Jul.26 (GMM) Germany's free to air television broadcaster has denied it is disappointed with Michael Schumacher.

Sunday's Hockenheim race was not a sellout, and predicted astronomical TV ratings earlier this year have now subsided, given the seven time world champion's modest return to formula one in 2010.

An impressive 10 million Germans tuned into his comeback race in Bahrain, but the average figure is now between 5 and 7 million per race.

"We are far from disappointed," spokesman Matthias Bolhofer told Der Spiegel.

"On average we are 1.13 million higher than last year's average. That we would not be able to keep up the hype of the opening race was obvious," he added.

Besides Schumacher, there are five other German drivers on the 2010 grid.

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