ARGGGG why did you have to tell me that?

Now my FYP work is never going to get done.

Did they ever state this wasn't always planned?

How does the BBC get away with so much Alpinestars sponsorship?

Uh? I tried e-mailling them a few months ago about it, but with no reply, so asked on their blogs to see if they were doing this, and it turns out they are. My originaly thought was that they would have something on BBC Four, but nothing in the TV books so I presumed there were doing nothing. But it turns out they are so its mute.



Again, uh?

I was thinking that the other day.

It isn't unusual for BBC news reporters to show branding on television.

For instance during the recent snow coverage one guy wore a jacket with a prominent North Face logo for days on end, and many where Berghaus gear a lot.

But I'd presume this is apparel bought out of their clothing allowance rather than a commercial tie up.

Indeed, whereas in both the MotoGP and F1 crews they have Alpinestars logos prominently placed. When Jason did his ARDS test he was festooned with them to the point of comedy. And of course The Stig wears one of their driving suits.

I have finished watching Bahrein race (fifth time). I do not understand how BBC brodcasters could misread race in terms they did, while after race we learn how wrong they were. Great example is the "expert statements" describing Vettel "trying" to hang with Hamilton, yet after race RBR team explained that Hamilton actually hold them up. Looking at that scene repeatedly, I suspect that both Britons are there on the TV as figureheads promoting English product, rather than watching and interpreting the actual race. What a joke.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport...one/3605323.stm - Senna article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport...one/8027912.stm - Originally shown on Jan 1st, 1995

Wow, you really put yourself through the ringer there! Thanks for sharing.

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?

It's actually a keratin based exo-skeleton.

Legard isn't an expert full stop.

What is the qualification standard for becoming an F1 "expert"?

Understanding the sport. Not quoting from or reciting a fact sheet.

Put it this way, any of us devoted enough to spend the better part of a time here can fundamentally read a race. We know, for example, if a car is leading the race, going like the clappers, but has only stopped once, probably will need to stop again and so their lead is transitory.

Legard, cannot read a race and so he doesn't really offer any genuine insight.

Allen commented on his blog in the past that he knew a lot more than he let on - in order to build tension. Legard may be doing the same thing. But Allen, cock he was, actually did reasonably understand the sport. It's not something I think we can accuse Legard of though (understanding the sport).

I wonder sometimes if being stood infront of a window that has the start/finish straight confuses them a little. Perhaps at times he is taking his attention off the TV screens and reading the situation on the track and this is confusing him a bit. I mean it's not like they're sat in a room just looking at a TV screen like we are.

I don't get the objection to commentators getting it wrong. Either you spot them getting it wrong, in which case you get to feel a little bit smug and such information doesn't impact your view of the race; or you go along with what they say in which case, in which case you're none the wiser. The only time I find it annoying is if they call something wrong and then get all hysterical about it - not something Legard does, but which James Allen did on occasion.

He's just waiting for them to approach any sort of gradient change so he can trot out a 'and down/up the hill he comes... then'.

I'm not bothered about mistakes. I'm bothered about tiresome, tedious, monotonous commentary that peters out frequently into silence and contains no insight or context.

And the twit interrupts Martin. Inexcusable!!

Strangely enough, that's the kind of commentary I like, it's similar to Brendan thingammy commentating on long-distance running. It's about concentrating wholly on the spectacle. The bits I don't like is when they turn away from the race to discuss all the nonsense about who's in who's out, who's got the best wet weather skills, etc. James Allen often appeared more interested getting Brundle to state a controversial opinion on a driver/team/regulation, than in discussing what was happening before his eyes.

well done for your persistence. will this be shown on freeview?

Not sure.

it's on the BBC website if its unavailable on freeview

what are you talking about?

Well, I am a fan with limited resources regarding having info on situation on the track while in live race, with some lengthy history of observing life in F1, however at least one of those guys held superlicence. Should not that qualify him to make more accurate reading of the race?

Describing the spectacle is part of the skill of commentary. All the nuances of oversteer, grip and driver lines, which Martin is so excellent at.

"He's on a charge", "He's going round turn 12", "Will he make it?" and "He's going down the hill" is not good commentary. It's a staccato of one liners which could easily be applied to a Vauxhall Nova driving through Chislehurst.

As some of you may know from my DS posts, im absolutely apoplectic about the choice to put Legard in the box. Given his obvious poor performance, i can only imagine it was a compromise made by the BBC on either costs or political grounds to use his services, maybe both.

For some reason im pretty good at judging whether somebody is good at something and if there going to improve. My sixth sense is telling that Legard 'aint much cop' and i dont see how hes going to be able to up his game. His style is very much part of his nature and thats the hardest thing to change even at a young age, let alone at his senior years.

This is why im surprised the BBC have chosen him as they are normally very good at accessing these factors, which is what has led me to my above conclusions about the choice.

ps: hello all.

I watched the Bahrain race again in an empty house, on the sofa as opposed to on the pc as normal in order to assess what Legard is doing that makes him a poor commentator and also think about what makes a good one....

The main conclusion i came to is that the person, whether it the lead, colour or pit needs to have the ability to take a moment of whats happening on the screen and tell a story round it with enthusiasm that endears the viewer to both the action and commentator themselves.

Listening to the likes of Brundle and Edwards, they seem to latch on to a moment ie the camera switches to 3 cars all tucked under each others wing, immediately, a commentator with some caliber will give you the most important information needed, then goes on to give extra information around it that is less obvious to the average viewer, carrying on with this thought to a conclusion or until something noteworthy happens on screen. All done with a sense of enthusiasm that begs of you to take notice and endears them to the audience through their sense of occasion and passion.

Like i say, its about telling a story. Its well known for generations that the one that can tell a good story round the camp fire gets the attention and applause, its human nature and applies to every aspect of life.

Unfortunately Legard doesnt posses these natural skills of flowing speech and the ability to tell a story that conveys the action and it shows with cringe worthy effect when focused and broadcast in such a way as the job of commentating on F1 does. Its not in his nature, which is why i have dubbed him 'Shopping list announcer Legard' and say he will not improve to a great degree over the next two years. I really dont want to have to put up with his inabilitys over that time, especially when there are better alternatives to be hired.

Moreover, and i only noticed this when watching again, its doubly grating when his inabilitys start effecting others, namely Brundle. I quickly noticed that Martin ends up doing much of the heavy lifting early on, constantly picking himself up and trying his best to gee Legard along. In the end theres only so much he can do without someone to bounce off and eventually resigns himself to this lower pace and suffers for it, sounding worn out in the end. He cant do Legards job and shouldnt have to, hopefully Martin himself will push the BBC to replace him.

So who could do the job, whos available? Im not sure at this point, but names i would put forward are Ben Edwards, Martin Haven, maybe even Crofty at a push. Will Buxtons name has popped up recently and is currently doing the FOM feed, but what i would love to see someone new, maybe a youngster from that famous BBC broom cupboard like Jake coming in and blowing us all away.

Who knows, but for all things holy, please BBC... find a replacement for next year.


----

I've just watched through Oz (and caught myself on screen very briefly!) and have to agree from what I've seen so far that Legard is a bit weak, perhaps its simply because it was his first race but he couldn't seem to keep a good rapport up with Brundle who's commentating I think is finely tuned. Also he does seem to radio-ish, whilst when we get the 5 Live people on Kangaroo TV they don't seem as radio-ish even though they're broadcasting for that format.

Would have loved to have got the CBBC commentary taped somehow (not for myself ), does anybody know how I can do this, as I won't be at home for the next races and the missus isn't going to be able to set it up to play on that and tape it using Sky+.

I watched the Moto GP race last night, much better commentery.

Their "cheaky chappie" routine gets old very quick imho.

BBC F1 website survey: http://ecustomeropinions.com/survey/survey.php?sid=243936314

You sure that's not a unique URL?

Just filled it in and bobs-your-uncle:

Dunno. I got it off the header that was on the BBC F1 site that generates it randomly "Do you have 5-minutes to answer a survey about the BBC F1 website? Yes|No"

Sorry, somehow missed this until someone else quoted it.

I didn't get it from iPlayer. If you want more details, drop me a PM.

Personally I love listening to Charlie and Steve, been a big fan of Charlie since he started on the BTCC.

Not looking forward to a fifth installment of Legard this coming weekend.

I'm not looking forward to it either! When the BBC announced Legard at the start of the season I thought it would be a breath of fresh air after the "James Allen" experience which I think everybody agreed it was time for something different.

During the race in Australia I thought Legard was OK and that was probably just because it was different and new, but mistakes were evident already and his voice did seem "a bit dull". Anyway fast forward the next three Grand Prix and Legard has got worse, and he seems to be taking Brundle down with him. He waffles on about useless infomation and cringe worthy statements and does not seem to portray what is actually happening during the race.

In Malaysia he got excited when there was a replay of Webber spinning off thinking that it was a live feed and he made the same mistake in Bahrain when Kubica spun, it was a replay and Legard was acting if it was actually in real time These are basic errors and there are many more like not noticing that both BMW's had lost their front wings on the 1st lap, the fact that Button jumped both Toyotas during his 1st pitstop (to me the most important moment of the race!)

The real issue for me seems has complete lack of passion for F1 which comes across in his commentating. In his blog this is his about section:

"I'm Jonathan Legard, the BBC's Formula One commentator. I'm really excited to be back in the world's fastest sport, which has always had a place in my heart. I'll be sharing my experiences and views with you on this blog throughout the season."

Always a place in your heart, come off it Jonathan you should be living and breathing this sport

I hope the BBC bite the bullet sooner rather than later as it will turn casual viewers away.

I reckon the casual viewers are the least swayed by the commentators.

Let's wait for Legard to make a pig's ear of Barcelona before we jump on him.

I'm looking forward to the race.

We going to get this come every single race? Listen to Five Live instead. Or just stick cotton-wool buds in your ears.

I think Barcelona will be the biggest challenge for Legard this year so far.

Given how well the teams know the circuit the race is usually a processional bore.

Keeping the viewer stimulated for an hour and a half could be tricky.

Personally I don't mind Legard. I find him like a football commentator. Background noise to the action, captures the peaks of the action and keeps the atmosphere bubbling along in between.

I don't mind him either. I don't really see what the problem is to be honest. I'm going to record this race then whizz through the dullness. That'll take it down to about 5 minutes probably.

I had the last race at Bahrain on in the background while I did chores around the house. A far better use of my time than nodding off on the couch.

Yeh, you didn't miss much there. Half the spectators didn't even bother to turn up either!

OT Boring Barcelona Memories...

I went last year actually, with nine mates who'd never been to a car race before.

We were on the banking between Turns 7 and 8.

After the initial buzz of seeing the speed of the cars my (hungover) chums slowly started to nod off in the searing heat to the soothing rhythm of F1 cars upshifting past us.

I was having a great deal of trouble selling the spectacle to them!

Then Heikki Kovalainen buried it in the tyre barrier which was scary, especially as all the Spanish fans went nuts with joy thinking it was Hamilton being stretchered away.

Some of us moved up on the hill at the exit of 6 just in time to see Glock clash with Coulthard.

Coulthard then, totally blatantly, ran Glock off the road as payback and took off his front wing.

Have never seen it on TV but it absolutely happened!

Then we saw the beginning of what I think was the only overtaking move of the race, Nick Heidfeld taking Giancarlo Fisichella into turn 1.

Hardly a classic I'm afraid...

Yep... not exactly great value for money. Hope you get a better one next time.

I think we should have a bring back James Allen campaign. At least his wetting himself on air brought some atmosphere to the races.

No way. You can't get a divorce then hook back up after your new relationship doesn't work out. That never works!

In the past 18 years the circuit has been on the calendar, about the only memorable moment came, er, during its debut when Mansell and Senna battled it out with inches to spare.

Copious amounts of Red Bull are definitely required this weekend!

Read back there are at least two petitions....


with a total of roughly 50 signatories.