Liberty explains 4% drop in F1 race views

The Formula One's viewing numbers have dropped by four per cent, but this is only because the sport has moved towards more payed television deals, according to Liberty Media CEO Chase Carey.

The F1's boss explained that the sport actually went up in its viewership, were it not for the drop in Italy.

“That is largely due to our move from free to pay television in Italy,” Carey explained to RaceFans.

“Excluding Italy our television viewership is up 3% year-on-year and our Saturday viewership for qualifying is up even more.”

Sky Italia took over exclusive rights to broadcast F1 in Italy for the next three years, which explains the drop in viewers. A large portion of fans don't find it necessary to pay for an extra package to get their fix of F1. 

Paywalls are however a direction the F1 are heading in more and more. Sky Sports F1 will also have exclusive broadcasting rights in the UK next season.

The big markets are getting more interested though, according to Carey, as China and the United States' viewing figures "are showing particularly strong uplifts."

“Fans reacted positively to our enhancements in cameras, sounds, graphics, and other elements in our broadcast and we have more to come.

 “69% of our fans say F1 TV coverage has improved while just 13% say it’s worse.

“This year’s priority is get the product to where we want it to at this point in time to really give it a proper commercial launch next season."