ITV4 is to screen every round of MotoGP - the day after it is shown live by BT Sport. It is part of a deal insisted on by promoters Dorna to boost audience figures following the loss of the BBC.
The ITV Channel has built a formidable reputation in motor sport, it's coverage helping to restore the TT as a world event, and has recently poached commentator Toby Moody from Eurosport to front its BSB coverage.
The first round of this year's Championship, from Qatar on March 23, will be screened live by subscription channel BT Sport and fronted by Melanie Sykes. It is estimated that it will attract an audience of around quarter of a million compared with the million watching BBC coverage. But ITV 4, which is free-too-air, will add another half million.
The show will be an hour long, commencing 8pm on March 24, and will be a mixture of highlights and a full length showing of the race taken from the circuit's RSS feed.