Yeah but neither did Rosenthal apparently... I'm sure the Hamster's views could be changed for a nice pay rise.

five live confirmed that practice sessions will be on bbci through red button.

This is good news, just to rid us of those dreadful ad breaks.
I would love to see Simon Taylor or Ben Edwards as number 1 that would be great. As for Martin, do any of you remember after some of his comments about Mosely and the FIA last year (re McLaren, Dennis, Alonso etc etc etc), I can't remember which GP it was but on his grid walk they actually stopped him going any further down the grid than about row three (probably to prevent him getting anywhere near Max)... at the time I thought this ominous and felt it was a Mosely-ish slap on the wrist. I have the feeling now that old Max has found his Doc Martins and has kicked ITV squarely in the bollocks. I hope I am wrong, but I don't think we will have Martin's awesome presence next season.

A question... do any of you guys like those two brilliant commentators on the Moto GPs, don't know their names but that is the best presentation I have ever heard on any motorsport, it is brilliant stuff, wish we could have them next year.


And please please..... Suzi Perry, she does everything right... everything!!!

Suzi "sexy" Perry is a bike fan.

On balance I'd prefer not to see the Top Gear team fronting the coverage. Hammond might just be ok - he's not as annoying as James Allen, and as long as he wasn't commentating he wouldn't spoil the race as Allen regularly does.

Ben

I meant more that F1 does get dropped from the results list if it's a busy sporting day. I know for certain that they dropped the Italian and Turkish GP results last year and I'm sure that there were other cases. There was a palpable air of Now we no longer have F1 coverage, we can stop pretending to care about it.

Re the Richard Hammond thing, apparently the BBC wants to have some 'cross-fertilisation' between Top Gear and their F1 coverage:

(from Autosport) : "Dominic Coles, the BBC's director of sports right, told the Times: "It will be the Martini approach to Grands Prix. You can watch it any time, any place, anywhere."

Coles has also said that the success of BBC's revamped Top Gear programme will be a major influence on the tone of their F1 coverage in 2009.

"When Lewis Hamilton did a test lap on Top Gear it got more viewers than the Brazilian Grand Prix," he explained. "Bernie (Ecclestone) was very impressed with the Top Gear proposition and there will be cross-fertilisation between the show and the races ."

Not sure what this 'cross-fertilisation' will mean? F1 drivers driving the Reasonably Priced Car? The TG team visiting F1 factories? Driving the fastest way through Europe with Ferrari, BMW and McLaren road cars?

Hopefully "cross-fertilisation" means the pundits panel of old will have Clarkson and Hammond wisecracking alongside more serious pundits which could be fun. Otherwise, perhaps Hammond would make a good anchor, but I'd prefer to see Rider keep his job. As for James May, I find him a little off-putting: all the boorishness of Clarkson without the balancing warmth and charm, so hopefully his input will be minimal / zero. It will be interesting to see how they mix Top Gear's irreverence with F1 corporate-speak, I can foresee a few bruised egos.

Ron Dennis gives an interview to Jeremy Clarkson - that would be massive

Hammond --- not a good idea

Clarkston --- would stop me watching

May could just about be ok asking the "ordinary Jo" questions ie the part James Allen plays just now ---- Allen actually knows a heck of lot more about F1 than shows in his F1 commentary I suspect he plays it down to give Brundle a way to explain things to the viewer.

Didn't Clarkson interview Eddie Irvine once - you could cut the atmosphere with a knife I remember, god the two hated each other

Problem is F1 races have a start, middle and a finish.

After reading the above Eddie goes up several notches in my esteme.

WHAT?

I do of course remember Martin newspaper article which ended up in the FIA supposedly takng legal action (which has gone all quiet, as these things always do) but no.......don't recall any incident where Martin was blocked on a grid walk.....and I didn't miss any GPs last season.

He's got accreditation to be on the grid, the FIA don't issue passes that only allow you to travel half the grid mate.

I don't believe that incident happened.

'Cross-fertilisation' ???. Yeah, the type that later demands a visit to the Clinic...

DCN

Quote from the link about television detectors....

"just cos' I've got milk on me door step doesn't mean I've got a cow."!

Hmm i do recall such an incident, but i think rather than a FIA stopping him thing it was more a question of time, and stewards/grid people/whoever did indeed stop him going down the back end of the grid despite his attempts on maybe two occasions. I think it was one of the last GP's from 2007 but not brazil....


Regards Top Gear.....not so keen on this. Maybe a after race show type thing (which i guess top gear will be on some sundays anyway!) but even though im a fan of top gear i cant say id enjoy them presenting it or somthing. It would be a little whimiscal i fear, going by richard hammonds evil knevel thing he did late last year.... They are good at what they do so they should stick to that.

Wow!

An ideal opportunity to sort this shit out once and for all.

Like others have stated, I'm not interested in the fluff that ITV place so much importance on. 15 mins before the race would be adequate. No need for studio talk at all. A grid walk and perhaps a few words from the commentator about the latest news and then the race, post race conference and that's your lot. In fact the BBC had all that was asked for with their 1996 coverage. Qualifying - The full race -no bullshit - post race conference and goodbye. Thats all we want. I loath those pathetic video postcards that ITV insists on. Pure bollocks i'm afraid..

Get a proper no-nonsense commentator in there, has to be Ben Edwards alongside Brundle. Brundle in a less commercial environment such as the BBC would be superb formula.

James Allen will finally be flushed down the bog once and for all.
Blundell...sorry you are out of your depth.


Damon would be an excellent addition, exactly the kind of style and quality the BBC should be aiming for.

I think the BBC should be able to handle the Lewis hype well if Mansell Mania was anything to go by. Murray was a bit OTT at times, James Hunt was always fairly well balanced and would call a spade a spade even if it would mean calling Mansell's driving 'stupid' during the 1992 German GP for instance. Brundle should adopt a similar approach.

Congratulations BBC!

James Allen...

Id only want Clarkson on as a presenter possibly but not the other two cos as you said Hammond doesn't even like F1 + May would get lost on the way to the track.......

Also, i think the guy who covered the Spa race is now a presenter with Setanta for their football coverage although he does remind me of a younger Steve Rider

A Nightmare i had last night.........


Steve Rider - "And now qualifying is about to start we will hand over to martin brundle and THE VOICE OF FORMULA ONE, THE ONE AND ONLY, MOST EXCELLENT MR JAMES ALLEN!.........."

James Allen - "Hello everybody, glad to say im here at the track and your all at home and im paid to do this and ive been all round the track and watching stuff but im also pleased to announce the BBC have just rang me just before we came on air and have asked me to continue in my posistion of 'THE VOICE OF FORMULA ONE' and i have a 5 year contract in my pocket all ready for the 2009 transfer to the BBC so dont worry you wont miss any of the action or anything. Sadly Martin, your not coming are you......"

Martin Brundle - "Er no thats right James..........."

Real sport ?


Darts ?
Curling ?
Horse Racing ? (Glorified Cock Fighting in my book, all for betting)
Horse Jumping ?

if thats true,thats absolutely fine by me,as long as all 3 practice sessions are shown

They are definitely warranted!! I do think he's improved somewhat, but he's painful to listen to. At least Murray's fumbling mistakes were made out of enthusiasm!

and at least murray wouldnt have screamed like a 3 year old child when button won his first race-allen's commentary when he crossed the line ruined that race for me

Quite, the 'wealthy industry of Formula One' is a wealthy industry based predominantly in the UK. It is damn right that it should be on the public funded network in the UK - it pumps a huge ammount of money into the British economy. McLaren, Ilmor, Williams, Renault, Red Bull, Super Aguri, Hnda - all pumping big cash into the UK economy.

Something tells me Mackinley MP is, how can I put this, a 'Daily Express reader'.

Doug

He may have done but at least it would have been a genuine scream. James sounded like that when Button won because I suspect thats what he thought the viewing public expected to hear. Almost like doing it because Murray did it first.

You are James Allen's father and I claim my £5.

I really dont see why people have a problem with commentators. Far as I am concerned regardless what nonsense they come up with its just background noise. They dont add nor subtract what acktually happens on the race track ..do they or am i missing something?

They put the Chain theme on the BBC's website once they got the rights - seems to me like the Chain is coming back. They'd be insane not to do it..30 years on it's still not dated as a song and it builds up the tension and excitement perfectly.

Yep, case in point..BBC's airing of the World Cup final always outrates ITV.

When James Allen talks, it is like the guy off Jaws running his fingers down the blackboard.

Keep Brundle, get in Ben Edwards.

In commentry land, you need a screamer (Edwards) and an expert (Brundle).

James Allen is neither.

Murray was a screamer, and thats what we miss so much.

As for the Hamster, I love the guy, but NO!

Ryder is the best. Liked the guy for years, because he loves motor racing.

I think Hammond would be a good presenter.
He's had a drive in an F1 car, which changed his perceptions and made him realise just what incredible machines they are to drive. And his piece on the Renault was great - after years of watching F1, it took Top Gear to tell me that the engines are designed so that when cold they are seized up, and have to have hot water pumped round them before they can be started.

It got across just what amazing machines F1 cars are, without sounding at all condescending, something which ITV utterly fail at (other than Martin's pieces)

I hope his views aren't like Clarksons. Clarkson keeps slagging off F1 saying it is boring.

Which it is. Sometimes. I actually think Clarkson is a genuine F1 fan, he's admitted as much anyway.
However, I (along with several others no doubt) have BIG reservations about bringing the whole 'Top Gear' comedy, slapstick angle to F1. Just wouldn't work in my humble opinion.

I hate Ryder
When I heard he was joining, everyone was saying how he'd covered F1 before, was a huge fan, blahblah. I thought "Great. He'll really know his stuff."

But every time I see him, either he's incredibly wooden, or is reading off an autocue. He fumbles his lines, and generally doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. Maybe it's just his style, but it all just seems so put on.

Hammond on the other hand is genuinely enthusiastic. Regardless of his views of F1 (which I think have changed since he drove the Renault), he is an absolute petrolhead.
And although Clarkson slags off F1 on TV, he still watches the races, so I think some of that is for show, and he's indicated before that he's as fed up as the rest of us at the lack of overtaking and all the politiking that goes on.

I reckon that 2009 on the BBC, presented by Hammond to explain the rule changes and what it means in terms of actual racing, with Brundle in the commentary box, would be absolutely ace!

In terms of cross pollination with Top Gear, let's keep Clarkson and May confined to Top Gear with F1 drivers in the Liana, or challenges involving manufacturer's road cars.

Ryder is a bit woodern, but I like the guy from his rallying programs.

At least Ryder wants to be there, unlike this guy...

The strange thing is, I always thought that Jim at least seemed to throw some effort into it and knew what had been going on. He may not have wanted the gig at first, but by the time he left I felt he was quite comfortable in the role.

Mebbe it's just perception.

I thought he was more at home watching sweaty blokes punching each other. And watching fat blokes chasing around after a peanut.

i agree, plus i warmed to Jim over the years

Rosenthal knows nothing about rugby.

Now what I dont understand is that it is reported that ITV gave up the rights as it was not commercially viable, Bernie then approached the BBC and not the other way round, yet the BBC are going to be paying more for the rights than ITV were ( 50 millio more ) , and this is without any other broadcaster showing an interest.

The BBC is supposed to be a public service broadcaster, and although I am glad that I can see races without ad breaks, I dont know if I agree that the BBC should be spending this sort of licence payers money on an already obscenely rich sport, if indeed you can really even call it a sport anymore.

99% of the coverage is showing the race and qualifying, and ITV provided this to us free.

So will the BBC.

Well it would be free if I didn't have to buy a TV licence by law.

My point is though, why are the BBC paying so much for it.

Because that's the going rate it would seem, or what they feel it is worth. Nowhere does it say the BBC has to settle for second best or try to get things on the cheap. They don't get the rest of their sport and programs cheaply either.

No more adverts

(Hopefully) No more James Allen

(Hopefully) ‘The Chain’ back as the theme tune

ITV will have given up the rights because:-

They’ve just got the rights for the FA Cup (Pricey)

They’ve extended the rights to the Champions League (Very Pricey)

They’ve got the BTCC & British Super bikes which probably have the added bonuses of:
Being a hell of a lot cheaper (rights + logistics – no expensive trips to the 4 corners of the globe) and on average probably only getting 1-2 Million less viewers than a F1 race, so in financial terms better value for money.
Being flexible in terms of scheduling. ITV can happily put the BTCC on ITV4 whenever they feel like it, so it doesn’t interfere with Coronation Street or some flagship shallow and over-hyped entertainment pap (Who wants to be Ant & Dec on Ice) on ITV1. With F1 they can’t as easily as they'd incur the wrath of Bernie!

The only thing I hope the Beeb will steal from ITV is Martin Brundle. Damn good commentator and although his grid walks aren’t always good (it’s a shame when drivers can’t be bothered and he has to speak to some brain-dead celebratory.) but occasionally it produces moments like this
It’d be nice if they also kept the occasional features of him driving F1 machinery.

The “Top Gear cross-pollination” will probably mean a few F1-related articles and challenges will creep into Top Gear and perhaps even a Top Gear F1 special before the British GP, rather than having the TG team presenting F1. I’d expect to see more F1 drivers in the reasonably priced car and perhaps have a yearly championship pitting current drivers against old stars. At the end of the season they might repeat the Car Football or have people-carrier racing again but with F1 drivers rather than touring car stars.

I’m sure the BBC will cut down on coverage before and after the race. We’ll probably get a 15-minute introduction with 5-10 minutes of comment at the end. They’ll probably have a presenter (Gabby Logan, Ray Stubbs or John Inverdale) back in a studio in Britain with a couple of guest ex-drivers to provide comments.
I hope they keep Inverdale away from any coverage as I’ve heard him say in the past he doesn’t get or like F1 and just doing a quick search proves this. And besides, he bores me to tears!

I hope they’ll use BBCi to provide some in-car feeds during the race and qualifying. It would have been great to seen Kubica’s tank-slapper from his point of view at the last Grand Prix!

As for Andrew MacKinaly’s comments - the licence fee should be spent on "real sports rather than the wealthy industry of Formula One"

I doubt he would have made these comments if the BBC retained the rights to the FA Cup. Would he complain if the BBC got the live rights to the Premier League?

I’d like to know if he supports the 2012 Olympics. Whatever the BBC spends on F1 coverage is a drop in the ocean the £9 Billion + that will be (in my opinion) wasted on the Olympics. If he does support the Olympics, then he can shut the hell up!

I doubt the BBC will be paying more than ITV as after-all Bernie approached them. I’m sure most of the manufacturers in F1 see the UK as an important market and will have demanded (probably as part of the Concorde agreement) that F1 be available on free-to-air TV in certain territories. The only other broadcaster that would be willing and have the infrastructure to do so would be BBC. Therefore I’d be surprised if the BBC were held to ransom by Bernie and pay silly money to him, as after-all the BBC are having to make cut-backs too, along with ITV.

That prick MP probably doesn't realise the amount of people in Jobs in the UK due to F1.

Funnily enough....

I'm kind of advertising my own thread here, but check out the link below for my thoughts which partly are based on last night being the first ever F1 coverage I have watched without a single commentating talking over it:

http://forums.autosport.com/showthread.php...threadid=100176

And they all had jobs before the BBC bought the rights and they would still have had jobs if the BBC hadn't bought the rights. Not sure I see the connection between paying BCE hundreds of millions of pounds because Mclaren et al employ a few thousand people.


Thing is, ITV are major commercial operation and they didn't think that what they were paying for the rights was commercially viable, i.e. they weren't worth it. I just wonder why the BBC think they are worth paying even more money for ? You can't just blindly say they must be worth it 'cos thats what they paid for them. Maybe there are good reasons, but as the BBC is a public body funded out of our taxes then I think we have the right to question and to know.

Ive had a gander at MP Andrew MacKinlay's web page. It appears he likes 'real sports' such as non league football. Nothing mentioned about any expenses he claims, i hope they are 'real expenses' and not supporting an already wealthy MP's lifestyle (probably). Ive treid to ask him through his site what he considers 'real sports' but i doubt i will get any response.......We pay him, all of his cronies and we fund the BBC (in a 'unique way'). How can he decide what is a real sport and what isnt ?

I dont think his party turned down Mr Eccelstones few quid he donated initaly did they??? Not until later when there was a hint of some 'scandal' over fag advertising......somthing like that anyway.

Bernie gets a slice, and ALL the constructors get a piece of the pot from the TV money. It's a main source of income for the teams.

You have to pay the license fee anyway, so why not be grateful that your getting something you want to watch.