MOTORSPORT: BBC to show 2012 MotoGP season live in HD

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The BBC will show every race of the 2012 MotoGP season in high-definition for the first time, with all 18 races live throughout the season.

Australian Casey Stoner claimed his second premier class title last year and starts again as favourite for the new season, although the form book could all change in 2012 with the bikes increasing in size from 800cc to 1,000cc this year.

Matt Roberts returns to anchor every race for BBC TV, and he will once again be joined by experienced commentators Charlie Cox and Steve Parrish.

Reporter Azi Farni will continue to bring viewers all the news and interviews from the pit-lane.

Coverage starts with the Qatar Grand Prix from Losail on April 8, with the race being shown live on the BBC Red Button at 7.30pm.

A re-run will be shown on BBC One later in the evening at 11.20pm on BBC One, and in high-definition on BBC One HD.

For the majority of the season, races will be shown live on BBC Two and BBC HD, with the exception of the Assen TT in June, which will be live on the BBC Red Button due to a clash with the Wimbledon tennis championships.

The following round at Sachsenring will also be shown live on the Red Button, with a rerun later on BBC Two.

MotoGP 2012 – BBC Sport Promo
Courtesy of Century TV, producers of MotoGP for BBC Sport

As well live coverage of every MotoGP race, featuring a full pre-race build-up and extensive analysis, the Saturday qualifying sessions, plus the Moto2 and Moto3 races, will all be available to watch on the BBC Red Button and via the BBC Sport website.

MotoGP Extra will also return for the new season on the Red Button after the race, bringing fans an extra 30-minutes of interviews, analysis and reaction from the experts and the riders themselves.

“We’re excited to be able to offer the 2012 MotoGP season to fans in HD, and are looking forward to a very exciting year on the track,” said the BBC’s head of MotoGP Ben Gallop.

“We’re also really pleased to have the team of Matt, Charlie, Steve and Azi back together again to guide you all through it.

Gallop also explained the scheduling decision behind putting the first race of the 2012 season on the BBC Red Button. In previous years the Qatar race has been shown live on BBC Three.

“As in previous years the season-opener in Qatar falls at a busy scheduling point, in prime-time on Sunday evening – so to give the race the full live coverage it deserves the red button is the most appropriate available place for us to run it. Fans can then see a full re-run that evening on BBC One and HD.”

British Eurosport will also provide extensive coverage of the MotoGP season, including every live practice and qualifying session, as well delayed coverage of each race soon after the checkered flag has fallen.

Toby Moody, who recently joined ITV’s British Touring Car Championship coverage, will continue to commentate on the majority of the races, alongside regular partner Julian Ryder.

Eurosport have confirmed that they broadcast live coverage of the opening MotoGP race in Qatar, with the BBC showing the race live via the Red Button. 

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MotoGP – Round 1 – Qatar Grand Prix
Live TV Schedule
 
Thursday 5th April
MotoGP / Moto2 Practice 1 – British Eurosport – 6.55pm-8.35pm
 
Friday 6th April
MotoGP / Moto2 / Moto 3 Practice 3British Eurosport – 4pm-7.40pm
 
Saturday 7th April
Moto3 Qualifying – 16:00-16:40
Moto2 Qualifying – 16:55-17:40
MotoGP Qualifying – 17:55-18:55
BBC Red Button – 3.55pm-7pm
British Eurosport – 4pm-7pm
 
Sunday 8th April
Moto3 Race – 17:00
Moto2 Race – 18:20
MotoGP Race – 20:00
BBC Red Button – 4.55pm-9pm (MotoGP race coverage from 7.30pm)
British Eurosport – 4.45pm-9pm
 
MotoGP Race re-runBBC One – 11.25pm
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MotoGP – 2012 Season – Race Calendar
All races LIVE on BBC Two
(except Qatar, Netherlands & Germany – live on BBC Red Button)
 
1) April 8 – Qatar (Losail) Night Race
2) April 29 – Spain (Jerez)
3) May 6 – Portugal (Estoril)
4) May 20 – France (Le Mans)
5) June 3 – Catalunya (Spain)
6) June 17 – Great Britain (Silverstone)
7) June 30 – Netherlands (Assen) Saturday race
8) July 8 – Germany (Sachsenring)
9) July 15 – Italy (Mugello)
10) July 29 – United States (Laguna Seca) MotoGP only
11) August 19 – Indianapolis (United States)
12) August 26 – Czech Republic (Brno)
13) September 16 – San Marino (Misano)
14) September 30 – Aragon (Spain)
15) October 14 – Japan (Motegi)
16) October 21 – Malaysia (Sepang)
17) October 28 – Australia (Phillip Island)
18) November 11 – Valencia (Spain)
 
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