The Top Gear presenter is said to be the favourite for the position after the BBC won back the coverage from ITV after a 12 year gap.

The coverage will take the similar style of Top Gear and the other two presenter, Jeremy Clarkson and James May could also be involved.
The BBC Director of Sport Rights, Dominic Coles said “When Lewis Hamilton did a test lap on Top Gear it got more viewers than the Brazilian Grand Prix. Bernie [Ecclestone] was very impressed with the Top Gear proposition and there will be cross-fertilisation between the show and the races.”

It is claimed that the BBC wanted F1 as ratings have soared since the joining of Lewis Hamilton, the racing programme is now ‘Hot Property’.

It was reported that Bernie Ecclestone had gone directly to the BBC about a deal and was offered an increase of ITV’s current agreement and according to insiders ITV’s current agreement was valued at about £150 million of its five-year period.

Another insider said “This is about a 30 percent increase it what ITV is paying. I can’t tell you why the BBC is paying this much for it. I don’t know how Bernie Ecclestone pulled it off, but this is a significant increase for it.”