadcast may not have helped audience figures, although I doubt it caused a significant dent given the low base to start with.

IndyCar produces two feeds: a domestic feed for NBC, and an international feed. The feeds contain different graphics set, whilst the former is also not a continuous feed of the racing action. For St Pete, Sky aired the domestic feed ‘as-is’, breaking away to their own commercials when NBC in America went to adverts or went ‘side-by-side’.

What this meant was a downgrade on coverage offered by BT Sport in previous years. It was expected that Sky would take some commercials (@IndyCarUK understands four ad-breaks), but also utilise the feed to stay on the action for most of the race outside of yellow flag periods.

Whether Sky were unaware that the domestic feed was going to break away from the action or not is unclear. Either way, the communication between Sky Sports, NBC Sports and IndyCar needs to be clearer ready for Austin in two weeks’ time.

In a separate issue, IndyCar’s broadcast lost pictures completely for around 15 minutes on Sunday, affecting both the domestic NBC feed and the international feed. IndyStar Sports writer Jim Ayello reports that there was “a power supply failure to one of IMS Productions’ up-links due to two amplifiers overheating,” which caused the feed to go down.

Scheduling: The 2019 Australian Grand Prix

A new year, a new era.

Formula 1 roars back into life, with the championship starting down under in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix!

For UK fans, the action airs exclusively live on Sky, with highlights on Channel 4. If you are not yet accustomed to hearing that sentence yet, you will soon, as that sentence applies for 20 of the 21 races this season, and (partially) applies until the end of 2024.

Change at Sky…
A lot has happened since both broadcasters went off the air at the end of 2018. Karun Chandhok and Jenson Button have joined Sky for the upcoming season, adding depth to their line-up.

The rest of Sky’s line-up remains the same as last year, 2019 marking their eighth season covering the sport. Simon Lazenby will continue to front their coverage, with David Croft and Martin Brundle on commentary.

Nico Rosberg, Paul di Resta, Anthony Davidson, Johnny Herbert, and Damon Hill will provide analysis throughout the season, with Natalie Pinkham and Rachel Brookes also contributing to Sky’s coverage.

However, Sky have reduced Ted Kravitz’s contribution for 2019, after u-turning on an earlier decision to axe him from their coverage. Kravitz is with Sky for 14 races this season, whilst his Notebook output is no more based on current schedules. Kravitz is presenting a midweek show called Midweek Debrief, but this is an F1 production as opposed to an in-house Sky production.

On the programming front, Sky have extended their Thursday preview show, added a 30-minute wrap-up show on Friday, and kept The F1 Show on Saturday’s after qualifying. On race day, Sky have also extended Paddock Live to an hour, but it also starts half an hour earlier, meaning that Sky will head off-air earlier on Sunday’s than previously.

Sky are simulcasting their programming throughout the weekend across Sky One and Sky Sports Main Event. On Sunday, they are replaying the race five times in full across the F1 channel, Sky One and Main Event before Channel 4’s highlights programme has even started!

…and at Channel 4…
With Chandhok moving over to Sky, Channel 4 have added Billy Monger and Stefano Domenicali to their line-up. Both of them join Steve Jones, David Coulthard and Mark Webber in Melbourne, with Ben Edwards continuing to commentate alongside Coulthard. The broadcaster has retained Lee McKenzie, despite McKenzie previously intending to move onto pastures new this season.

As expected, Channel 4’s highlights programme is shorter than last year, with decreases of 20 minutes (18%) and 45 minutes (27%) for qualifying and the race respectively. The decreases are bigger than expected, as Australia received a generous edit from Channel 4 historically compared to races later in the season.

Decreases aside, fans will notice change from the very first second of Channel 4’s programme. Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain is no more. In its place I understand is a new, modern theme to kick-start Channel 4’s 2019 coverage.

…and at the Beeb
For those of you without Sky, the BBC’s 5 Live coverage of Formula 1 remains. The broadcaster has not officially confirmed their radio line-up, although expect no changes on the personnel side. IMG are producing their coverage this season after winning the contract from USP Content last October.

Elsewhere in the motor sport spectrum, the World Endurance Championship returns to action in Sebring, ~~whilst Supercars plays its part on the F1 support bill, which UK viewers will have access to for the first time~~.

Channel 4 F1
16/03 – 12:00 to 13:30 – Qualifying Highlights
17/03 – 14:00 to 16:00 – Race Highlights

Sky Sports F1
Sessions
15/03 – 00:30 to 02:45 – Practice 1 (also Sky Sports Main Event)
15/03 – 04:45 to 06:45 – Practice 2 (also Sky Sports Main Event)
16/03 – 02:45 to 04:30 – Practice 3
=> 02:45 – Practice 3
=> 04:10 – Paddock Walkabout
16/03 – 05:00 to 07:30 – Qualifying (also Sky One and Sky Sports Main Event)
=> 05:00 – Pre-Show
=> 05:55 – Qualifying
17/03 – 03:30 to 08:00 – Race (also Sky One and Sky Sports Main Event)
=> 03:30 – Pit Lane Live
=> 04:30 – On the Grid
=> 05:05 – Race
=> 07:00 – Paddock Live

Supplementary Programming
13/03 – 06:00 to 07:00 – Melbourne F1 Launch Show (also Sky Sports Main Event)
14/03 – 05:00 to 06:00 – Drivers’ Press Conference
14/03 – 07:00 to 08:00 – Welcome to the Weekend (also Sky Sports Main Event)
15/03 – 07:00 to 07:30 – The Story so Far (also Sky Sports Main Event)
16/03 – 07:30 to 08:00 – The F1 Show (also Sky Sports Main Event)
20/03 – 18:00 to 18:30 – Midweek Debrief

BBC Radio F1
14/03 – 21:00 to 22:00 – Preview (BBC Radio 5 Live)
15/03 – 00:55 to 02:35 – Practice 1 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
15/03 – 04:55 to 06:35 – Practice 2 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
16/03 – 02:55 to 04:05 – Practice 3 (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
16/03 – 05:55 to 07:05 – Qualifying (BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra)
17/03 – 04:30 to 07:00 – Race (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Asia Talent Cup – Thailand (BT Sport 3)
16/03 – 07:15 to 08:15 – Race 1
17/03 – 04:30 to 05:30 – Race 2

~~Virgin Australia Supercars – Melbourne (BT Sport 2)~~
~~15/03 – 06:30 to 08:15 – Race 1~~
~~16/03 – 01:15 to 02:30 – Race 2~~
~~16/03 – 07:00 to 08:45 – Race 3~~
~~17/03 – 02:15 to 03:45 – Race 4~~

World Endurance Championship – 1000 Miles of Sebring
15/03 – 19:30 to 04:30 – Race (BT Sport 3)
15/03 – 19:45 to 04:30 – Race (Eurosport)

World Superbikes – Thailand
16/03 – 05:30 to 10:00 – Qualifying and Race 1 (Eurosport 2)
17/03 – 05:30 to 10:15 – Support and Race 2 (Eurosport 2)
21/03 – 20:00 to 21:00 – Highlights (ITV4)

As always, I will update the schedule if anything changes.

Update on March 12th – Added Ted Kravitz’s new show with F1 TV (also airing on Sky), plus updated the Supercars schedule.

Update on March 15th – Added Stefano Domenicali to Channel 4’s line-up. Also, Supercars has disappeared from BT Sport’s schedules. Historically, there were restrictions around what broadcasters could air from Supercars in Melbourne as it falls under the F1 support package, restrictions which still apply. The only place for UK fans to see the action is via SuperView,.

A new era, and a new F1 theme, as Channel 4 breaks The Chain

Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain will not be Channel 4’s Formula 1 signature theme for the upcoming 2019 season, Motorsport Broadcasting can reveal.

The iconic track has been synonymous with Formula 1 coverage on UK television for decades, with the BBC using it as its soundtrack until 1996.

Following ITV’s acquisition of Formula 1 rights in 1997, the commercial broadcaster opted to head in a different direction with their soundtrack, using a mix of Jamiroquai, Apollo 440, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Moby during their twelve years of covering the sport.

When the BBC returned to the F1 frame from a television perspective in 2009, The Chain duly returned with them. Channel 4 took over the free-to-air baton from the BBC at the end of 2015, and have used the Fleetwood Mac hit since.

Heading into the new season however, I understand that Channel 4 and Whisper Films have all but given up hope in securing the famous bass riff for their opening titles. The broadcaster begins a new era of Formula 1 broadcasting in the UK next weekend in Melbourne, with 20 of the 21 races airing in highlights form this season.

Sources close to the situation have confirmed that the broadcaster has secured an alternative modern track, which will debut during next Saturday’s coverage of the Australian Grand Prix qualifying session.

In a separate development, Sky have confirmed that they will also not be using The Chain in their coverage this season. Responding to questions from fans on social media, Sky said that it was “not feasible to use the [The Chain] on the titles.”

I understand that Sky’s desire to use theme, hence its inclusion in their pre-season trailer, has resulted in a bidding war between the two broadcasters and record company Universal Music Publishing Group, which in turn has concluded with neither Channel 4 or Sky securing the rights to The Chain for 2019.

It means that, as of writing, for the first time since 2008 when ITV used Moby’s Lift Me Up, neither UK TV broadcaster will be using The Chain as their signature theme. There is a slim outside possibility that the situation could change, but it currently appears highly unlikely.

Fewer races with Sky for Kravitz as coverage undergoes revamp

Further details about Ted Kravitz’s role with Sky Sports F1 in 2019 have been revealed, whilst Sky are revamping their on-screen output this season.

Potential scheduling changes for the upcoming season
Sky’s scheduling for the Australian Grand Prix suggests that there will be several changes to their programming slate line-up for the upcoming season.

Their preview show on Thursday’s, Welcome to the Weekend has doubled in length to an hour, whilst Sky have added an additional 30-minute wrap-up show to their Friday schedule following second practice. In addition, a 20-minute ‘Paddock Walkabout’ show will air following practice three on Saturday morning.

The F1 Show remains on Saturday’s, immediately following their qualifying broadcast. On race day, Sky have extended Paddock Live to an hour, however it also starts half an hour earlier, meaning that Sky are heading off-air earlier on Sunday’s than in previous years.

Overall, Sky’s schedules show a net increase for live content compared to previous years, for Australia at least, which is good news, and gives the channel a more all rounded feel to it.

Kravitz’s Sky role reduced
Industry sources in recent weeks have indicated to this site that Ted Kravitz will be with Sky for fewer races this season. His future was the subject of social media speculation during February, with this site revealing that the broadcaster u-turned on their decision to drop him from their F1 coverage.

During Motor Sport Magazine’s F1 Preview evening, it was noted that Kravitz will be with Sky for 14 of the 21 races this season. Alongside this, Sky’s schedule next weekend does not include Ted’s Qualifying or Race Notebook, which has been a regular fixture of Sky’s output since 2012.

It is unclear if Sky have axed Ted’s Notebook, or moved it to an online-only offering. Given that Kravitz’s commitments with Sky are reducing, one could draw conclusions that Sky have indeed axed the Notebook from their schedules.

Any reduction on this front is disappointing, but 14 of the 21 races is still two-thirds of the season, and clearly the situation could have been much worse as discussed in recent weeks. I hope the Notebook turns up on Sky’s online platforms in some format for the 14 races, but time will tell.

Whether Kravitz is working with a second broadcaster this season, where the Notebook output could end up airing on, is also unknown, but a distinct possibility.

On-screen revamp for Sky F1
According to marketing website The Drum, Sky’s in-house agency, Sky Creative Agency has led changes on Sky’s on-screen output on several fronts, including “interactive touch screen broadcast podiums, a new F1 zone and interview platform.”

I understand that Sky have discontinued the Sky Pad, which has featured on its F1 coverage since 2012. In its place is a new on-site mobile augmented reality (AR) studio, bringing Formula 1 in line with Sky’s Premier League coverage.

For the Premier League, most of the content comes from the studio, whereas I understand specific segments will come from the AR studio for Sky’s F1 coverage as opposed to the whole output.

One change that appears to be off the cards however is The Chain. Included as part of Sky’s pre-season promotional trailer, the latest from Sky responding to questions on social media is that it is “not feasible to use the track on the titles.”

Update on March 12th – Sky have confirmed that Kravitz will present a new weekly midweek show called the F1 Midweek Debrief. Rob Smedley is the guest for week one.

However, the show is not a Sky production. Instead, Kravitz is working with Formula 1 themselves on the weekly programme, which is airing on F1’s over-the-top service for premium users.

Sky are taking the show in addition to their own in-house content.

Update on March 15th – Viewers watching Sky’s coverage of practice will have noticed that the Sky Pad is, thankfully, still alive and well! Apologies for the error in this piece stating that the tool was no more.

Quest grabs MotoGP highlights

Highlights of the MotoGP championship will air on Quest for the next two seasons, the broadcaster has confirmed, in an eleventh hour announcement.

The package previously aired on ITV4 from 2014 to 2016, before the contract went to Channel 5 in time for the 2017 season. Now, the 60-minute highlights package, produced by BT Sport, heads to the free-to-air branch of Discovery Communications. Discovery also owns Eurosport, with coverage of the British Superbikes series also airing on their portfolio of channels.

The 60-minute highlights show will also be available via Quest’s on-demand platform QuestOD, with highlights of Qatar airing this Monday (11th March) at 18:00.

It has been a roller-coaster three years for Channel 5, who appear to have fell in and out of love with motor sport very quickly. The order of events suggests that there has been a decision taken at a higher level to wind down their motor racing commitments, rather than each individual series choosing to part company with Channel 5.

The free-to-air broadcaster picked up, and promptly stopped showing MotoGP and Formula E within the space of two and a half years, with highlights of the World Rally Championship almost suffering the same fate.

Channel 5’s recent motor sport history
> January 2016: Secures WRC highlights
> September 2016: Secures Formula E
> March 2017: Secures MotoGP highlights
> November 2018: Loses Formula E
> January 2019: Loses WRC highlights (briefly)
> March 2019: Loses MotoGP highlights

Simon Downing, Quest’s Head of Channel, said “We are delighted to add MotoGP to our premium sport portfolio. It’s the highest profile two-wheel event on the calendar and we are proud to be able to offer this exclusively free-to-air to our viewers – not just on linear but across our digital platforms too.”

“We’re really looking forward to the upcoming season on what I’m sure will once again provide many exciting moments across all three Championships.”

MotoGP highlights brought in solid viewing figures on Channel 5 over the past two seasons, regularly peaking with over half a million viewers. The two seasons that Channel 5 aired averaged 406k (2.4%) and 404k (2.3%) respectively according to overnight viewing figures supplied by Overnights.tv.

It is highly unlikely that MotoGP will reach those numbers on Quest. ITV4’s final season covering MotoGP in 2016 averaged 285k (1.4%) in a Monday evening time slot at 20:00. The earlier time slot on Quest, combined with the channel’s lower standing may mean that averages struggle to get above 250,000 viewers.

It is unclear whether ITV4 was an option, which MotoGP passed upon, or whether ITV were simply not interested. Having a free-to-air presence is always excellent news, and MotoGP fans should be glad that the package remains. The eleventh hour announcement though suggests that Dorna have struggled to find a home for the free-to-air package.

With the Quest contract being a two-year deal, however, the days of MotoGP reaching a large audience are large gone, and look unlikely to return any time soon.