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Formula 1 and V8 Supercars are panel-to-panel in the race to be Australia's favourite TV motorsport, but Formula 1 wins with the top end of town, according to Australia's premier market research resource Roy Morgan Single Source.

For the 12 months to September 2001, 20% of Australians aged 14 and over (representing an estimated 3,126,000 Australians) say they almost always or occasionally watch Formula 1 on television, with an almost equal proportion (20%, representing an estimated 3,052,000 Australians) almost always or occasionally watching the home grown V8s.

However, when the Bathurst 1000 race is added to the V8 Supercar mix 30% of Australians aged 14 and over (an estimated 4,682,000) say they almost always or occasionally watch the local Ford versus Holden category. The Bathurst 1000 race is a one-off annual event.

While 12% of respondents (an estimated 1,857,000 Australians) say they occasionally or almost always watch both Formula 1 and V8 Supercar and there are many crossovers between fans of the two sports, in some ways Formula 1 fans and V8 fans differ by the length of the straight.

Although both categories are more likely to appeal to men (Formula 1 - 30%; V8 Supercar - 30%) than women (Formula 1 - 11%; V8 Supercar - 10%), Formula 1 appeals to a generally wealthier and better-educated television audience than the V8 Supercar series.

For example, respondents who live in households where the main income earner earns $70,000 or more a year were more likely (24%) to occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 on television. Only 17% of those who live in households where the main income earner earns $70,000 or more watch V8 Supercar events on television, compared with 22% in the $30,000 - $49,999 main income earner category.

Similarly, Australians currently at university or who have some tertiary education were more likely to watch Formula 1 on television (25%), while those who left school at year 12 were more likely to watch V8 Supercar on television (27%). Among those who have a tertiary qualification, 19% occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 on television while only 13% watch V8 Supercar.

Respondents in the two States that have hosted Formula 1 championship rounds in recent years, Victoria and South Australia, were easily the most likely to occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 on television. South Australian respondents (29% occasionally or almost always watch) were more likely to watch Formula 1, followed by Victorians (24%), Western Australians (18%), while respondents from NSW, Queensland and Tasmania (all 17%) were least likely.

V8 Supercar's appeal, on the other hand, was more uniform across Australia, with South Australians (26% occasionally or almost always watch) most likely, followed by Queenslanders (21%), respondents from NSW (20%), Western Australia (18%), Victoria (17%) and Tasmania (17%).

Watching Formula 1 on television also appeals to a slightly greater proportion of urban Australians (Formula 1 - 21% cf V8 Supercar - 18%) while the V8s appeal more to a country audience (V8 Supercar - 22% cf Formula 1 - 18%).

With only Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons contest ing the V8 Supercar series, it is little surprise that drivers of these cars are more likely than most to occasionally or almost always watch V8 Supercar events on television. Commodore drivers are 38% more likely than the average driver to occasionally or almost always watch V8 Supercar events on television (28% of Commodore drivers occasionally or almost always watch V8 Supercar on television), while Falcon drivers are 26% more likely (25% of Falcon drivers watch V8 Supercar).

Subaru Impreza (including WRX and Sportswagon) drivers are considerably more likely than either, though, to watch V8 Supercar events on television (45% occasionally or almost always watch) - a remarkable 2.25 times more likely than the average driver.

Looking at major brands generally, Holden drivers are 34% more likely than the average driver to occasionally or almost always watch V8 Supercar on television, with Subaru drivers 16% more likely and Ford drivers 14% more likely. At the other end of the scale, Hyundai drivers are 28% less likely than average to watch V8 Supercar on television, while Toyota drivers are 21% less likely.

Subaru drivers are 18% more likely to occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 than the average driver, with Holden drivers 11% more likely, Honda drivers 7% more likely and Ford drivers 5% more likely. BMW drivers are among the most likely to occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 on television (29%, 40% more likely than the average driver).

Even though Toyota is entering Formula 1 in 2002, Toyota drivers in Australia are 16% less likely than average to occasionally or almost always watch Formula 1 on television.

MOTORSPORT MINI PROFILES

Formula 1 television viewers are:

• 67% more likely than the average person to play golf;

• 90% more likely than the average person to go sailing;

• 22% more likely than the average person to say "I go out of my way to learn every thing I can about new technology;

• 24% more likely than the average person to always read the business section of the newspaper;

• 10% more likely than the average person to say they trust well known brands better than store's own;

• 45% more likely than the average person to say they drink more premium beer than they used to.

V8 Supercar television viewers are:

• more than twice as likely to play Australian football (105% more likely), cricket (109% more likely) and rugby league (136% more likely) than the average person;

• nearly two and a half times more likely than the average person to go jet skiing (144% more likely);

• 45% more likely than the average person to say Australian beer is the only beer worth drinking;

• 19% more likely than the average person to say you can tell a type of person by the type of car they drive;

• 31% more likely than the average person to say they seldom have time for breakfast;

• 30% more likely than the average person to describe themselves as a 'Mr Fix it' type of person.

Bathurst 1000 television viewers are:

• 18% more likely than the average person to have gone to an RSL, Leagues or other club in the past three months;

• 10% more likely to be a parent with children aged 12-15 years;

• 19% more likely to be a farm owner;

• 15% more likely to say they believe homosexuality is immoral;

• 24% more likely to say they imported beer is a waste of money.

These are the findings of a survey of approximately 26,365 Australians aged 14 and over conducted by Roy Morgan Research between October 2000 and September 2001. This is part of Roy Morgan Single Source - Australia's largest single source consumer database, comprising interviews with approximately 55,000 people annually.

For further information:
Gary Morgan	(0411) 129 094
Gavin McGrath	(03) 9629 6888

The Morgan Poll is conducted by the
ONLY Australian or New Zealand member of the Gallup International Association.
No other public opinion poll taken in Australia or New Zealand
has this qualification.

© 2007 Roy Morgan Research. All Rights Reserved
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