UK commercial broadcaster ITV has extended a rights deal for live coverage of the British Touring Car Championship motorsport series.
The new deal will run for three years, from 2015 to 2017.
Under the deal, all of the championship’s races will be shown live on the ITV4 and ITV4 HD digital-television channels as well as online via ITV’s website, which will also stream live coverage of Saturday afternoon qualifying sessions.
Live coverage from each event will be screened for seven hours from 11am to 6pm. Sixty-minute highlights programmes will also continue to be shown on the ITV, ITV HD, ITV4 and ITV4 HD channels in the week following each race.
“The determination from both parties to finalise this deal, more than a year before the expiration of our current contract, is testament to the strength and huge appeal of the BTCC,” championship director Alan Gow said. “Many of our teams have been able to sign long-term deals with partners during what’s become a record-breaking age for the BTCC and this new broadcasting agreement will enable them to further build for the future.”