The BBC F1 coverage thread (Legard out. Brundle and DC in.)

[PeterJB]

Yeah, she definitely showed herself to be up to it, plus it could help generate more female interest in the sport

 

[Robin]

Yeah, she definitely showed herself to be up to it, plus it could help generate more female interest in the sport

Yeah that's what I was also thinking. It would be a great paring with Eddie 'where did you get that shirt' Jordan!

I think the Brundle & Coulthard paring has been excellent, so informative and a joy to listen to. They also seem to be building up some banter now which is quite funny at times.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Yeah, she definitely showed herself to be up to it, plus it could help generate more female interest in the sport

I think she should stay in the kitchen.


Seriously, I prefer Jake but his overuse of that too sarcastic "sure" was a bit annoying this GP.

 

[Ardius]

Fortunately Jake seems to be doing less of that "and you can go and do this now" as a way of finishing interviews, it always seemed quite rude and confused many of the interviewees whether they were finished or not (as opposed to just leaving it as a "thanks for talking to us" or whatever).

But otherwise he does a decent enough job, he really doesn't have to be amazing, he just needs to keep the pundits on topic (which he does well!) and not fumble his lines. Anything else is a bonus, he usually thinks of pretty decent questions on the spot and clearly does his homework on what the current rumours, etc are - as he usually questions people on those!

Leave McKenzie interviewing drivers - she generally seems to ask decent questions though she does often ask "you must be disappointed?". She did ok standing in for Jake but I don't see what she did much better than him other than being a woman. She made a lot of mistakes (only natural considering it was her first big-time presenting job) and wasn't completely confortable in that role. Obviously she would get better with time, but I didn't see what she did that great looking past that. A case of "if it ain't broke, why fix it?".

I really don't have much of a problem with any of the team, its more the way time is spent and the lacking technical insight. I can understand the BBC not wanting to bore the average viewer too much with long technical features, but it would be nice to change it up a bit. As I said, maybe Ted could be used more often as he has done quite a lot of technical features already - it could be 1 every race though.
The post-race F1 forum is the weakest part at the moment, mostly because its just chatting and not as much analysis and interviewing as there was. They also don't really stick to much of a formula, so they only ever briefly mention the backmarkers/midfielders when they could spend some time talking about them. They always get side-tracked from those discussions and don't spend much time on them. Jake always says these days "there is so much to talk about!"...yet they proceed to talk about less and less different things and just end up sticking to the same subjects brought up in the pre and post race build up.
In 2009 and 2010, if you missed the BBC F1 forum, you generally missed quite a bit of great analysis and some great interviews all the way down the field. Being sat in Virgin Racing's hospitality helped them stay on a more interesting topic like the "new team" battle or whatever. Nowadays I don't feel I would miss much missing the F1 forum.



OOOH but I almost forgot their fantastic feature on the process of designing and delivering a new front wing with Williams in the qualifying show! That was an excellent feature, more of that please!
For UK'ers that missed it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/13321655.stm

 

[homeforsummer]

I am well aware of the word discrimination. People blindly supporting others by nationality is discriminatory as you are judging people by their origins... I can maybe let it slide for events like the olympics, but this isn't A1GP here. I never understood the whole "you must support people from your country" attitude. Personally, my country was S*** to me so I left it.

I especially don't want to read it in a magazine. It's just something that personally grinds my gears. I can fully understand how a team having the two most recent world champions (at the time) could be an exciting prospect, but I don't see how their nationality makes any difference. I don't judge people by where they are from. I think of the individual and who they are. I've met A******s from all over the world... Including britain. I've also met nice people from all over the world, including britain.

Am I so wrong for wanting the worlds biggest motorsport magazine to be impartial? Being born and raised in Britain, I am tired of the Bias... I can't imagine how other people feel when they hear/read people going on about the British drivers.

You completely ignored what I said, didn't you?

Autosport have been going for what, 60 years now? Hundreds of journalists have covered thousands of races, reported on news, interviewed and done features on virtually every well-known driver under the sun throughout that time, and you've decided they're discriminating based on a few throwaway comments? Give me a break.

 

[Hollidog]

I dont live in the UK, and I dont get the full pre and post race commentary like you guys do. I do however get coverage of all of the sessions.
To answer some people, I have been watching F1 since 1998, when Hakinnen won his first title, So I have seen many races and heard many commentators, and while I can agree that the ITV commentators were by far the worst of the lot, Legard wasnt far behind with his bias and DC and Brundle arent much better.

I understand that its the UK coverage and that of course there is going to be some bias, but it really grinds my gears that Button is apparently the greatest driver in the whole championship just because he fluked his way to some race wins in 09 in a car that was far superior to anyone elses in the start of the season and if it wasnt for the horrible unreliability of the RBR then he wouldnt have been anywhere near the title. However this thread isnt about previous series.

I only read the website of Autosport, however when I was in the UK last year at the time of the British GP (of course I had to go, but I only got there the day of Goodwood, major screwup I know) and I read a couple of issues, and wasnt offended by the coverage of the British GP and of the British drivers competing. What does slightly annoy me is they always claim the McLaren team as a British team, I know they are entered as one, but they always seem to neglect the fact that Bruce McLaren was a New Zealander and was actually the one who founded the team.

On Ted Kravitz, I dont know if you get this in the UK, but it would be great if in the practice sessions or something, if he could get a camera with him and he could explain the finer details of the car that he is talking about, a pictures worth a thousand words in that respect, and it is actually one of the most interesting things I found about the Autosport magazine and what makes me consider paying for the subscription to get the online edition.

 

[Ardius]

I dont live in the UK, and I dont get the full pre and post race commentary like you guys do. I do however get coverage of all of the sessions.
To answer some people, I have been watching F1 since 1998, when Hakinnen won his first title, So I have seen many races and heard many commentators, and while I can agree that the ITV commentators were by far the worst of the lot, Legard wasnt far behind with his bias and DC and Brundle arent much better.

I understand that its the UK coverage and that of course there is going to be some bias, but it really grinds my gears that Button is apparently the greatest driver in the whole championship just because he fluked his way to some race wins in 09 in a car that was far superior to anyone elses in the start of the season and if it wasnt for the horrible unreliability of the RBR then he wouldnt have been anywhere near the title. However this thread isnt about previous series.

I only read the website of Autosport, however when I was in the UK last year at the time of the British GP (of course I had to go, but I only got there the day of Goodwood, major screwup I know) and I read a couple of issues, and wasnt offended by the coverage of the British GP and of the British drivers competing. What does slightly annoy me is they always claim the McLaren team as a British team, I know they are entered as one, but they always seem to neglect the fact that Bruce McLaren was a New Zealander and was actually the one who founded the team.

On Ted Kravitz, I dont know if you get this in the UK, but it would be great if in the practice sessions or something, if he could get a camera with him and he could explain the finer details of the car that he is talking about, a pictures worth a thousand words in that respect, and it is actually one of the most interesting things I found about the Autosport magazine and what makes me consider paying for the subscription to get the online edition.

Where have the BBC made out that Button is the greatest driver ever? They congragulated and gave praise to his performances in 2009, but they also criticised him too when he wasn't at the front. Its not like they ignored everyone else either...hardly bias, are they supposed to ignore that Button won 6 races on the trot especially after everyone wrote off Button years ago? Bias would be if they didn't praise other drivers and talk about their performances to a similar level. I think this more to do with your refusal to give credit to Button on his performances, rather than any bias by the BBC.

Ever since McLaren was bought by Ron Dennis and merged into his P4 racing team, yes it very much is a British team with roots in a New Zealander. The team is based in the UK, appears to be staffed by mostly British people (not only though) and runs under a UK racing license - why should people refer to it as a New Zealander team?

We do get Ted Kravitz camera pieces - but only in pre and post qualifying/race time.

 

[Hollidog]

Where have the BBC made out that Button is the greatest driver ever? They congragulated and gave praise to his performances in 2009, but they also criticised him too when he wasn't at the front. Its not like they ignored everyone else either...hardly bias, are they supposed to ignore that Button won 6 races on the trot especially after everyone wrote off Button years ago? Bias would be if they didn't praise other drivers and talk about their performances to a similar level. I think this more to do with your refusal to give credit to Button on his performances, rather than any bias by the BBC.

Ever since McLaren was bought by Ron Dennis and merged into his P4 racing team, yes it very much is a British team with roots in a New Zealander. The team is based in the UK, appears to be staffed by mostly British people (not only though) and runs under a UK racing license - why should people refer to it as a New Zealander team?

We do get Ted Kravitz camera pieces - but only in pre and post qualifying/race time.

Please, the BBC pay Button far to much respect than he deserves, Ill concede on the fact that he is not entirely useless, but the commentators do state on many, many occasions, that he is superior to other drivers because he is super smooth, and when he does (rarely) beat Hamilton, he gets praise through the roof. However when the opposite occur, I never hear the praise for Hamilton.
And to say that the commentators dont talk more about Button than others, no offence, but are you serious? the only time Buemi or Trulli or even Massa for that matter get a mention is when they either put it in the wall. So many times I see cars come into the pitlane, and the commentators dont even acknowledge it. Also the fact that they sometimes get the names wrong irks me somewhat.

The McLaren thing was more eluding to the fact that the commentators tend to avoid some of the facts in order to seemingly bolster their egos.
Classic example of this is with Red Bull Racing, who are entered as a Austrian team, yet when BGP time rolls around, the British media claim them as their own.

Regarding Ted Kravitz, have you ever seen Australian V8 Supercars commentary? They have perhaps some of the best technical pieces that I have seen, and even though I have what I consider to be a good knowledge of cars and cars dynamics, its nice to get a good explanation of some odd occurrence, such as when a car comes in with a puncture, the guy (I forget his name) usually manages to get the tire in question and gives some good analysis to the cause of it and what sort of damage it has done etc etc

 

[Ardius]

Why would the BBC praise Hamilton for beating Button? It happens so often and is so expected, its not really worthy of praise is it? They do praise Hamilton when he wins or does very well. The BBC have never made out Button to be the best driver out there, yes they point to his smooth style and looking after tyres etc, but then this is a fact, he does tend to run longer stints than other people. As I said, the BBC also criticise Button too, they don't gloss over his mistakes and they were constantly questioning his bad qualifying performances in 2009.
I thought your issue was national bias? If the BBC are biased for Button versus Hamilton, unless you think Hamilton isn't British..its not really nationality bias is it? In any case, I just don't see bias there, though probably they do try to angle for the underdog line with Button but this is more to do with expectations than anything. There isn't much to say if they rambled about Hamilton beating Button.

Stating McLaren is a British team is not ignoring any facts. I don't see why they have to mention their founder in every sentence, the only thing that really connects today's McLaren with Bruce is the name and that legally the team changed hands to Ron Dennis. But come on, there is nothing "New Zealand" about McLaren today, why should it be mentioned?
I note that you are from New Zealand...this is a perfect example of why coverage is tailored to different countries. Though I still don't see why they should need to mention the founder's nationality from over 40 years ago. The fact is, today McLaren are a British team whatever your definition, and its been this way for quite some time.
Red Bull are effectively a British team racing under an Austrian license, nothing wrong with pointing that out. I'm sure the Austrian media claim them as their own too.

 

[Hollidog]

Obviously we arent going to agree on this, which is fine.
I guess since I am not British (as you are) I dont share the same amount of patriotism as you do. The Button issue is by far the most annoying thing about F1 commentary today, and in the recent past, forgive me for not being able to recall quotes from commentators about how he did exceedingly well to place in the top 15 drivers in the past, (pre BGP days) and even during the BGP days, when he had an exceptionally poor quali session, commentators would assure the viewers that "it would all be ok" and that Jenson would make it up into the points. Even when he didnt.
My anti Button attitude has been cemented in my mind over many years, its not national bias that I care about, it is more specifically driver bias that I am against. It is unprofessional in my eyes that drivers be given special treatment by commentators.

You win on the teams part.

 

[Ardius]

I'm not very patriotic (or at least I don't think I am), so I don't accept national bias and I personally think the BBC do a decent job of covering the sport as a whole and not focus only on the British parts. I have and will admit that the BBC do have some national bias, but I'm willing to accept that due to the main audience they broadcast to.
Basically I accept that while I might not be patriotic, there are a lot of people who do tune in just to hear how Button and Hamilton are doing. The BBC are, at the end of the day, trying to deliver what the country wants (after all, we pay for it).

I do agree that the BBC seem to like Button. However you can't really force Brundle, DC or the rest of the team to not have an opinion or favourites - for this is partly why they are hired (especially Brundle, its his opinions we want to hear!). I also think there is more to it than simply the media latching onto a nationality - Button is clearly more accessible to the media than Hamilton and far more relaxed in interviews, which makes it only natural the media will talk to him more. (plus the underdog factor) The BBC wouldn't be doing their job very well if they didn't make the most of Jenson's easier personality to provide better interviews for the public.
This also feeds into why each nation's broadcasters will favour their own countrymen a little in their coverage - its obviously much more useful having a driver who speaks the same language to explain to your target audience the races etc. This in turn leads to people following that driver and so the broadcaster will naturally report on them more than others.
But even accepting this, the BBC were no short of praise for Hamilton at China and have remarked several times about some of his excellent passes. They have also repeatedly praised Vettel, Alonso, Kobayashi, Rosberg, Di Resta, Perez....and probably loads more. They were even hopeful of Massa returning to form, where is the complaints of their bias for wanting Massa to do well? Oh right, because he is Brazilian, so everyone ignores that and instead focuses on their interviews with Smedley, ignoring that Massa and Smedley do have a closer relationship than other drivers-engineers so its logical for them to also to talk to Smedley.

This is all really picky stuff to be honest, I repeatedly read about other country's broadcasters being far, far worse. As much as Jenson will get some extra praise, he will also get extra criticism. As long the BBC don't praise him to the high-heavens and ignore his mistakes its really not a big deal. Not "unprofessional" anyway.

I wasn't trying to "win" about the teams - I'm not right or wrong but I have an opinion that your reasoning is a little flawed.