The F1 Thread

[Nando]

Going to have to watch it again I think, I've still got absolutely no idea how he won that.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Going to have to watch it again I think, I've still got absolutely no idea how he won that.

Sigh!
Can I come round and watch it with you?

 

[lemonjelly]

Anyone aware of the following film?

http://www.theelectric.co.uk/programme.php?film=290

 

[Nando]

Nowhere to watch it around where we live.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Anyone aware of the following film?

http://www.theelectric.co.uk/programme.php?film=290

Oh yes - really looking forward to seeing it. Senna was my hero.

 

[lemonjelly]

Oh yes - really looking forward to seeing it. Senna was my hero.

I'll look forward to your updating of the film thread paddy :icon_wink:

 

[Nando]

Senna is incredible.

 

[broughtonwolf]

BBC Axing F1

The BBC won't be renewing F1 coverage contract after 2013 according to reports so they can afford other digital channels and retain amongst other things Wimbledon, which has a broader appeal.

Understandable I guess, given the broad spectrum the BBC have to cover but essentially another waving of the white flag to the inevitable total disappearance of sport on terrestial TV.

 

[Nando]

Fucking fantastic. Not.

Off to Sky then.

 

[Kenny]

Contract is until 2014 isn't it

Seems the BBC are just looking at ways of saving money and F1 and Wimbledon are at the top of the list due to costs of broadcasting them. ITV won't touch it again, so that leaves C4, Five, Sky & ESPN.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The BBC are also chucking their live Football League coverage after next season (though they might still keep the highlights).

I understand all this but when it's so they can keep BBC fucking Three and they pay people like Chris Moyles astronomical sums, it's more than a bit annoying.

 

[Kenny]

They could cut costs for F1 easily. The presenters they use for TV and Radio for example. Yes you need 2 sets of commentators because explaining TV pictures is different to radio but using different people in the pit lanes to interview drivers and say what is happening down there is not needed.

Bin Eddie Jordan the walking contradiction. Don't send Jake Humphries around the world, simply have him in a studio in England talking to guests. That wouldn't remove any quality from the show as half the time you can't hear what they are saying as they stand right next to the garages as the cars are being started up.

 

[broughtonwolf]

Moyles is paid circa £700,000.00 a year by the BBC (I think anyway as salaries of the freelance employees are not subject to FOI rules) compared to £60m a year it costs to run F1, so it is negligible in comparison.

ITV haven't got the wherewithall and SKY doesn't have the requirement to be a public service broadcaster so it will just be a continuation in the inexorable removal of the ability license payer to watch free sport. Given sport's importance to society, I think this is wrong.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

But will Ecclestone really play hardball with this? He knows how important Britain is as a market for F1. You can build racetracks wherever you want in the world, but you can't mess around with the fans because they'll just go and do something else.

I can see the BBC still carrying it but at a lower outlay and perhaps with reduced coverage (no forum, no practice sessions being broadcast, which would all be a real shame but I'd rather have something rather than nothing).

 

[The Bear]

I wouldn't hold too much store in the reports. It's a Murdoch owned paper isn't it?

@5LiveF1: Loads of tweets about Sunday Times article on BBC
Axing F1, finding it hard to believe as it is filled with inaccurate info.

From what we've seen, the figures in the Sunday Times are far from accurate. Costs have been exaggerated and audiences under-estimated

 

[yabbadabbadoo]

If I recall right, Wimbledon is a protected event which can only be screened by public access tv companies, but it isn't mandatory for the BBC to bid for it either. Something like that anyway.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Wimbledon
Open Golf Championship
British Grand Prix
Grand National
FA Cup Final
England competitive home matches
European Football Championships
World Cup

I think that is the current list of 'crown jewels' that must be shown on terrestrial.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The Olympics as well?

Although the British government doesn't protect F1 in its entirety, CVC do as part of the current set of contracts. I'm less inclined to believe the Times article the more I look into it, the deal has ages to run yet so it's probably more likely that the BBC just haven't entered negotiations yet - why would they?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

yes - Olympics too. Not sure about other athletics events like the world or european, although those do tend to be on the BBC so maybe they are.

 

[The Bear]

Whitmarsh poo-poo's their numbers:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/...arsh-hits-out-at-bbc-axes-formula-one-article