If you had betted that with Valentino Rossi returning to racing after his leg injury would also bring back TV audiences in Italy, you would have won some easy money, because that was exactly what happened yesterday for the German GP.

According to the Auditel ratings 5.517.000 viewers (43,50% share) tuned in to watch the MotoGP race, with a peak of 6.139.000 (49,26% share) watching the last lap battle between Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi, that saw the Ducati rider pass Rossi at the last turn and take third place on the podium.

If you compare these ratings to the Catalunya GP just two weeks ago, where Rossi was still at home nursing his leg, the viewers were only 3.706.000, and now you come to grips with just how Rossi dependent MotoGP is in Italy.

Even Moto2 saw an increase in TV ratings with 1.891.000 viewers watching Toni Elias slice throught the field and ride to victory and the 125cc class ruled by Marc Marquez was watched by 795,000 viewers, not bad for hot and lazy Sunday morning.

After the jump watch the 9 lap battle royale between Stoner and Rossi that inflamed TV audiences around the world.

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