TV Omissions

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Sir

As your Le Mans preview article (June issue) aptly pointed out, the fight between the ACO and FISA/FIA was all about control, particularly lucrative television rights. A funny thing though — my cable TV network receives 16 channels and not one of them showed any coverage. World Cup Football, yes; Le Mans, no. Earlier this morning (Sunday June 17th) I turned on my TV in the vague hope that some channel had decided to slot in an extra on Le Mans. Hello, what’s this on SAT1? Yes, Yes, it’s a motor race! But wait — why is the circuit so hilly, why are all the advertising billboards in German and why are all the cars BMWs, Opels and Nissan saloons? It’s. . . . It’s. . . . the Nürburgring 24 hours race of the German Touring Car Championship!

I really wonder who shafted Le Mans this year; M Balestre, Italia ’90, Nürburgring or the ACO themselves?

David Silber Uster,

Switzerland