That link says that 3 people (Allen included) were never considered AND never applied.

Frankly, I don't believe it. That would be a hell of a coincidence if all 3 who never applied were never considered in the first place. It's not as if Steve Ryder, James Allen and Louise Goodman are crap.

They're all ITV employees, it's very likely.

That is just.....insane.

What's the point in sticking with Legard for 3 years in the hope that he might get better when we could just hire James Allen right now and notice the improvement straight away? :\

Oh and Brundle and Legard aren't gelling at all.... it's no different to Australia quali.

rider spent a load of his midweeks and non F1 race weekends covering boxing and football, so it's not really like he was F1 through and through, so in that respect he probably knew by not doing F1 he'd get even more footy/boxing matches to do and so would still have a good job even if he didnt get 1 with the BBC

If he has contracts to do A1GP and BTCC then he is just fulfilling his side of an agreement. It's called keeping your word and is an admirable quality.

I would agree with those people who have commented on a lack of chemistry between Legard and Brundle. Whether their partnership improves with time remains to be seen.

The BBC coverage is in my view technically excellent and plentiful (taking into account all of the online and interactive content), but it just feels a little lacklustre, which is ironic considering what an interesting start to the season it has been on the track.

I don't feel as "comfortable" listening to Legard as I did with James Allen. With his background knowledge, Allen sounded more authoritative.

I think that feeling is just normal to be honest. Legard was pumping out facts of previous races I noticed.

Weren't Brundle and Ted too? And yet they applied?

I find it hard to believe they were both on different contracts.

The whole point of the anchor is to let everyone else talk. He doesn't need to know jack about F1 and it can even be an advantage. Remember the previous anchor, he was the same:

Brundle at least was an all F1 guy. Sure Allen would have been, but he never had a chance of coming over. BBC would not only want to use their own people, but put their own mark on their broadcast and not just import anything. So use the key people like the pit report and the colour commentator, and use BBC people you already have for most of the other roles.

There was no way Ryder was coming over, he's got a contract with ITV Sport for all sorts of things. I think Allen and Goodman knew they wouldn't be getting the roles so didn't apply and in Goodman's case she's still doing BTCC work.

Normally the main commentator is someone who can talk non-stop for hours at a time. He has to know the sport inside out so he can be spontaneous, he provides the energy, and then periodically he prompts the pundit for some technical input. That's how it was with Murray Walker, and James Allen (though Allen had to fake the spontaneity a bit).

But now this is all the other way round. Brundle always has something to say, and he has the priceless gift of seeming to know what his audience know, so without patronising or stating the obvious he can keep up a constant stream of interesting information and insight.

This is very difficult for Legard, who seems painfully aware of how much less he knows and in fear of being corrected. He has some notes about old races that he draws on from time to time, otherwise he fills in between Brundle's commentary by just saying what's on the screen in front of us. Trying to turn that into commentary makes it just painful to listen to.

It's got worse if anything over the 3 races, so they need to make a change IMO.

Everyone Legard brings up an old race, he says it in a way that he's either waiting for Martin to chime in about the story or hoping we'll all nod on our sofas at home as if we understand. It just sounds all so non-definitive.

Gascoyne is just fantastic, he made an incorrect strategy call troday but that makes it even better. He hAS to stay.

Leggard, sweet jesus the last two laps were AWFUL. Really, JA was fine until a British driver looked like winning and he's get stupid but if Button and Hamilton are out of touch he's a very good play by play guy.

+1, what a bonus to have him.

I just wish Leggard would watch the TV screen/track and call things as they happen. They keep missing things, like on the restart they completely screwed up calling Kova's pass on Rubens. At one point Leggard got excited thinking that Hamilton had pass Rubens after the safety car but he was in front before the SC was deployed! Kova got past on the restart (my guess is he used his KERS) but they both missed it and Martin even called the order of the race wrong as the cars went past on screen. We also keep having instances where Martin/Ted are talking and Leggard doesn't interrupt them to talk about what is going on in the race.

I think Martin is now experienced enough to take on the role of lead commentator and get someone like Davidson in as the colour guy. We need someone who is accurate and insightful to interrupt Martin and note changes in position/who it is we are watching and interesting things that happen on screen.

The iPlayer coverage is stated as 3 hours, yet when you play it, it's only 2, and it includes none of the build up. Is this just happening to me with some kind of cache problem or something, or does everyone get the same?

when i started watching F1 there was coverage of a fair number of races live and a few qually sessions.

now we get all practice covered llive and in full, all qually's live and in full, pre-race build up, race with alternate commentary, post race analysis, post race forum, live lap timing on the web and a highlights package.


yet all i hear is crying and moaning.


i just don't get it, the coverage is great, if there's something you want to see more of post in suggestions but these endless allen/legard witchunts are starting to sound unpleasant.






the EJ ones are fine though, keep those up....

When I first started watching F1 (on the BBC) the coverage would begin after the race had started and sometimes would be interupted midway through for a horse race somewhere

But it's all we had and James Hunt was quite good as a commentator

I have to say, when you have the insight and clarity of Brundle commentating, anything that interupts or distracts from that is just annoying

Anything that interupts Brundle which is comparable to the pointless ramblings of Allen and now Legard, detracts from the enjoyment of the coverage and at times makes it unpleasant - so these things are important

i have to say that unless it's staggeringly incompetent (Allens embarrasing Button/Hamilton rants) commentary is always secondary to me, i get entertained but whats on screen rather than the commentry

Kravitz was a "last minute" thing after (I think) Peter Windsor pulled out. Don't keep me to that, but that's what I vaguely rememeber jb26 saying.



I've e-mailed the BBC iPlayer team about this... awaiting reply.

Steve Ryder is ITV's chief football host which is a much bigger position than F1 host on the BBC IMO.

Lol, I've not seen the programme yet, but it sounds like he was trying to 'do a Gary Lineker' at the end of a programme, like this effort from the Walkers-munching one at the end of the first match broadcast of the 2006 World Cup: (paraphrasing from memory slightly) "as the minutes ticked by, it was getting Klose and Klose - but Frings were alright in the end. Goodnight." Must. Try. Harder. Jake. To. Match. Even. These. Standards...

+2 Alot more interesting and amiable than EJ.

DC continued to be great value walking round the pits asking questions to engineers with JH and MB. They all had a good chat with Pat Symonds.


Jake Humphrey continues to be excellent. He's so quick witted and confident. And massively knowledgable on the intricacies of the talking points of the race and current affairs in F1. Jakes Tyrell quote to Pat Symonds about the fastest cars being the prettiest was good fun, even tho he'd just mocked the Renault for being an ugger! Testament to his personal skills.

Legard annoyed me for the first time today. He seemed to drone alot, not emphasising the importance of what he was saying which was something at least Allen was capable of. Some of his direct questions to Brundle often fell flat on their face with a yes/no answer.

On the whole it continues to be an improvement from ITV to me.

Quite a few times in the race when the commentators went silent I almost expected the ads to come on and found myself pre-empting the i-dent song: "rocking.... yeaaa-uh... staying alive!!!" only to see more cars! Made it hard to choose time for a wee!

Here you go incase you missed it

Def Leppard - Rocket

Think you'll find that was Mark Hughes sat next to him feeding him information...

I don't mind Leggard he's getting better, but not quickly enough atm, don't like him? The beeb have given you other options.

If you think the build up is too long, simple, don't watch it all.

The Forum is great, we get all of the press conference (except once when they grabbed Branson), loads of interviews. I wasn't particularly impressed when they announced Ted was going to be part of the set up, but so far he's been fantastic for the BBC. Lee seems to only really do post race interviews.... so none to sure why she's there atm.

Jake is a massive improvement on Steve Ryder, who I've watched again on ITV's atrocious attempt at covering the FA Cup and on the BTCC and he's smarmy and insincere when compared to Jake.

No adds + no Allen + Loads of content + more interviews = Great stuff.

Having watched todays race on BBC and also watched lots of older races on ITV I just can't understand why Walker(?), Allan and now Leggard have to start screaming seconds before the winning car gets over the finish line. After the first pit stop it was pretty obvious that Vettel would win the race, just like so many times before. For me it just feels put on, there is no real excitement with the finish when the winner is 12 seconds ahead of the second placed driver.

/Viktor

It's for the clips on the news.

Lol!

Nooooooo... must get beer and go pee!

Steve Ryder just reminds me of the Daily Mail in human persona on my TV

The forum on digital is superb! And it went through at least three cycles.

The lanky bloke is actually quite tolerable for an anchor, although having asked Gascoyne what's involved in developing a decked diffuser he then interupted him and saind "it's a big job" at which Coulthard laughed and looked at Brundle who was gazing into the middle distance probably thinking how MS stitched him up in Belgium back in 1992

I never knew Mark Hughes prompted Allen... !

Overall I think BBC are doing a great job - it's nice to have the radio commentary, but if you want to hear Brundle then you're stuck with Legard...

MH was sat feeding both of them with stats. I believe he's in the box again this year, possibly for bits like that Leggard, coming from Football commentary where he made his own notes before hand, needs to develop an understanding with Mark.

Who is Mark Hughes?

He has two jobs, he's the manager of Manchester City and Autosports F1 chief.

In that case why don't we just throw Legard from the commentary box and get MPH to partner MB???

I've never heard him speak but until a few yeards ago I'd never heard Legard speak and I'm sure, no, I know Hughes knows a helluva lot more tham him and can articulate it in a comprehensible way

Do yourself a favour and buy this book

Crap title - superb book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Speed-Addicts-Mark...s/dp/0007212798

LOL at Darby :0


Whatever you do don't buy this book...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sparky-Barcelona-B.../ref=pd_sim_b_1

Excellent observation, I have spotted that too.

Today when Kubica struck Trulli they replayed the incident a few times and Legard finally mumbled something like "Like Schumacher and Coulthard. Spa" without elaborating at all for those who haven't followed F1 for at least 10 seasons. Brundle didn't help by just going "Mmm" but perhaps he was simply exasperated and is looking for ways to help Legard get himself fired.

I'd imagine that MH doesn't want the commentary job.

A great writer doesn't often make a great broadcaster. They are two totally different skill sets.

A former race driver (didn't get too far) and a longtime writer with Autosport. Brother of race driver Warren Hughes. A John Lennon lookalike when he had enough hair to pull it off (Hughes, not Lennon). Has contributed to this forum via a 3rd party. Definitely a forum lurker at a minimum - anyone who spends too much time on this forum (like too many of us) and reads Hughes in Autosport will know that his subject material frequently relates (but doesn't directly refer to) subjects that have been discussed on this forum. I personally believe he is actually one of us.

Has worked with ITV (and now BBC) for a number of seasons, providing stats and info in the commentary box to first James/Martin and now Jonathan/Martin.

Seems like a nice boy.

That's what I think Allen is, can be a great writer, but isn't a great broadcaster.

Reading Hughes is one of the high points of my Autosport subscription.

I really like his features. The profile piece on Felipe Massa this week is totally spot on, without getting to arse-kissy like many profile pieces seem to in other publications.

His race reports are also excellent, with a huge level of analysis.

My only criticism of his work in Autosport is that his MPH column (which replaced Nigel Roebuck's Fifth Column) is way, way too techical given its place in the magazine.

I'm no engineer, and I was reading one on the tube earlier about the effect of KERS on the car's centre of gravity and had to read lots of the paragraphs two of three times to understand their complexity.

I'm not saying such writing has no place in the magazine, because it absolutely does, but I'd rather see the F1 correspondent's main column be on issues with somewhat more colour and emotion.

Yep, former Autosport News Editor and also author of a rather excellent book about Michael Schumacher (who incidentally I have very negative views about, yet still loved that book).

Exactly.

On the other hand I think Legard has a lot of gravitas and calls the highs and lows of the race quite nicely, we just need to get used to him.

IIRC that was one of the criticisms to which he responded via a third party on this forum. I actually got a written bitch slap from Mr Hughes myself, which saddened me no end given the stature I hold him in.

He's not quite up with Nigel Roebuck (yet) but I tell you my world would be crushed if Roebuck ever tore me apart about a comment I'd made!! Best not to meet your heroes and all that!

But yes, Mark's column is bloody technical sometimes. A legacy of him being a race driver and in fact (this is a compliment to him) it's a case of a journalist knowing too bloody much about his subject !

Wasn't Mark's column alongside Nigel's? I think that gave both technical and non so. They appear to bringing in Bradley Lord to do the non technical column. I like Marks more technical side and having two seems sensible to me.

Cool fanx

Yes Marks column did run side by side with Nigels, I think Bradley Lords (who also uses and posts on these forums) column is the full time replacement to Nigels.
Mark Hughes would make a fine commentator, he used to do some of the friday practice sessions for 5 live and he was always very professional, knowledgable and entertaining.
I just dont understand why the BBC went with Legard. James Allen, Ted Kravitz, David Croft or Mark Hughes would all have been better than Legard.

It would be great if they could swap Legard with Croft, for me that seems to be the perfect solution to the Legard problem.

Did they not give Legard a trial before they signed him? Honestly what were they thinking?