Teenage boys who watch Formula One motor racing are almost twice as likely to smoke as those who do not, according to a new survey in Britain.

The results of a survey by the Cancer Research Campaign are being published in the medical journal, the Lancet, on Friday.

The findings have heightened the controversy over the British Government's decision to exempt motor racing from a ban on tobacco advertising.

Government says it opposes tobacco advertising

Ministers had defended the decision, saying the sport would find other venues with even more advertising.

But medical researchers called the decision a disappointing U-turn.

In the latest survey, carried out by a team at Manchester University, studied the attitudes of 1,063 boys in the north and south of England.

The boys, aged 12 and 13, were asked which sports they most liked to watch on television, whether they smoked, and if so, how much.

The same group was asked the same questions a year later to monitor any changes.

Of the non-smoking boys who named motor racing as their favourite sport, 12.8% were regular smokers by the following year.

In comparison, just 7% of boys who did not like motor racing took up regular smoking.

Gordon McVie: "Advertising and smoking are linked"

Professor Gordon McVie, of the Cancer Research Campaign, said: "Our evidence shows that Formula One is linked inexorably to boys smoking."

Max Mosley, president of motor racing's regulatory body, the FIA, renewed a promise to act if medical evidence held up.

Max Moseley says he will act if research holds up

"If we thought that carrying tobacco sponsorship in Formula One made people take up smoking we would stop it ourselves," he said.

The Health Department said the results of the survey confirmed what the government already knew about the dangers of tobacco advertising to children.

Tessa Jowell says Government is against tobacco advertising

The Health Minister, Tessa Jowell, said: "We are determined to put in place a policy that works, that will protect children from the pernicious effect of tobacco advertising."

A political row was already raging over the revelation that Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone made a donation of £1m to the Labour Party in January.

The disclosure by the party followed three days in which both Mr Ecclestone and Labour refused to reveal the size of the donation.

News of the donation, which is being returned, is embarrassing for the Government in the light of the decision to exempt Formula One from the sponsorship ban.

The Executive Director of the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, John Carlisle, said: "The timing of this announcement has more to do with causing political embarrassment to the Government than bringing substantial new evidence to the problem of under-age smoking."

 
The BBC's Political Editor Robin Oakley examines the row with the BBC's Peter Sissons.

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