UPDATED: TV ratings uptick for F1, down for IndyCar, NASCAR

The live broadcast of last Sunday's Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix on NBCSN earned a 0.37 overnight rating, up 42% from a 0.26 last year, with an increase of viewership from 256,000 in 2013 to 435,000 viewers this year. However, NBCSN's telecast of the GoPro GP of Sonoma later in the day was down slightly from last year, earning a 0.29, some 6% lower than last year's 0.31.

Yet NBC noted that viewership of NBCSN's coverage of the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series is up 35% vs. 2013, heading into this weekend's season finale. NBCSN's coverage in 2014 has averaged 390,000 viewers through 11 races, compared to 288,000 average viewers through 11 races on NBCSN in 2013, and is on pace to deliver the second-highest average viewership on NBCSN/VERSUS since VERSUS acquired IndyCar rights in 2006.

ABC's live telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol on Saturday night earned a 3.2 rating, averaging just over 5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media. While easily eclipsing the open-wheel events, both the rating and viewership were down from last year's August race at Bristol, which scored a 3.9 rating and averaged 6,322,000 viewers. However, Nielsen noted that this year's event aired on alternate digital channels in 11 markets due to local ABC affiliates airing NFL preseason games in those markets, with traditional NASCAR strongholds like Nashville, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky., among those affected.

ESPN's live telecast of the rain-delayed NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Bristol on Friday night, scored a 1.0 rating, averaging 1,631,000 viewers. Last year's race, which was run and telecast as scheduled, earned a 1.1 rating and averaged 1,687,000 viewers.