Schumi boosts German TV
2010-03-17 08:02
Berlin - Michael Schumacher's F1 return at the Bahrain Grand Prix was a big hit with German television viewers as almost twice as many tuned in this year, broadcaster RTL said on Tuesday.
The seven-times world champion's comeback race was watched by an average audience of 10.5m Germans on Sunday, compared to the 5.3m viewers the season-opening event attracted last season.
"We did expect higher figures but we never dared think they would be that much higher," RTL sports chief Manfred Loppe told reporters.
The race had a market share of just under 50% and a peak audience of 11.6m as German Schumacher, 41, finished sixth in a Mercedes on his comeback after three seasons in retirement.
Spain's Fernando Alonso won in a Ferrari and his team mate Felipe Massa of Brazil was second.