83 replies to this topic

[Mackey]

Hi guys. Anyone know when the first F1 race was broadcast Live? I´m having some trouble finding the answer.
Thank you!

[Collombin]

Radio or television?

[Eric Dunsdon]

Hi guys. Anyone know when the first F1 race was broadcast Live? I´m having some trouble finding the answer.
Thank you!

If your including radio, I heard Raymond Baxter commentating on the 1951 French Grand Prix from Rheims on the BBC wireless, and very exciting it was too! .

[Rob29]

First F1 televised in UK was Silverstone GP 1953 I believe-my family did not get TV until late '53-first I saw was '54. First trasmited from abroad(via Eurovision) was Reims '59.
National races from Crystal Palace were first seen in 1937.

[simonlewisbooks]

National races from Crystal Palace were first seen in 1937.

And sadly not recorded by the broadcaster ....
Possibly the technology of that time did not allow recording of live TV?
But if it had, being the BBC, with their track record for wiping their own archives to save buying new tape stock, they would surely have disappeared in any case.

[David McKinney]

I think we need to define coverage as well. Do we mean flag to flag coverage, or chunks dropped live into Grandstand or whatever it was in those days?

[Vitesse2]

And sadly not recorded by the broadcaster ....
Possibly the technology of that time did not allow recording of live TV?
But if it had, being the BBC, with their track record for wiping their own archives to save buying new tape stock, they would surely have disappeared in any case.

Pre-war, the only way of recording TV programmes was on enormous - and expensive - metal discs. I believe some have survived and I did see something on TV a few years ago with a few minutes of a variety programme from Alexandra Palace, but even after extensive restoration it was barely watchable! Almost all of the BBC's early output went out live.

Magnetic tape was a German invention and a closely guarded secret to which the Allies were not privy until 1945.

[Mackey]

Thak you guys for all the answers!

The question specifically says (i´m translating from spanish BTW):

Which was the first Formula 1 Grand Prix broadcast live on TV?

[Collombin]

So this is for a quiz? Good luck with the replies from here on in.

[ChrisJson]

The 1959 Monaco Grand Prix was televised in Holland by NOS via Eurovision from Radio Tele Monte Carlo.
The whole race wasn´t shown, just some laps in the beginning and some laps in the end. The whole circuit
was covered by three cameras of which two were placed high up on the mountainside overlooking the circuit.
It´s the earliest video I´ve seen that´s clearly a live coverage.

Christer

[Mackey]

So this is for a quiz? Good luck with the replies from here on in.

I just saw the question in a website and tried to find the answer on google. Didn´t found it and thought maybe you guys knew it.
What´s wrong about it??

[Vitesse2]

I just saw the question in a website and tried to find the answer on google. Didn´t found it and thought maybe you guys knew it.
What´s wrong about it??

Please don't take offence, but we've been used as an "answering machine" in the past by people looking for quiz answers.

Rob29 is correct in that the British GP was first televised in 1953. Whether it was live I'm not certain, although if anyone has the programme the broadcast times were:

10.00-11.00am
3.30-3.50pm
4.00-4.15pm
4.35-5.00pm

There was also radio coverage, but it was shared with cricket, with no exact timings.

[Collombin]

I just saw the question in a website and tried to find the answer on google. Didn´t found it and thought maybe you guys knew it.
What´s wrong about it??

Personally, I'm OK with it, I just remember the short shrift given to people over the years who attempt to use members of this forum to help them do well in a quiz.

Maybe things have mellowed in this regard - promise to share any prize money with the most helpful member and you should be fine

[Collombin]

Rob29 is correct in that the British GP was first televised in 1953.

But it wasn't an F1 race [/pedant]

[Mackey]

Please don't take offence, but we've been used as an "answering machine" in the past by people looking for quiz answers.

Rob29 is correct in that the British GP was first televised in 1953. Whether it was live I'm not certain, although if anyone has the programme the broadcast times were:

10.00-11.00am
3.30-3.50pm
4.00-4.15pm
4.35-5.00pm

There was also radio coverage, but it was shared with cricket, with no exact timings.

Thank you. I´ll try to find if it was broadcast live.

Personally, I'm OK with it, I just remember the short shrift given to people over the years who attempt to use members of this forum to help them do well in a quiz.

Maybe things have mellowed in this regard - promise to share any prize money with the most helpful member and you should be fine smile.gif

Ok. I didn´t know that and i can understand the situation.

PD. Regarding the prize. I can´t win it because it´s a members only raffle and i´m no member of that site.

But it wasn't an F1 race [/pedant]

Yep. Just saw it was a Formula 2 race

Edited by Mackey, 29 April 2011 - 18:01.

[2F-001]

I think the "quiz" thing only started to irritate when there was a whole stream of people just alighting on the site for one question, soliciting some info, and not returning even to say thanks! So, as Vitesse says, don't be offended.

Remember, though, that it's entirely possibly that whoever set the questions may be using F1 / GP / World Championship as entirely interchangeable terms, maybe not realizing that for a couple of years the WC was not contested by F1 cars. But anyway, hope you enjoy researching and ferreting out the information.

[Mackey]

But anyway, hope you enjoy researching and ferreting out the information.

Yeah, I usually enjoy looking for information on internet, I even thought i was pretty good at using google, but this is a hard one. I´ll report if i find the answer

[D-Type]

Of course, it may not have been the British GP that was first. They had TV in Europe as well, remember. And pre-Eurovision each national broadcaster did their own thing.

And surely the 1950 British GP with royalty present would have been televised, but not necessarily the whole race.

[Vitesse2]

Of course, it may not have been the British GP that was first. They had TV in Europe as well, remember. And pre-Eurovision each national broadcaster did their own thing.

Indeed, Duncan.

And surely the 1950 British GP with royalty present would have been televised, but not necessarily the whole race.

'Fraid not, unless there was a brief piece in Newsreel at 10.00pm. That day the BBC's OB cameras were at Kempton Park and The Oval offering live coverage of the racing and Surrey v West Indies. I'm not sure they actually had the technology to do an OB from as far away as Silverstone at that time: I did see a mention in early 1952 that they were "hoping" to cover motor racing from Silverstone that summer, but nothing came of that.

[Paul Parker]

Indeed, Duncan.

'Fraid not, unless there was a brief piece in Newsreel at 10.00pm. That day the BBC's OB cameras were at Kempton Park and The Oval offering live coverage of the racing and Surrey v West Indies. I'm not sure they actually had the technology to do an OB from as far away as Silverstone at that time: I did see a mention in early 1952 that they were "hoping" to cover motor racing from Silverstone that summer, but nothing came of that.

According to Jean-Paul Desoux in his book 1950 the 1950 Monaco GP was the first race to be televised. I have also seen this claim in print elsewhere long ago but cannot remember where; stops to consider brain fade.

Out of curiosity I tried googling it but instead found somebody claiming the 1961 Italian GP!

[Lec CRP1]

And sadly not recorded by the broadcaster ....
Possibly the technology of that time did not allow recording of live TV?
But if it had, being the BBC, with their track record for wiping their own archives to save buying new tape stock, they would surely have disappeared in any case.

Recording of live TV started, at the BBC anyway, in 1947. It basically used a film camera pointing at a television monitor to record the picture (of which half the TV lines were missing due to technical limitations of the system). Most TV of the era was never recorded. Videotape didn't arrive in the UK until around 1958, but the telerecording method continued so as to make it easier selling programmes to countries that had different TV display standards. The vast majority of 1960s TV that survives today is telerecordings, some copies a print or two down from the original negative.

So, if you're over 50 and see some archive TV on the box now and think "Bloody hell, that looks rough. I'm sure it never looked this bad back then", that's why.

Edited by Lec CRP1, 29 April 2011 - 21:17.

[scheivlak]

OK, not F1, but until 1961 it was a WDC race after all - maybe some of our US friends are able to tell us what was the first time that the Indy 500 was broadcasted live?

I'm just interested.

[Vitesse2]

OK, not F1, but until 1961 it was a WDC race after all - maybe some of our US friends are able to tell us what was the first time that the Indy 500 was broadcasted live?

I'm just interested.

According to Wikipedia the 1949 and 1950 races were shown flag to flag in the Indianapolis area only. However, it goes on to claim that the next broadcast was 1965 - but only taped and shown on Wide World of Sports. I think that second bit's probably wrong but if the first statement is correct and Jean-Paul Delsaux was wrong, then the 1950 Indy 500 was the first WDC race televised live!

http://en.wikipedia....00_broadcasters

Edited by Vitesse2, 29 April 2011 - 21:55.

[jj2728]

OK, not F1, but until 1961 it was a WDC race after all - maybe some of our US friends are able to tell us what was the first time that the Indy 500 was broadcasted live?

I'm just interested.

I know for fact that the '65 Indy 500 was NOT broadcast live. In fact I think the first live telecast of the 500 on ABC was sometime in the early 70s. I believe the end of the '66 Le Mans was shown live on tv because I watched it the same day as it happened and it was in the morning. As far as F1 broadcasts in the U.S., a Monaco GP from the early 70s was IIRC the first. Someone mentioned the '61 Italian GP at Monza. I'm thinking back to when I lived in Italy and if memory serves correctly the RAI may have covered it live.

[Amphicar]

I know for fact that the '65 Indy 500 was NOT broadcast live. In fact I think the first live telecast of the 500 on ABC was sometime in the early 70s. I believe the end of the '66 Le Mans was shown live on tv because I watched it the same day as it happened and it was in the morning. As far as F1 broadcasts in the U.S., a Monaco GP from the early 70s was IIRC the first. Someone mentioned the '61 Italian GP at Monza. I'm thinking back to when I lived in Italy and if memory serves correctly the RAI may have covered it live.

The 1966 Indy 500 was certainly broadcast live - possibly not on US TV but very definitely in the UK (by satellite). It was screened in cinemas in several large British cities and I saw it in Manchester.

[jj2728]

The 1966 Indy 500 was certainly broadcast live - possibly not on US TV but very definitely in the UK (by satellite). It was screened in cinemas in several large British cities and I saw it in Manchester.

While it may have been broadcast live on a pay-per-view basis in theaters, it wasn't on U.S. tv. The first live broadcast, and I had to look this up, was in 1986.

[Rob29]

The 1966 Indy 500 was certainly broadcast live - possibly not on US TV but very definitely in the UK (by satellite). It was screened in cinemas in several large British cities and I saw it in Manchester.

Yep.I saw it at Finsbury Park,London having raced across the city from Crystal Palace F2.
More info on UK TV coverage;

1955 Aintree was last British GP NOT televised.
However I remember watching,Snetterton F1,Goodwood 9hrs,Oulton Park sportscars,Oulton Park Gold Cup F1,Castle Combe F1 all live.
British GP Aintree & Dundrod TT sound radio only.
1959 Monaco live start & finish.Reims scheduled but cancelled due to strike I think. Monza shown.
1961 Monaco, Reims ,Aintree & Monza shown.
1962 Zanvoot
First live from beyond Eurovision Fuji 1976.I think this was when serious coverage started.

[AJB]

Remember, though, that it's entirely possibly that whoever set the questions may be using F1 / GP / World Championship as entirely interchangeable terms, maybe not realizing that for a couple of years the WC was not contested by F1 cars. But anyway, hope you enjoy researching and ferreting out the information.

And if they are not a motoring specialist the "correct answer" could be pretty random anyway. Two I've had recently in pub quizes:-

Q. Which British F1 driver has won the most Grands Prix? A. Jackie Stewart (!)
Q. Which car manufacurer has a badge based on an eagle? A. Toyota (!) (It's three overlapping ovals forming the letter T!)

Good luck, my friend.

[Tim Murray]

When I was a pub quiz regular the following question popped up a few times, in spite of my strenuous efforts to re-educate people:

Q: What was the name of Carl Benz's wife?

A: Mercedes

[AJB]

The other favourite is
Q."What was the world's first turbocharged production car?"
A. Porsche 911.
I got that one "right" by second-guessing what he was most likely to have, rather than the real answer.;)

[stevewf1]

I know for fact that the '65 Indy 500 was NOT broadcast live. In fact I think the first live telecast of the 500 on ABC was sometime in the early 70s. I believe the end of the '66 Le Mans was shown live on tv because I watched it the same day as it happened and it was in the morning. As far as F1 broadcasts in the U.S., a Monaco GP from the early 70s was IIRC the first. Someone mentioned the '61 Italian GP at Monza. I'm thinking back to when I lived in Italy and if memory serves correctly the RAI may have covered it live.

Well, I know I saw the 1970 Monaco GP (Brabham's last-lap last-corner fumble) on TV here in Indy and I remember seeing at least parts of the 1969 Canadian GP at Mosport (the incident between Jacky and Jackie) on TV, but I honestly can't remember if they were shown live. I didn't discover F1 until the late 60s, so I don't know before that...

[nmansellfan]

As an aside, the 1967 German GP was the supposedly the first GP to be televised in colour according to Wikipedia... but the race was on August 6, 1967, and colour TV wasn't launched in Germany until August 25, 1967. Maybe it was actually 1968? The earliest broadcast footage i've seen in colour is a clip of the 1970 Monaco GP. the earliest broadcast footage i've seen is a clip of the 1961 Italian GP.

Edited by nmansellfan, 30 April 2011 - 14:02.

[mscheeres]

Monaco 59 and Zandvoort 63 were (partially) live shown on Dutch TV. Pescara 57 is supposed to be shown on RAI but lost in the italian TV archives. Monaco 65 was shown live on ABC

[Amphicar]

The earliest live F1 TV coverage I can recall seeing was the 1965 Monaco Grand Prix on BBC. Not the whole race of course, just the start, a few laps in the middle (sandwiched between horse racing and cricket) and the finish. Needless to say, the coverage completely missed Graham Hill's trip up the escape road at the chicane and his fight back to re-take the lead! If I remember correctly, the coverage included some wobbly aerial shots, not from a helicopter but from a Bregeut Atlantic (Atlantique?) circling above the Principality.

[Mackey]

Thak you guys. Lots of knowledge and good stories here.
It seems the answer is not so clear so we´ll see which is the answer they´re expecting. I´ll come back and report if I find out.

Thak you again

[Geoff E]

The earliest live F1 TV coverage I can recall seeing was the 1965 Monaco Grand Prix on BBC. Not the whole race of course, just the start, a few laps in the middle (sandwiched between horse racing and cricket) and the finish.

Interesting memories ... the Grand Prix was on 30 May 1965 - a Sunday - at a time when there was no "official" cricket in England. There was of course the International Cavaliers on BBC2 on a Sunday afternoons, but they had no match on that day http://www.cricketar...tches_1965.html

I'm fairly certain that there was no Sunday horse racing till the 1970s.

[Vitesse2]

Interesting memories ... the Grand Prix was on 30 May 1965 - a Sunday - at a time when there was no "official" cricket in England. There was of course the International Cavaliers on BBC2 on a Sunday afternoons, but they had no match on that day http://www.cricketar...tches_1965.html

I'm fairly certain that there was no Sunday horse racing till the 1970s.

Indeed, Geoff. Amphicar has no doubt transmuted his memories into the standard Saturday afternoon Grandstand fare.

Coverage of the GP started at 2.30pm. At 3.00 it gave way to a showing of Johnny Angel, starring George Raft. Coverage resumed at 4.15 for a further half hour, when Z cars started. After Z Cars, there was a further 20 minute segment at 5.15.

If you didn't fancy the George Raft movie and lived in the South East you could have watched Candid Camera and Police Five instead: the final report from Monaco finished just in time to switch over for Stingray!

[Geoff E]

Coverage of the GP started at 2.30pm. At 3.00 it gave way to a showing of Johnny Angel, starring George Raft. Coverage resumed at 4.15 for a further half hour, when Z cars started. After Z Cars, there was a further 20 minute segment at 5.15.

I wonder when the race started ... with a winner's time of 2h37m39.6s they could have been cutting it fine.

[Vitesse2]

ISTR - at least before Bernie imposed a standard timetable - that Monaco started later than most other races in order that the Prince and his guests didn't have to rush luncheon!

[Doug Nye]

Not Formula 1 but motor racing at Crystal Palace, London, was televised by the BBC's pioneer service as early as 1937-38. I believe the embryo German TV service showed some coverage - also inevitably live since there was no sensible video recording at that time - of a pre-war AVUSRennen event. The Broken Biscuit Corporation also featured outside broadcast coverage from Silverstone, Aintree and Goodwood certainly as early as 1954, and I am pretty sure earlier than that. But if the original question really meant 'whole-race' coverage then that did not come along - at least in the UK - until very much later. Oh, by the way, we have film coverage of the 1957 German GP which was reputedly shot by German TV simultaneously with the service's electronic broadcast coverage - each camera position around the Nurburgring carrying dual TV/movie film cameras (i.e. one of each) to obtain both a transmission service and archival coverage. If this is correct, good German thinking...ja?

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 30 April 2011 - 22:13.

[Vitesse2]

The earliest post-war televised motor sport I've been able to trace is what looks to have been a preview of the 1952 Isle of Man TT Week and some speedway from Belle Vue.

Doug is pretty much on the money: the first TV broadcast of motor racing from Aintree seems to have been the 1955 British GP, with Goodwood following later that year.

This was coverage of the 9 Hours on August 20th, which was part of a very high-octane day on television, starting with a 15 minute report on the Coventry Air Pageant. Goodwood coverage began at 2.45 - presumably live coverage of the start. After In The Garden at 3.15, there was more coverage of the Air Pageant and the King's Cup Air Race at 3.45, another 10 minutes from Goodwood at 4.10 and then back to Coventry for another 35 minutes.

After Children's Television and the football results there was another 10 minutes from Goodwood before the "toddlers' truce" at 6.15. Broadcasting resumed at 7.15 with another 10 minutes from Goodwood. There were further 5 minute reports at 8.15 and 9.05, a 15 minute report at 10.30 and then, after the news, a whole hour of coverage between 11.00 and midnight!

[Amphicar]

Indeed, Geoff. Amphicar has no doubt transmuted his memories into the standard Saturday afternoon Grandstand fare.

Coverage of the GP started at 2.30pm. At 3.00 it gave way to a showing of Johnny Angel, starring George Raft. Coverage resumed at 4.15 for a further half hour, when Z cars started. After Z Cars, there was a further 20 minute segment at 5.15.

If you didn't fancy the George Raft movie and lived in the South East you could have watched Candid Camera and Police Five instead: the final report from Monaco finished just in time to switch over for Stingray!

I'm obliged to Geoff E and Vitesse2 for correcting my memory. In truth, I have no recollection of what interrupted coverage of the race - only that whatever it was, it didn't interest me.

[Updraught]

I believe that the first "same day" coverage of an F1 race in the USA was the Mexican GP of 1968. May have been LIVE, not certain. (also may have not been same day, recollections are a bit hazy!)

Canada 1969 was, I believe, "same day" coverage, as well, again not certain if actually LIVE.

The first "same day" coverage of a European race in the USA was Monaco, 1970, but this was definitely tape. I remember the 1978 SouthAfrican GP as the first F1 race outside of Monaco or North America being televised in the USA flag to flag (tape, but same day coverage).

[stevewf1]

Here in Indy, I got cable TV in 1980 and I remember seeing the 1981 Spanish GP on the schedule (ESPN I think, not live), but when I tuned in at midnight or so, all I saw was girl's softball.

The first year of reliable F1 coverage here was in 1986 I believe, but I don't recall it always being live and frequently there was this annoying announcement "due to time constraints, we now skip ahead in this race"...

Edited by stevewf1, 01 May 2011 - 06:54.

[RCH]

The first GP I can definitely remember watching was Monaco 1961, brief reports from Raymond Baxter with episodes of ISTR Maigret and Captain Pugwash in between! Did they show anything of the non championship UK F1 races that year? I also seem to remember bits of an InterContinental race at Silverstone on a Saturday when the main concentration was on Wimbledon. Going back a few years to I guess '58 I have a memory of a brief moment of an F1 race (British GP?), Mike Hawthorn was competing and I am sure it was during Saturday afternoon Grandstand. But it was literally only a brief flash, maybe I missed the rest?

When was Le Mans first shown to British audiences? I remember 1961, was anything broadcast before that? My father mentioned many years ago that one of the first things we saw on our newly acquired TV in 1953 was a very early Eurovision link of Le Mans, he remembered it because of Jaguar and disc brakes or was his memory playing him false?

[Amphicar]

Veering slightly off topic - I have a vague memory of one of the early evening children's TV programmes in the UK covering the F1 races during the 60s. No film coverage - just two enthusiastic chaps in the studio using model cars to explain grid positions, key events during the race and the results - oh and an updated chart showing points and positions in the championship. Might have been part of Blue Peter?

[Vitesse2]

Veering slightly off topic - I have a vague memory of one of the early evening children's TV programmes in the UK covering the F1 races during the 60s. No film coverage - just two enthusiastic chaps in the studio using model cars to explain grid positions, key events during the race and the results - oh and an updated chart showing points and positions in the championship. Might have been part of Blue Peter?

Not Blue Peter, but Tom Tom

Edited by Vitesse2, 01 May 2011 - 12:55.

[jj2728]

I believe that the first "same day" coverage of an F1 race in the USA was the Mexican GP of 1968. May have been LIVE, not certain. (also may have not been same day, recollections are a bit hazy!)

Canada 1969 was, I believe, "same day" coverage, as well, again not certain if actually LIVE.

The first "same day" coverage of a European race in the USA was Monaco, 1970, but this was definitely tape. I remember the 1978 SouthAfrican GP as the first F1 race outside of Monaco or North America being televised in the USA flag to flag (tape, but same day coverage).

I too remember watching Mexico '68 and Canada '69, IIRC they were same day tape.

[Geoff E]

Not Blue Peter, but Tom Tom

http://www.tvcream.c...g=jeremy-carrad

[Nick Wa]

RCH
Your Dad may be correct but Le Mans 1954 was definitely shown live on BBC. A Euro-vision cross shared with the men's singles final at Roland Garros. I kept hoping the rain at Le Mans would spread to Paris and delay the tennis which was getting the lion's share of the program. However the director had enough savy to stay with the crucial last pit stop of the winning Gonzalez / Trintignant Ferrari. For those too young to remember Trintignant pitted with a 2 lap lead, the car was refuelled and Gonzalez got in. Then drama the car would not restart. The TV coverage was a single camera from on top of the pits and as luck would have it slightly behind the Ferrari pit! For about 9 minutes we had a close up view of all the panic, mostly a mechanic upside down head in the footwell whilst Hamilton unlapped himself twice and was only 90 seconds behind when the Ferrari eventually fired up.

Edited by Nick Wa, 01 May 2011 - 15:30.