Comments on: More insight on the BBC F1 plans

By: Alex B

Alex B — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:33:34 +0000

I do think that Jake Humphreys has the potential to do a good job, but it all depends on whether he actually likes F1 or not. He has presented the Superbowl for the past 2 years (which is not a particularly easy sport to follow), and has done a great job. Also, he does a much better job than Ray Stubbs when he fills in on Final Score, working well under the pressure of live coverage.

So, as long as he is committed to the sport, I reckon he will do a great job.

As for the Hamilton bias/non-bias, I gave up trying to reason with people about this AGES(!) ago – some people just see and hear what they want to I guess!

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:28:53 +0000

I have watched F1 on three or four different national channels across Europe so far and I have to say I do not agree with Mr Johnson at all. I think that the British and German broadcasting are the most professinal probably because of the tradition and the experts (plus commercial power) behind the programms. However I have never experienced such a bias broadcasting elswhere as ITV last year. OK, timewise they cover their national drivers a lot which is understandable, but the broadcasting is always objective. Last year with ITV I had the feeling like ITV is actually a kind of PR agency of Hamilton which was really far over the top. I respect all Hamilton fans and let them watch their hero as much as possible, but this should be a sport, a global sport coverage. By the way I am not Hamilton hater, I am a hater of the fact that I see Hamilton making a silly mistake and in the same time I need to listen that It was down to the circumstances, other drivers, rules etc, But if he makes an overtaking that we have seen doing by others many times bevor its always the passing manouver of the decade. What I expect from BBC is an objective F1 coverage and they can talk about Hamilton as much as they want. But if they get it over the top they can expect many of the British fan of other drivers to leave and non of them because of hating Hamilton…

By: Kenny Carwash

Kenny Carwash — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:38:21 +0000

Personally I was glad Kimi won in 2007. I quite like Hamilton and would’ve liked to see a Brit win, but we can’t be sure that McLaren were playing with a straight bat following the spy scandal. Had Hamilton won, it would’ve been considered a non-Championship by the partisan, anti-Hamilton crowd. It was better for the sport that McLaren, and by association Hamilton, won nothing in 2007.

By: john g

john g — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:53:25 +0000

rpaco: another thing we agree on… hopefully FOM will improve the on-screen graphics for positions, sector and lap times etc. not everyone has access to live timing during the race, or the inclination to look at it, but there is so much you can pick up on with just a little more info.

By: speedmerchants

speedmerchants — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:46:14 +0000

JA writes: My favourite of the ITV themes? Mmmm… maybe the last one. My 4 year old keeps singing it even today so it had a certain something. Back in 1996 I suggested Cross Town Traffic by Jimi Hendrix or the main groove to Praise You by Fat Boy Slim, which had resonances of the Chain but was up to date.

As for Paul L’s comments about my commentary in Brazil 2007, it was amazing for Kimi to come back from 17 points behind with two races to go and win the title, but if you think about it, that’s pretty unprecedented and shows a total collapse on the part of the bloke who was 17 pts ahead ie Hamilton.

That was the story that day, with all due respect. Kimi had not had a particularly inspired year, a few failures not his fault but plenty of mistakes. Sure he won the final races and did all he had to do but the story was that Hamilton did a Devon Loch. An unbelievable choke. That’s how we called it, with plenty of criticism for the cock-up in China and the wild attempted re-pass on Alonso on the opening lap in Interlagos.

By: Gary Davidson

Gary Davidson — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:54:38 +0000

Ben G: Where can the trailer be seen?

By: john g

john g — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:48:09 +0000

picking up on something else in the article – jake humphreys. unproven, and not known to be a fan of F1, the bbc are taking a massive gamble with this.

anthony davidson would be much better instead, bringing another current drivers experience to the commentary which is really invaluable – he was fantastic the times when he commentated for ITV, and together with martin they could make a really interesting and educated team. i think it’s a waste to put him on radio 5 live.

By: rpaco

rpaco — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:47:55 +0000

Speaking as an old git, one of many who make up the F1 TV audience, because we can neither afford the ludicrous prices now charged merely for entry even on the Friday of a UK GP weekend, nor have knees capable of climbing either the banking or the grandstand stairs; the Chain is an essential part of our weekend, we have lost Murray (though ably replaced by James it aint the same) and will welcome a return to the “proper” F1 theme. (the rest of the album is also a classic)

Yes we did used to go on Thursday evening and camped the whole weekend and had various adventures, involving exploding gas cylinders, fires, cracked windscreens, smashed cars and being locked inside the Silverstone track perimeter one year and having to climb over the fence to get out to our camp in the car park. (In those days all the crews worked all night changing the cars from quali to race configuration and one could wander about the pits all night unchallenged, it was all very friendly and relaxed, you didn’t interfere, just looked and no one minded, there was even a fish and chip van and a few all night bars down the runway.) But of course that was before they ruined the circuit with the new twiddly bits between Stowe and Club and in the days of the Weaver trench at Woodcote. That was when Silverstone was fast, by comparison now its a go kart circuit. I mention all this in order to establish my great age and gravitas (obviously not wisdom).

Anyway he of the sharp nose Rosenthal, got away with it as a new bod and the other over powdered, bloke who took over when he disappeared suddenly with no explanation. (I think they were both from football) It will just be down to whether the new bloke Jake the peg, (sorry convoluted pun on anchor) is any good. Keeping Eddie Jordan in check should be a doddle, remember it could have been Eddie Irvine, now that would be something on the James Hunt level. Though James Hunt was a Toff and Irvine aint).

I hope the timing graphics are better with BBC this year, half way through ITVs franchise they changed the graphics to a far poorer layout. In particular during quali they show only the top and the bottom. A lot of room for improvement there during the race as well. And if there is any possibility, a plea for us deaf old gits, can we please have the subtitles NOT over the timing graphics. duh!

By: Ben G

Ben G — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:38:41 +0000

Spoke too soon. Just watched the Australian GP trailer. The BBC have added a rather weird sound effect to The Chain. Shame.

By: matt2745

matt2745 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:32:33 +0000

It’s a strange situation with me and Hamilton because as a huge McLaren fan for years, my natural instinct is to support him and like him. The problem is that as much as I really want to warm to him, I just really struggle with it, I just don’t like how he comes across in the media particularly. After 2007 I thought right, clean slate…and after about three races he was annoying me again.

I want him to do well for the team but I much prefer Heikki personality-wise and would love him to step it up this year.