Massive hike in BTCC viewers

ITV has revealed the number of people watching its coverage of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship is up by a staggering 34.6 per cent. Seems the live coverage of the BTCC has opened the premier touring car racing to a new audience. Hooray! Official figures from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) show Brands Hatch’s opening event of 2011 (3 April) attracted 21 per cent more viewers than the Kent circuit’s corresponding round from the previous season and Donington Park’s (17 April) ITV audience was then 27 per cent greater ton 2010 figures. There then followed a massive 56 per cent increase in viewers for 2011’s third round at Thruxton (1 May)! All ten BTCC race events in 2011 are set to receive comprehensive live TV coverage on free-to-air channels ITV4 and ITV4 HD, with each broadcast running for a minimum of six and a half hours and includes all three BTCC races on the day as well as much of the action from the supporting categories. Niall Sloane, Controller of Sport for ITV, commented: “We are delighted by these figures. An increase of this sort of popularity in any sport on mainstream TV is terrific and very much a testament to the BTCC’s fantastic on track action, dramatic storylines, rivalries and levels of professionalism which make for compelling viewing. The BTCC quite rightly remains at the forefront of our motor sport coverage and we very much look forward to continuing our coverage of this great championship into future years.” BTCC Series Director Alan Gow said: “In the world of television I'm told that these are extraordinary increases. These figures make for more fantastic news for all our teams, drivers, circuits and sponsors.” Go BTCC and thanks to ITV4 for bringing the action to us! Thanks also to www.redsquareimages.com