ITV admits Grand Prix gaffe

ITV has admitted breaking broadcasting rules by interrupting the climax of the Formula 1 Grand Prix with an ad break.

Motor racing fans were furious when ITV cut to the adverts during the nail-biting finish between Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher at the San Marino Grand Prix in April.

The pair were battling it out in one of the closest finals in years.

But ITV bosses cut away from the action with just three laps to go and did not return until the final lap.

Some 126 viewers complained to media watchdog Ofcom – and many demanded that Formula One coverage be handed back to the BBC.

Ofcom ruled that ITV had breached rules which govern the schedule of ad breaks during sporting events, and the broadcaster agreed.

In its report, Ofcom said: “The break (lasting two minutes 30 seconds) occurred just as the race, by then a close contest between Alonso and Schumacher, was entering its closing stage and finished just before the final lap.

“The complainants argued that the location of the break and its duration were unacceptable, depriving viewers of live coverage of a vital part of the race and destroying the tension that had built up during the event.

“They suggested that the break could (and should) have been placed elsewhere, either within the race or preferably in pre/post race sections of the programme.

“Many also objected to the perceived differences between coverage of football and F1 in placement and frequency of breaks – likening the position of the final race break in this instance to cutting to advertising during a penalty shoot out.”

ITV replayed the missing three laps after the race but viewers were not impressed.

The broadcaster accepted that it had breached advertising rules which state that breaks in sports coverage should be taken at times where the focus of coverage shifts from one point to another.

Ofcom said: “ITV assured us that it understood the requirements of this rule and took very seriously the need to ensure that the quality of the viewing experience was maintained at the highest standards.”

The San Marino Grand Prix had an “exceptional ending” in which Schumacher and Alonso battled it out for the last 15 minutes of the race, ITV said.

“The production team would normally wait for the outcome of the situation to avoid being in a break at the crucial moment. As the race progressed, the point at which the last race break would normally be taken had passed and a judgement call was required.

“To take a break before the situation was resolved could have resulted in missing the action. With time running out, the decision was eventually made to take the break. In retrospect the break should have been taken earlier but at the time it had been a difficult call to make.”