MotoGP has hailed “impressive” broadcast audience figures following the first quarter of this season.

The news comes after a record crowd of nearly 280,000 attended the three days of the recent French Grand Prix at Le Mans where they were treated to a thrilling, crash-strewn race.

Following the first five races of this season, MotoGP is reporting “notable growth” across many of its largest markets, with an overall 27 percent increase in its TV audience.

This has naturally been boosted by the advent this season of the sprint event, the half-distance race that follows qualifying on Saturday. It has so far proven popular, with audiences increasing by 51 percent.

There has been a knock-on effect for Sunday’s grand prix as the viewing figures are up by nearly a fifth across key markets.

MotoGP claims that “the new format is not only garnering its own audience but also driving interest and viewership for the sport overall”.

In the grandstands, the crowd at Le Mans underlined a surge in attendance, with the sport recording a 40 percent increase in fans over the first five events in Portugal, Argentina, the United States, Spain, and France.

Dorna Sports chief commercial officer Dan Rossomondo said: “We are very excited to reveal these audience increases for the first part of the season.

“The new weekend format and the introduction of the sprint were designed to create a better show across the board, and we are encouraged by the initial performance.

“These numbers are a fantastic foundation, and we intend to keep building on it.”

MotoGP returns to the track with a triple-header, starting at Mugello, Italy, on June 9-11, followed by the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring and concluding with a race at Assen, the Netherlands.