59 replies to this topic

[FrancisDasilva]

Whilst waiting for the Canadian GP last weekend, I started thinking about what my favourite time is to watch the race. I live in the UK and remember staying up/ waking up early to watch the races in Australia and Suzuka etc when I was young ( now I wake up to watch practice sessions if I can!) I find it frustrating waiting until the evening to watch Brazil/USA etc. The really early morning GPs allow me to watch the race in peace, without my wife interrupting too and then have the rest of the day to do things and catch a bit of the re run if it was a good race. Now we have twilight races and all sorts to try to make it more European friendly viewing times I think as well. Just wondering what time people like to watch the race. (Btw I do sympathise with all the non Europeans who have to wake up at random times)

[Currahee]

Whilst waiting for the Canadian GP last weekend, I started thinking about what my favourite time is to watch the race. I live in the UK and remember staying up/ waking up early to watch the races in Australia and Suzuka etc when I was young ( now I wake up to watch practice sessions if I can!) I find it frustrating waiting until the evening to watch Brazil/USA etc. The really early morning GPs allow me to watch the race in peace, without my wife interrupting too and then have the rest of the day to do things and catch a bit of the re run if it was a good race. Now we have twilight races and all sorts to try to make it more European friendly viewing times I think as well. Just wondering what time people like to watch the race. (Btw I do sympathise with all the non Europeans who have to wake up at random times)

I prefer a 13:00 start.

Early evening is a long wait, especially if I end up in the pub.

Then I can't really remember the race.

[mattferg]

I love the mid evening starts of Texas, Canada and Brazil.

[kenkip]

I was thinking the same the other day.Thing is,the race times here are all fantastic!
I live in East Africa,which is GMT +3,so the race schedule is as follows,
The Asian leg,apart from Singapore,start from between 9.30-11.00 am,meaning skip church or nurse my hangover(F1 is wierdly a very good remedy!
All European races start at 3.00pm meaning I can catch my favorite tracks with my mates.We usualy go to the only gp karting track in the city where they put up some big screens and show the race exclusivley.This is perfect because at that time F1 clashes with football and most bars wont be arsed to show the race.Afterwards we jump into the go karts and replicate what we have just watched(ie,if we are not hopelessly drunk by that time!)
Montreal and Austin start at 9.00pm and 10.00pm respectivley.this i watch with my family over dinner ,Its alot of fun explaining the technical aspect to my Dad,who understands because he is an engineer.
So thats my f1 experience,I cant choose which time I enjoy because all of them are great!

[Kingshark]

10:00 o'clock, somewhere around late morning and early noon.

Edited by Kingshark, 11 June 2013 - 18:41.

[Zoetrope]

Since I am watching replays (have no access to Sky here, national broadcast makes the watching experience awful) I pick the time myself

But if I was watching live current times would suit me perfect. European season is cool and I would like to wake up early for Japanese race once in a year, would be nice. Brazil and US as title deciders in the evening - cool as well.

[charly0418]

Since I live in Mexico, I absolutely love coming back from getting drunk, getting to my place at 4 am and watching a race

[SpaMaster]

I used to love watching qualy on Friday nights and race on Saturday nights when I was in US. I like watching races in night with the next day being holiday. The next best option is 11 AM - 2 PM starts. I don't like races on Sunday late nights like those in America now, late sleep for Monday working day. Always dreaded the scenario of being in New Zealand or Australia to watch races.

[Seanspeed]

The really early morning GPs allow me to watch the race in peace, without my wife interrupting too and then have the rest of the day to do things and catch a bit of the re run if it was a good race.

Exact same here.

I like waking up, eating breakfast and having some racing right away. When its on later, I feel like I'm just waiting all day for it.

Edited by Seanspeed, 11 June 2013 - 19:04.

[senna da silva]

Exact same here.

I like waking up, eating breakfast and having some racing right away. When its on later, I feel like I'm just waiting all day for it.

Ditto.

[Andrew Hope]

Living in Toronto, the Asian races are the best. midnight1/2/3am start, go to sleep, up at noon for IndyCar and then Nascar after that. Perfect.

[tjkoyen]

Being in the US, I have to wake up early for a lot of the races. I like it that way though. As OP said, lets me watch in peace and sometimes the girlfriend likes to get up and make breakfast and watch with me. Every now and then for Brazil or USA me and a buddy will get together and watch it in the afternoon or whenever and that's cool too.

[SpartanChas]

I like the fact that we have morning, afternoon and evening races. I like getting up early/staying up after a night out to watch in Australia, I like lazy sundays watching afternoon races and I like watching in the evenings too. I think I prefer morning races though, once I watched the race I can go out and do something else, if the race is on in the afternoon I have to plan around it.

[Atreiu]

9am, which was the time most European races were on TV when I lived in Brazil.
If not that, 2am. =D

[EthanM]

I actually like something like 5-6 pm ... come back from the beach, grab a cold beer, watch the race, go out for the evening

[Deluxx]

Whenever I can get the TV to myself and blast the volume

[Collombin]

Evening time is my favourite. Having to get up by 1pm on a Sunday is a right drag.

[Amin]

12pm for me, although I do miss watching the Australian GP in the very early morning.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Either first thing in the morning or Sunday evening. Ie time you wouldn't be doing anything else with so it's not a loss. Then you have the entire rest of the day to do whtever.

[Lights]

8/9 AM. So for CET, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan.

[BoozeBaron]

As an expat American, now living in the UK, I'm used to getting up at StupidO'Clock to watch all practice sessions and qualy etc etc.. and thought once here I'd enjoy the early morning races and being "normal" - but was very surprised to discover how impatient I grew Sunday waiting, waiting and waiting for the Canadian GP to go off here at night... Guess after 8 years doing it one way - old habits die hard (and if you're tipping a few pints, less time to recover too) XD I'll take a Noon start BST anytime YMMV

Edited by BoozeBaron, 11 June 2013 - 21:39.

[Shiroo]

During dinner. So about 2 PM. I then, terrorize the rest of the family with the help of F1.

[HuddersfieldTerrier1986]

Either early morning because it comes quicker (although it means there's more of the day to fill up) or lunchtime (not as bad in terms of filling up the rest of the day). Evening............the day just drags to be honest.

[Blinkandimgone]

It's a strange one as I quite like looking forward to the afternoon races the 1pm ones but then I also get to excited as I don't want to wait that long for a race start when getting up in the mornings and wishing it was like the Japanese gp but with that one it's all over before you've eaten cornflakes and have nothing else to look forward to.

[F.M.]

Morning races! Definately! 9:00 AM starts

[Ross Stonefeld]

It's summer. We could all go outside?

[Nonesuch]

The morning, no doubt. Especially 08:00 is great. No need to get up early, but the race is done before 10:00 - leaving the rest of the day free.

[redreni]

On television - I don't have a favourite time.

Live - definitely about an hour after sunset. Can't explain why but the sensation of the noise and the smell of the cars is just intensified at that hour.

[F.M.]

This would be a god tread for a poll btw.

Edited by F.M., 11 June 2013 - 22:01.

[SophieB]

I love the very early morning starts too. Gets quali and the race done with still plenty of time to do other things. The European races feel like they swallow up the entire weekend.

[Brother Fox]

In Australia, so:

Oz/Asia - around 3-6 pm
Europe - 10 pm
Americas - 3-4 am

Strangely, the Oz/Asian races are the most inconvenient for me. At 10pm Sunday night theres no other distractions from kids or things I know I should be doing (like mowing the lawn etc) and I can just relax with it. Getting up early hours of the morning is kinda fun in a perverse way for Canada, Brazil and now US although im glad its not the regular time

[bourbon]

5 a.m. That is the time I am used to. I tape the pre-show and get up 10 minutes before the race. I watch all of the practices and qually live (around 1am, 5am). I get up 10 minutes before those also (often I am still up for the 1am practices).

I am not as jazzed by races that start at 7 am or 12 noon (canada/usa) and other more normal hours. The Oz, China, Malaysia and the like that are 11pm to midnight start times are alright. But I most enjoy the sleepy adrenaline rush at 5 am which is the start time for most races, I guess because it is the norm. When I was living in europe, I enjoyed the midday races the most - because that was the norm I guess...

[Jimisgod]

7am or 8pm and later.

Your European F1 races all start at like 10pm in Australia, which is great.

Morning races stop you from wasting the whole day, too.

Canada is the worst. 3am, **** that.

[Raelene]

I used to live in NZ and Australia so has all the bloody stupid times to watch the races. Last 2 years I've lived in Asia so it's great to be able to watch the European races at 8pm on a Sunday night. Canada was painful @ 2am though especially as I could only follow on twitter due to laptop problems

[repcobrabham]

yep, australia sucks for watching races - 10pm starts on sunday nights for the bulk of the season, brazil and canada (traditionally two of the best) at 3am or thereabouts. obviously the asian races are better for us but i envy my wife, who grew up in brazil watching most of the races over a late breakfast.

[Sin]

I like the middle of the day like 12:00 - 14:00 ... cause in the evening they always shorten the post race coverage.... and in the morning I wanna sleep

[ViMaMo]

Mornings (Not too early) or Late evenings.

Edited by ViMaMo, 12 June 2013 - 02:06.

[OldSoldier2]

Retired to Korea, so the race in Montreal was a bother at 3AM. Set the alarm, go to bed, get up, watch race, back to bed.

Otherwise races in Europe and Asia work fine. But as I said I am retired and F1 is the only sport I really follow anymore.

[Spoch]

Live in West Africa.....Love Oz, Malaysia, China, Japan cos by 8am on Sunday morning, the race is over and I have the whole day to do other stuff. Dont like the timing of the European races as they consume the whole day for me. The Americas.....well they do me in having to wait till the evening. Canada finished by 2030hrs this year. Woe unto you should you wait the whole day and your fav driver/team f**ks up (yes I am referring to you Whithmarsh and your supporting clowns). Someone should tell Bernie that juggling with the timing of races is not worth it. Thats the joy in being a fan. Adjusting your whole day to watch that race. GO Lewis..thank God you left those clowns

Edited by Spoch, 12 June 2013 - 02:37.

[Lukin]

I prefer watching here in Oz. Sunday can still be a full day and then settle in for a 10pm start. Perth is probably a bit better since European races start at 8pm, but I am not complaining!

[Juggles]

A 6am race start is my favourite, though perhaps that's because it's a rarity. Go to bed at around 9pm to aim for a civilised eight hours sleep. Wake up just before 5am for the pre-race build up, picking up a bowl of Shreddies and a cup of tea en route (normally I have toast for breakfast but cereal just feels right early in the morning). Sit back and enjoy.

There's something mystical about watching an F1 race in the early morning. The world around is so quiet that it feels like you're privy to something very exclusive. I felt that most powerfully on the weekend of the Japanese GP in 2007. The rain and general craziness of the race combined with the early morning start heightened the senses to fever pitch.

I'm in Asia rather than the UK at the moment so I won't get any of those starts this year annoyingly. Canada was pretty ghastly, went to bed at 11pm on Sunday night, woke up at 1:30am, went back to bed at 4:30am, woke up again at 7:45am and headed off to work. I don't mind doing that every now and then but the US-Brazil back to back end to the season will be painful.

[helioseism]

Whenever there is a race on.

[Wiggy]

I'm in the UK. Before they started shifting the local start times about, I used to like Australia and Japanese races when they were in the middle of the night. Especially when Suzuka was the season finale, and getting up in the middle of a dark winters night to watch the championship play out in total peace was superb.

[Raelene]

NZ is the worst for watching.

[SilentKiller]

In India the times are very favourable. Australian GP starts at 10.30 AM local time, and Canada(which starts the latest) started at 11.30 PM which is not bad at all considering you most probably overslept the Sunday morning or had a nap.

And All European races, Bahrain and the two night races start at 5.30 PM.

[NotSoSilentBob]

Quite like our 10pm Sunday night starts in Australia. Leaves the day free to do something else. Qually being at 9pm on a Saturday night can be a PITA though.

[kenkip]

Live in West Africa.....Love Oz, Malaysia, China, Japan cos by 8am on Sunday morning, the race is over and I have the whole day to do other stuff. Dont like the timing of the European races as they consume the whole day for me. The Americas.....well they do me in having to wait till the evening. Canada finished by 2030hrs this year. Woe unto you should you wait the whole day and your fav driver/team f**ks up (yes I am referring to you Whithmarsh and your supporting clowns). Someone should tell Bernie that juggling with the timing of races is not worth it. Thats the joy in being a fan. Adjusting your whole day to watch that race. GO Lewis..thank God you left those clowns

LOL! I feel you!Last weekend I was so anticipating the race srart at 9.00pm so I just lazed around all day.When Seb kissed the wall of champs it hit me,if he had crashed it could have been a total waste of a day!

[john_smith]

like all the other aussies here, i quite enjoy having most of the races at 10pm on a Sunday. allows me to do whatever we want during the weekend and still enjoy the race. no need to decide between lunch/dinner engagements or to watch a race!

even the Canadian GP worked out well for us, because we had a public holiday the following day.

[FrancisDasilva]

Love the way people arrange their day around the various sessions too. Many an argument has begun because of this!

[lustigson]

With the wife and kids (rightfully) claiming some of my time on Sunday afternoons, I prefer to record most races, nowadays, and watch them in the evening when my 2 boys are in bed.