MOTORSPORT: Isle of Man TT 2013 – Daily highlights on ITV4

The world’s greatest motorcycle road race returns to ITV4 in early June as riders from across the globe gather on the Isle of Man for 2013 TT Races.

This legendary event has attracted teams, riders and fans from around the world for more than 100 years and 2013 will be no
exception with a truly international line up assembled once more.

ITV4 will dedicate its prime time schedules to a raft of new documentaries, special features and extensive highlights of every race during the final week of this year’s event, which runs from May 25 to June 7.

MOTORSPORT: 2013 North West 200 – Live on BBC Northern Ireland

BBC Sport NI will provide extensive coverage of the 2013 Vauxhall International North West 200 road races on TV, radio and online, plus high-definition coverage of the event for the first time.

Now in its 84th year, the North West 200 of 2013 looks set to be one of the most closely contested for many years with the organisers securing a top quality international line-up, featuring several stars from both road and circuit racing.

Live online coverage via the BBC Sport NI website will begin with the first practice session on Tuesday, May 14, followed by practice and evening races on Thursday, May 16, then the concluding races on Saturday, May 18, with two seperate highlights shows on BBC One NI following.

MOTORSPORT: BT Sport secures exclusive MotoGP rights from 2014 season

BT Sport has won exclusive rights to broadcast the MotoGP World Championship in a five-year deal starting from the 2014 season.

The agreement with promoter Dorna Sports will see MotoGP programming at the forefront of a quality line-up of top domestic and international sports on the new BT Sport channels, but means the championship loses free-to-air terrestrial coverage.

BT outbid strong competition from the BBC, the current rights holders, and pay-TV rivals Sky Sports.

MOTORSPORT: Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line – Documentary on ITV4

A new two-part documentary following a group of injured soldiers in their pursuit of being the first amputee team to take on the world’s toughest rally will be broadcast on ITV4 this week.

Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line follows Race2Recovery, a team of seriously injured servicemen from Britain and the US, as they took on the world’s toughest and challenging rallys earlier this year.

The first one-hour episode will be shown on ITV4 and ITV4 HD at 9pm on Wednesday, April 24, followed by the second instalment on Friday, April 26, also at 9pm.

MOTORSPORT: MotoGP 2013 – Live on BBC TV & British Eurosport

The world’s greatest riders return to the grid this weekend for the opening race of the 2013 MotoGP season under the stunning floodlights at the Losail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix (April 4-7).

With seven-time champion Valentino Rossi returning to Yamaha and fierce Spanish rivals Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa going head-to-head, it promises to be the most competitive season in recent years.

BBC Sport and British Eurosport will have all the action from each of the 18 Grands Prix covered throughout the 2013 season.

MOTORSPORT: British Superbikes 2013 – Live on British Eurosport & Highlights on ITV4

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship roars into action this weekend at one of Britain’s most exciting circuits – the famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent.

This year’s championship has been dubbed ‘The War for Four’ with defending champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne going up against returning hero Ryuichi Kiyonari for a record-breaking fourth title to become BSB’s most decorated rider.

British Eurosport will broadcast live coverage from all 12 race meetings during the 2013 season with free-to-air highlights on ITV.

MOTORSPORT: British Touring Car Championship 2013 – Live on ITV4

Another thrilling year of wheel-to-wheel racing gets underway this weekend as the 2013 British Touring Car Championship season begins around the famous Brands Hatch Indy circuit in Kent.

Britain’s most popular national motorsport series is preparing for one of the biggest and most competitive seasons in its illustrious 56-year history with a record 18 teams entering a total of 32 cars.

ITV Sport will continue to provide comprehensive free-to-air coverage thoughout the 2013 season with each of the 10 race meetings exclusively live on ITV4 and ITV4 HD.

MOTORSPORT: ITV extends BTCC coverage to 2016

ITV will continue to broadcast live free-to-air television coverage of the MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) until at least the end of 2016.

With one year of the current agreement remaining a new three-year addition to the existing partnership has been agreed, securing the BTCC’s vast ITV broadcasting agreement for the next four seasons.

All BTCC race days will continue to be broadcast live on both ITV4, ITV4 HD and online via itv.com, with late-night highlights on ITV.

MOTORSPORT: ‘Motor Racing at the BBC: That Petrol Emotion’ – New series on BBC Four

The glory days of British motor racing are to be celebrated in a new BBC Four series which buffs up some of the BBC’s most memorable coverage from the sport’s earliest days.

‘Motor Racing at the BBC: That Petrol Emotion’ is a five-part series which tells the compelling story of the early days of Formula 1 – from the 1950s through to the 1970s – courtesy of images from the BBC archives.

From track to paddock to a changing Britain beyond, and driven by a powerful period soundtrack, this new series is motor racing’s version of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Years’.

MOTORSPORT: World Rally Championship returns to UK TV with ITV4

ITV has picked up the UK rights to screen highlights of the 2013 World Rally Championship, starting with the Rally of Mexico.

One-hour peak-time highlights from each of the remaining eleven rounds of this season’s championship will be shown on ITV4 and ITV4 HD, broadcast on the Tuesday following each event with a repeat showing on Saturday mornings.

The WRC was left without a UK broadcast partner for the opening two rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden, but the new ITV deal ensures the championship’s return to British television as well as guaranteed free-to-air coverage for the rest of the season.

MOTORSPORT: David Addison replaces Toby Moody as ITV’s new BTCC commentator

David Addison has been confirmed as ITV Sport’s new lead commentator for its Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship coverage.

Addison will join former BTCC title winner and long-time series commentator Tim Harvey in the commentary box for all ten events this season, which will once again be broadcast live on ITV4 and ITV4 HD.

He replaces Toby Moody, who has returned full-time to his MotoGP commentaries with Eurosport after just single season with ITV, who in turn stepped in to replace Ben Edwards after his departure to the BBC F1 team in 2011.

MOTORSPORT: BBC Sport NI to cover 2013 North West 200 in HD

BBC Northern Ireland’s coverage of the North West 200 will be enhanced by the announcement that the event will be televised in high-definition for the first time in 2013.

The famous motorcycling event is in its 84th year and attracts bikers and fans of road racing from all corners of the world. The 2013 event takes place over the weekend of May 15-18.

Coverage of the 2013 North West 200 will be shown on BBC One NI as well as BBC One NI HD, and includes an extended Friday night preview programme, plus two one-hour highlights programmes, all presented by Stephen Watson and Phillip McCallen.