March 20, 2008

The BBC have secured the rights to broadcast Formula One races from the 2009 season.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was "delighted", adding: "The BBC has some innovative ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base."

The BBC plan to offer an interactive service using their website to broadcast coverage from Formula 1 weekends.

Asked why he had decided to split with ITV, Ecclestone said: "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."

The BBC are overjoyed with what will be considered quite a coup in the sports world.  The ITV contract was due to run until 2010.  The world of sport is understandably taken aback by the deal which is thought to be worth £200 million.

Dominic Coles, BBC Sport director of sport rights, said: "The biggest motorsporting event in the world is returning home after 12 years.

"We were delighted when Bernie Ecclestone approached us about the return of F1 to the BBC.

"F1 is a crown jewel of sports broadcasting, so to bring the rights back to their traditional home from 2009 is tremendously exciting.

"Fans will be able to enjoy uninterrupted, state of the art and innovative coverage from BBC Sport, across all of our TV, radio and new media platforms, for the first time since 1996."

In a statement ITV desribed the change as "a straightforward commercial decision for ITV and we are pleased that F1 will continue to be broadcast free-to-air"  The 2008 championship will contniue to be broadcast on ITV.

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