Eurosport today announced a 34% increase in year-on-year average viewer numbers compared with 2016 with 585,000 fans tuning in to watch the oldest endurance motor race in the world.

Only once in the last decade (2013) have the average viewer numbers been bettered while a peak audience number of 1,811,000 saw the Porsche LMP Team of Timo Bernard (Germany), Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber (both New Zealand) take the race honours. The 2017 Le Mans race reached 14.5 million viewers in total, a marked increase of 10% versus 2016.

There was also significant year-on-year growth in Germany (+52%), Poland (+181%), Romania (+40%) and Sweden (127%) with Germany (207,000 avg) registering its best 24h Le Mans in ten years. In the Southern Hemisphere, there was a 48% increase in average audience numbers in Australia versus 2016 – the race last weekend was the best programme overall on Eurosport in that territory for two years.

Eurosport’s ongoing commitment to working with premium talent has paid dividends once again with the new Le Mans Coach format, fronted by nine-times Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, recording average viewer numbers of 673,000 viewers, an overall increase of 131% compared with last year’s equivalent show ’24 Minutes’ and an increase of 42% versus the same programme in 2015.

Eurosport whetted the appetite for viewers ahead of the weekend’s main event with programming that looked back to the 2016 race, previewed this year’s edition during Le Mans Extra as well as broadcasting all of the official practice and qualifying sessions from the famous circuit.

Every moment from a drama-filled Le Mans 24h race was broadcast live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player giving fans the opportunity to watch at home or on-the-go.

Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton said: “The passion fans have for all forms of motorsport never ceases to amaze me. This does mean, however, we at Eurosport have a duty to deliver a product to them that they deserve.

“We responded with high-quality programming throughout the week and during the race itself that featured world-class talent such as Tom Kristensen. Tom is a legend of the sport who’s record at Le Mans is unlikely to be bettered – therefore, his insights into the race unfolding before our eyes resonated with fans watching on Eurosport across the globe.”

Highlights at-a-glance:

- 585,000 viewers on average watched the Le Mans 24h race across the Eurosport Network

- Average viewer numbers increased by 34% versus 2016 and increased by 6% versus 2015

- Year-on-year growth vs 2016 in: Germany (+52%), Poland (+181%), Romania (+40%), Netherlands (40%), Sweden (+127%), Denmark (+2%), Italy (+13%)

- Best Le Mans 24h for ten years in Germany (207,000 viewers on average) and best in eight years in Sweden (23,000 viewers on average)

ENDS.