NBC reports big ratings gain for Malaysian GP

NBCSN's live coverage of the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix, highlighted by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel earning his first win with his new team, was the most-watched overnight F1 race on cable in 18 years, averaging 384,000 viewers, according to the network.

Viewership of Sunday's race, which aired overnight from 2:30-4:55 a.m. ET, was up 55% vs. 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix average viewership (248,000), and up 217% vs. the 2013 viewership on NBCSN (121,000), according to NBC. It was the most-watched overnight F1 race since the 1997 German GP, on ESPN.

The race delivered a 0.24 household rating, up 41% from last year's rating (0.17). Including the Australian Grand Prix, which was the first race of the season, NBCSN's 2015 F1 coverage has averaged 324,000 viewers, up 31% vs. 2014 through two races (248,000), and up 163% vs. 2013 through two races (123,000).

In addition, NBCSN's live presentation of qualifying on Saturday morning (5:00-6:43 a.m. ET) averaged 193,000 viewers, up 58% from last year's Malaysian GP qualifying session on NBCSN (122,000).

IndyCar's season opener matched last year's ratings performance and posted a slight increase in viewers, but anyone thinking it presented a chance for the series to outshine NASCAR in the ratings since IndyCar was on broadcast network ABC and NASCAR's Sprint Cup was on Fox Sports 1 (for the first time for a points-counting Cup race) was in for a rude awakening.

The Firestone GP of St. Petersburg on ABC earned a 0.6 rating and 891,000 viewers (last year's race was 0.6/860,000), according to Sports Media Watch, while NASCAR's Cup round at Martinsville (which started two hours earlier than the IndyCar race) scored a 2.5 rating and 4,061,000 viewers, making it the most-watched motorsports event in network history, the fourth most-watched telecast ever on the network and the only non-Major League Baseball postseason event among the network's top five, according to Fox.