FORMULA One will return to the BBC from the 2009 season after the corporation secured a five-year television rights deal, it has been announced.
Twelve years after ITV won the rights and began broadcasting the sport, the BBC have managed to bring Formula One back in a major coup for the organisation.
Bernie Ecclestone, chief executive of Formula One Administration Limited, said: "I am delighted to conclude this new deal with the BBC.
"I wish to thank ITV for their commitment to Formula One and the high quality of their coverage.
"It is an exciting time in Formula One and the BBC has some innovative new ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fanbase."
BBC Sport director of sport rights Dominic Coles said on BBC Sport online: "The biggest motorsporting event in the world is returning home after 12 years.
"We were delighted when Bernie Ecclestone approached us about the return of F1 to the BBC.
"F1 is a crown jewel of sports broadcasting, so to bring the rights back to their traditional home from 2009 is tremendously exciting.
"Fans will be able to enjoy uninterrupted, state of the art and innovative coverage from BBC Sport, across all of our TV, radio and new media platforms, for the first time since 1996."
