MARCH 12, 2003

Speed Channel's F1 ratings

Speed Channel, which recently signed a three-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone to cover Formula 1 in the United States of America, recorded a respectable 0.54 rating for the race coverage in the course of Saturday night. This equates to 307,000 households across the nation. Qualifying on Thursday (US time) scored around half that figure while Friday's second qualifying registered a 0.31 which is around 174,000 households.

Speed's deal includes the ability to use archived footage of the last 10 years.

The Speed Channel commentary team includes race caller Rick DeBruhl, veteran analyst David Hobbs, former F1 mechanic Steve Matchett and paddock reporter Peter Windsor.