Quote:
Formula One to return to BBC TV
The BBC has secured the television rights to show Formula One in the UK from the 2009 season.
The five-year deal for an undisclosed fee marks F1's return to BBC screens 12 years after it switched to ITV.
The contract covers all platforms and will see F1 broadcast on the BBC Sport website, as well as on TV and radio.
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was "delighted", adding: "The BBC has some innovative ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base."
Among the new developments will be live video coverage of F1 on the BBC Sport website.
Asked why he had decided to split with ITV, Ecclestone told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's not that we are unhappy with ITV but I think maybe they will have their hands full with other things and maybe the BBC can service us a bit better.
"I think it will be good, a fresh face. I'm not complaining about ITV, I'm not saying they did a bad job or anything like that.
"But with all the other things they are loaded up with - and who knows they will get some more stuff - maybe it will be a bit more difficult to spend as much time on us.
"I think the BBC will do that."
ITV , which was in the third year of a five-year deal, released a statement saying it had "decided to exit F1 at the end of this season".
It added that it was a "straightforward commercial decision".
BBC director of sport Roger Mosey said: "Our understanding is that F1 did have a termination right at the end of the 2008 season, and that appears to be what has happened, and we're absolutely delighted F1 will be back on the BBC this time next year."
Full Report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/7306123.stm
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I don't buy that straight forward commercial decision - Hamilton is set to break records and win titles and unlike the Schumacher era there is decent competition with the BMW and possibly Alonso not too far behind. F1 is starting to become interesting once again.
Ecclestone has obviously pulled out. Maybe he watched it on ITV once and realised how annoying them breaks are!
They can leave that rubbish commentator behind as well, not Martin Brundle, the other one - he doesn't have a clue.