i have to say i was thinking they had a contract til 2010........maybe bernie got bored and thought 'wow they really are rubbish' and i think the fact that,from what i can tell,he approached them,rather than the bbc approaching him or anything says alot,as theres been nothing before this to even indicate there was anything to bid for,and normally we know

dededededede Dum da da dum da da da dar dum

that is all.

Bernie probably made sure that the BBC broadcast every quali/race LIVE!
I suspect that the BBC will use BBCi to show the other sessions and maybe even use BBC iplayer for internet coverage.

BBC of old is gone.

I want Brundle and I think Ted Kravitz has earned his position in the pitlane. I wouldn't mind JA in the pitlane, that was his strength.

Yeah you may be right, looking at the press release a little closer, one bit stands out, "Fans will be able to enjoy uninterrupted, state of the art and innovative coverage from BBC Sport, across all of our TV, radio and new media platforms, for the first time since 1996." That does sound exciting.

PS. Im mixing up Susies, Susie Stoddardt is driver, now in dtm I think.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sporteditors/20...tarting_gr.html


Suppose it's too much to hope for the Lewis Hamilton Show to be tamed down a notch or two when it arrives on the BBC?

For the first time in my life, I want to hug Bernie Ecclestone. Edwards and Brundle - it could be perfection. Finally, a chance to see the back of James Allen.

I'm not too worried about F1 getting bumped off with scheduling, in-fact I'm quite hopeful they'll cover practice etc on interactive etc. The BBC do a very good job with Skiing and Golf - I think F1 will get the resources it needs.


Doug

Samos > Goodman by far. Watson is arch. Main concern is that ITV has about fifteen channels of shit so can show qualifying on any of them. BBC only has 2 real channels, 3-4 are not for sports broadcasting and only start at 7pm.

July Plot isn't the only one with concerns about this.

We should remember just how dire the BBC coverage was. No practice or qualifying, no comment after the race and no pit lane coverage.

They obviously have to satisfy Bernie and will now have to show at least as much as ITV now does.

As for the team, Martin Brundle is the linchpin and I can't think of anyone better.

Trouble is, Martin bravely upset the applecart last year by speaking out in print and on screen and I assume that the FIA and Ferrari are still breathing down his neck.

It would be a disaster if Marin was dumped : there is simply nobody better.

That eventful '94 season with the full version of 'The Chain'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgWwrtOR2E

lets hope ............less glam on who does what in their private life ................and more fact and coverage

Lets also remember that the F1 was always shoehorned into the "Grandstand" sports magazine show hence there was always something else following it that needed switching to.

Since then of course the BBC has dumped Grandstand and now has sports in separate programmes of their own. The flexibility of the BBCi channels means that they have the flexibility not to cut things off post race.

The info released so far clearly suggests that qualifying will be shown and iPlayer will be used to make the coverage available round the clock.

Ben

Isn't Ben Edwards signed up with Sky for A1GP coverage. Agreed that him with Brundle wouldn't be bad at all.

What is Steve Ryder thinking now.

I seriously think that Murray will get 1 year in the hot seat if the need someone for a one off year.



Did Bernie actively go after BBC to carry the rights ? Doesn't say much about ITV if true ?

Agreed, Crofty has to take Allen's role - he's better at it anyway. Move Maurice Hamilton down to the pitlane to do the pundit (i.e. Mark Blundell's current role), I don't know who you would have doing Ryder's job, but who cares frankly anyone can do it.

Holly Samos or Suzy Perry to do Goodman's/Kravitz' role, and pay Brundle whatever he wants to resume his current position.

AND FIRE THE REST OF THE ITV CHUMPS!

And HDTV next year

And no ad breaks!

Great news!

Agreed on one thing. No more Blundell is a god send.

I am surprised Bernie didn't go to Sky. Rupert Murdoch seems like the sort of guy Bernie would like to do business with.

Just so we're clear, we need to make it blindingly obvious to the BBC that it has to go with its Five Live crew and not parachute the ITV jokers over...

I really hope they don't pick up James Allen at BBC, the coverage might actually be watchable again I know everyone picks on the guy, but he really is that annoying. Brundle is a good commentator though so I hope he "stays". As for the quality of the coverage, if anything I would expect the coverage to be of higher quality (with hopefully less pre-race crap like "what do the celebrities think of F1?" "who has the most tricked out motor home?" "what are the drivers wearing?" sort of stuff). I prefer quality over quantity ;) Getting to see the whole race is a lot better than celebrity/glamor news



It always amazes me how many people follow/watch F1 but think it's boring. Why would you watch something that is that dull/boring to you?

This is just a fantastic development, genuinely delighted, well done BBC

i wouldn't get your hopes up too much. Their coverage of football is abysmal and looks like it is trying to appeal to the casual viewer, much like ITVs.
We'll still get the same sub-standard coverage that FOM or the local producers give us, hopefully they will hire Brundle, although I would be surprised if they are allowed too thanks to Brundles comments. The BBC will probably be even more scared to upset anyone and will never say anything slightly controversial.
At least no add breaks to keep us awake during the Spanish/Hungarian etc gp's.

tat was 12 years ago,times have changed MASSIVELY since then,Bernie will have told them they have to show all quali session and races live on either BBC1 or 2 whatever the time of day/night,hes not exactly going to say 'ok you can have the rights but if the quali/race timing doesnt suit you,just shove it on at silly o'clock instead'

Perhaps Bernie wants to move to HDTV next year, something only Sky and BBC can really offer (Channel 4 doesn't have enough money to pay Bernie).

iPlayer is also a major feather in BBC's cap, with people able to download races for 7 days (or view it on the web site, or through iPhone/iPod Touch, with more devices on the way).

BBC Sports web site is also one of the most visited in the country, so as far as Bernie getting the F1 message out there its probably the right direction.

I'll just be glad to watch the race with no ad breaks.

Here's my theory. Bernie has just bought a football team, who happen to be next door to BBC TV Centre. Said team needs a bigger ground for upcoming Premiership/Champions League glory days and Television Centre and it's land is about to be sold off. Cue guaranteed deal with land in return for F1 contract.

Funnily enough on Saturday I met Bernie on the road between TV Centre and Loftus Road (South Africa Road) and I thought it was strange he wasn't in Australia, and that he was walking on a public road rather than being dropped off outside the ground. Well now I think I know where he'd been just before the game!

With the BBC having lost the championship league to Sky, which it was rumoured to pay £60 million over the odds because of advertising losses to the championship teams. They had a very large pot available for F1.

I think this is what Bernie means when he said "the BBC has some innovative new ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base."

Next you'll be bringing up the Figo rumours.





???

ITV had Football League coverage in a summary show on Sunday mornings. Otherwise, Sky has had Championship and the entire football league coverage since ITV digital folded.

The only football BBC has lost is FA Cup which is going to ITV and Setanta from next season.

Exactly. Plus, 12 years ago all we had were BBC1 and BBC2. Now there's all the extra digital channels, so there's no reason why Qualifying shouldn't be shown live somewhere (even if it's online). Let's face it, ITV hasn't always offered live qually from EVERY round...

I see that Pitpass is quoting Jonathan Ledgard and David Croft as being possibilities for commentary positions, with Brundle being the only one of the current team retained.

Personally, I think it's great. And to have The Chain back as well - please, please let them have The Chain...
And maybe a guest spot at the British GP for Murray..?


Radz

I think people should know by now that its always been BBC policy to have the same music for each sport they use, so I'd be 99% sure the old tune will be used.

Quality. Please bring back this music BBC, with other fleetwood mac tunes not the middle of the road balls ITV plays.

Really good news if you ask me. Hope they cut back to less race build up and just have one guy in the pits (ben edwards) and Martin and Simon Taylor commentating. Also stop all the pointless and annoying driver featues ect... I just want to see the cars racing.

I also think BBC did really good season/race montages, (with fleetwood mac playing 'go your own way'- 1989 springs to mind.) which I hope they will keep up.

Tim

P.S. PLEASE BBC DONT EMPLOY J ALLEN!!!!!!!! (anymore comparisons of an F1 car and 'your average family hatchback' I cant endure..)

I think HDTV, less ad breaks, no advertising competition to compete with trackside placements, and IPlayer were big parts of the BBCs strong bid.

My take is that ITV under Michael Grade will not shed any tears, and may have actually dumped F1. I don't see how they made much if any money from it, as the rest of their programming is aimed at a totally different market: reality-chav soap infotainment. Not much synergy there with F1's upmarket brand portfolio in either direction.

ITV has also just lost the bulk of Champions League to Sky, and we'll see if it bids realistically for the rest. They have also conceded a load of Olympics and WC 2010 to the Beeb so I say it's sport out and Celebrity Ringtone Challenge in at ITV.

As for the shambolic ITV crew, Brundle is the only property worth retaining, and he's on a decline. The grid walks have become excruciatingly bad. His strength is in the commentary box when there is someone else to natter on and he can insert carefully thought stuff; winging it, he's not so good.

We can now count down the number of times Blundell and Rider will exchange low IQ comments and cause me to leave the room.

ITV can do HD too.

Didn't they have a HD channel for the last world cup. I'm sure they are in the process of setting up ITV HD anyways. I'm not sure but I think there is a test channel out there for it at the moment.




1. ITV have lost no Champions League coverage yet. The standard 2 games on Tuesday night is up for sale today between themselves and BBC.

2. ITV haven't had Olympics coverage since 1988.

3. ITV have half the games for 2010 World Cup. Same as ever.

Pinch me I must be dreaming!!!!!

This is FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!

Just bring Brundle, leave Blundell and Ryder, Goodman and Allen. Oh, and bring Ben Edwards to the BBC.

F1 2009 on the BBC! Y E S !!!!!

HAPPY DAYS


Couldn't believe the news on 5live this morning, they had an interview with the head of BBC Sport,

Many details still to be decided but -

I gathered that race coverage will be at least as much as ITV including live and full re-run for the overnight races

No decision yet on 'The Chain' but they are a "democratic" organisation so get your e-mails in now! (He did then go on to say that it is not always the best idea to rehash old tunes, so it is in danger of not being used)

There will be no breaks in the coverage all races will be start to finish without interuption


The most interesting thing to me of this whole story is why did ITV give it up a year early, particularly as viewing figures must be going through the roof in the UK as they always do when a Brit is at the sharp end.

Any theories anyone?

When those two jokers are on I take the opportunity to go make myself another cup of tea.

Please, please, PLEASE let the BBC show F1 on their HDTV channel!

I'm nursing a semi at the thought!

Hopefully other people feel the same way.

If so please sign my new online petition asking the BBC to hire Ben for commentary duties:

http://www.petitiononline.com/bbcf1ben/petition.html

This is great news. I'm sure Bernie wouldn't have allowed it to go ahead if the BBC weren't going to broadcast at least Qualifying live along with the race.

They need to keep Brundle, he's fantastic television on the grid and a great commentator. I repeat for any BBC exects reading. BRUNDLE, Brrrr, not Blluuu, Brr.

Yeah, he even got rid of the wrestling. Saturday afternoons when there was no football have never been the same without Rollerball Rocco and Cyanide Sid Cooper and Kendo Nagasaki.

The viewing figures were good, far better than the preceding years but only brought the figures back up to 2000/01 levels and even then started to slump towards years end.

Regarding the early termination, I can only think that they didn't hit some specific targets or else just became a casualty of Bernie's machinations. For all ITV's talk of being the bestest ever in F1 coverage, I can't recall any other broadcaster falling foul of Bernie in the past. They were blocked from covering a French(?) GP until the last moment and got fined for failing to return from an ad break before the 'five minute to race start' signal.

I think we need to consider a couple of things.

BBC in the last couple of years did improve their coverage vastly; including long race build ups and qually. Back then the coverage was generally viewed as excellent compared to the original BBC2 Sunday evening highlights show that was first shown in the late 70's and 80's.

Technology has moved ahead leaps and bounds since they last held the TV rights to F1 and the BEEB have a lot of experience in that area.

ITV have produced some innovative ideas since their coverage began they've also dropped some good ones too :\ does anyone remember the saturday evening F1 Paddock round up show that they used to air on ITV 2? I'm convinced the BBC will undoubtedly use/adapt some of those ideas when they begin programming their coverage. They will also want to make there own mark on the way F1 is covered.

BBCi offers great potential for the BEEB to cover every stage of the weekend. Anyone who's watched their Wimbledon coverage knows that you have the choice of whatever match you like for the whole two weeks (IIRC). Showing a few practice sessions and qually is hardly going to stretch the BEEB, so I don't have concernes there.

Online coverage is clearly going to happen and the iplayer will definately spread the availability.

As for the crew perhaps it's time to have a complete rethink i.e. no parachutes from any other coverage. Someone new entirely (sorry if that frightens the change haters) I like Brundle a lot I think he's the one innovation that would be a shame to lose.

BTW The way ITV have been reported, it almost sounds like they dropped Bernie


source: BBC news

Oh Lord. I saw Giant Haystacks in person as a kid.

After they dumped that, they reverted to showing old eps of Knightrider / A-Team / Airwolf on Saturdays.

I still miss Saint and Greavsie to be honest.

I don't understand the antipathy towards Steve Ryder on here either. I thought he was good on the BBC and a considerable improvement over Jim Rosenthal on ITV.

If they brought him back to the BBC it would have the fringe benefit of allowing him to do the Masters golf coverage again - Gary Lineker is just not right for this.

Ben

Champs: there is a cherry picked game available, Sky will show the other. BBC is bound to be interested in this.

Olympics: ITV was approached as the commercial broadcaster and declined. This was pre Grade obviously.

WC: Sunday Times said ITV had conceded loads to the Beeb, just as they did in Germany.

Doubtful. ITV need a football anchor for Champ League / FA Cup / Euro 2008.

I'd quite like to see David Croft get the gig: he's a lovely bloke and a terrific commentator, and works very well with Maurice Hamilton on 5 Live. Of course Crofty to F1 would be a blow to the darts community, but they'll live.

Then they could promote Will Buxton of GP2 podcast infamy to 5 Live, where they could find a proper partner for him and he wouldn't be held back by that other idiot, whose name escapes me at present...

Someone needs to get Toby Moody in the hot seat.

It might not be his favourite gig, but he's the best motorsports commentator by leagues at the moment IMHO.

I'd be happy with either Toby Moody or Ben Edwards alongside Martin Brundle. For some horrible reason, though, I have a feeling we might end up with Charlie Cox and Steve Parrish!

Please sign and pass on my petition to keep Martin Brundle!!!!

http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/17851/signatures.html

This is fantastic news, its made my week!

Martin Brundle & Ben Edwards, just imagine

Oh yea dont forget BBC already have their HD channel up and running!