Michael Schumacher's return to formula one on Sunday triggered impressive television statistics within Germany.
The free to air broadcaster RTL said an average of more than 10 million viewers - a market share in excess of 50 per cent - tuned in to watch the seven time world champion finish the 2010 season opener in sixth place.
The average German audience in Bahrain last year was a little over 5 million.
But Saturday's German TV viewers were very unhappy after Schumacher's decisive qualifying lap in 'Q3' was not shown.
"Michael Schumacher's onboard camera was unfortunately not working," a spokesman for Formula One Management told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
"He was also seventh, so the cameras were focused on the cars placed further forwards."
