F1 returns to BBC after 12 years at ITV

Formula One is to return to the BBC from next season after it took over the rights from ITV.

The corporation today said it had secured all-platform rights from 2009-2013. The deal is reportedly worth around £200m.

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

"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."

ITV, whose contract was due to run until 2010, said pulling out "was a straightforward commercial decision".

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone said he thought the BBC would be able to give the sport more attention than ITV.

"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," he said.

"I think they will be able to service us an awful lot better, a little bit more time."

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