53 replies to this topic

[Gebmeister]

Hey everyone.

I was wondering how everyone watches F1. In a pub, in the main room of your house, alone or with friends.

I personally watch F1 on my own or with my Dad when he is in the house with my new laptop (free with my work!!!!) watching the live timing in the living room. I just if anybody had any recommendations to raise the viewing excitement (apart from a complete change in the structure of F1)??!!!

[SlateGray]

Depends.

I usually watch from my home with a friend or two. People sometimes don't like to watch with me as I get a bit pissed if everyone is yapping during the race.

Or I watch from my Mom and Dad's place. They have a nicer TV and a computer next to it so I can follow the times on the FIA site as I watch.

Contrary to what many posters here think I watch the races very closely and hate interruptions during the race.

We get the choice of Speed's or ITV's coverage. I watch the ITV (TSN in Canada) coverage and use the Speed coverage as a back up during the adverts on ITV (TSN in Canada). We are usually able to watch without advert brakes by jumping back and forth between ITV and Speed.

We are in the Eastern Standard time zone so most of the races are live early Sunday morning 7:30am. Put on a big pot of coffee and enjoy.

Japan is also a favorite as it is live here at 12 midnight. Makes for a good Saturday night F1 race party.

[Chris G.]

Almost always alone. In the basement living room. First few laps standing right in front of TV. Then back and forth between couch and computer. Computer for live timing during commercials and for chat/RC on atlas.

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by Chris G.
Almost always alone. In the basement living room. First few laps standing right in front of TV. Then back and forth between couch and computer. Computer for live timing during commercials and for chat/RC on atlas.

haha, that sounds like me. First few laps standing very close to the TV...then back and forth to the computer. Last race I had the computer at my bed so I lay in bed and watched the race with computer next to me, that was quite good!

A start in F1 still always thrill me very much, and if Fisi is up there I am even more nervous.

[wawawa]

Try this thread

[paulogman]

Originally posted by wawawa
Try this thread

i thought this thread title seemed familiar

[Henrik B]

Almost always in the living room. A couple of months ago I finally got around to buying that ten metre cable for the network so I could take the old laptop into the living room and watch Live Timing and check out the live forum at Atlas at the same time. That I surely can recommend - added much to the excitement (well, whatever excitment there is...) and it made me realise that the Swedish commentator is watching the live timing too - if there's an error there he blindly repeats it. It's also very useful to have the forum around - other countries commentators usually knows more than our swedish ones and particulary useful info often gets repeated there.

Before, I used to run into the study to during commercial breaks to see if something was happening. I finally got tired of that...

I seem to be nagging about the swedish coverage here. Well, last week I was in Greece on holiday and the only place i found showing the Silverstone race was a bar showing Norwegian television. I pity you, norwegians... I've never heard such uninspired commentating - it wasn't Bjørge Lillelien, that's for sure.

[Jack Rabbit]

I tape the races always, incase it's worth watching again. I get up at 5 or 5:30 (mountain std. time) for the euro races. Put my wireless headphones on so I dont wake the rest of the house up, and sit intensely for at least the first half hour of the race. If its exciting I keep watching, if not I go to the computer, while listening to the broadcast; do a little surfing & check out the live timing; then go back to bed for a couple more hours of kip after the race. This season though, I have watched a couple of race on tape a few hours after there broadcast. For some reason, seeing it on tape is never as exciting though.

[TenTenths]

In front of my Hitachi 51" Widescreen TV. My notebook computer on the coffee table with wi-fi connection running live timing so I always know whats going on between commercials.

Oh yeah, BIG cup of coffee, because its always an early start for me.

[paulogman]

Originally posted by Henrik Brodin

and the only place i found showing the Silverstone race was a bar showing Norwegian television. I pity you, norwegians... I've never heard such uninspired commentating - it wasn't Bjørge Lillelien, that's for sure.

it is probably the worst coverage i have ever seen. they have no clue.

[alan_owens]

Screw the computer crap (I'm a Unix admin, I get enough exposure to computers at work), I just watch the race on the TV. I live near Toronto, so I do the same TSN/Speed flick for the ad-breaks as SlateGray.

For the Japanese, Ozzy and Malaysian GPs either myself of a friend will throw a party. I go to the Canadian GP every year with 8-10 people in tow, so we try to get the whole group together for the night race parties.

[Ricardo F1]

At home half asleep most of the time ; given that they usually start at 5am. . . . the mrs normally collapses on the couch alongside for moral support.

[SeanValen]

A few Michelin and Bridgestone tyres to sit on, light the rubber a bit with a lighter to get the smell of the rubber at a f1 track, and a cup of Earl Grey or some other tea.

You need the right tools, watching f1 is a complicated thing, the work us viewers go through has been neglected, it's a delicasy, the nerves need to be maintained, people need to stay out of the way, YOU NEED PIZZA most of all.


Or you could watch f1 on the tv screens at the track itself like I did at Silverstone, thats very cool.

You need to experiment, keep changing, be inventive, and smoke, I don't mean just smoke, I mean really smoke, open your eyes, use the high, and you'll see things no one else can see, do things no one else can do. You think your seeing f1 lap times, I'll show you the edge of adhesion and calculate the limit on my mobile calculator.

[lukywill]

since the silverstone 73 gp at the wc. f1.com available and some popcorn with the comercials. allways listen to led zeppelin's kashmir until a williams wins. then i change for wagner's parsifal.

[tifosi]

Ther's a small group of us that meet at a place in Arlington for breakfast and the race. Slategrey, you would be upset as we never shut up, but then Speed commentators aren't worth really listening to anyways.

[Menace]

Originally posted by Ricardo F1
At home half asleep most of the time ; given that they usually start at 5am. . . .

Thats me! Ofcourse I have my lap-top w/ the live-timing screen and Atlasf1 sitting next to me.

Some of the european races get real tough after continuously waking up around 4:30am...

[milliepuppy]

nearly always alone ........ all the races are Tivo'd with a 90 minute pad just in case.... so i start watching when i get up ..... coffee goes on during the pre race ......... multiple trips to the bathroom .. so i just press pause .......


I tried the live timimg once but the onvenience of watching the race when im ready to when on the west coast of the US outways the benefit ......... 4:30am sunday mornings are a killer !!!!


F1 .. the reason why i bought Tivo !!

[Menace]

Originally posted by milliepuppy

I tried the live timimg once but the onvenience of watching the race when im ready to when on the west coast of the US outways the benefit ......... 4:30am sunday mornings are a killer !!!!


F1 .. the reason why i bought Tivo !!

Ah, but us true fan(atic)s will get up every sunday morning, no matter the hangover and glue our eyes open at 4:30am ;)

Although I admit I fell a sleep during the Silverstone race, and had to watch the re-broadcast later on Speed.

[Torx]

Originally posted by Menace

Ah, but us true fan(atic)s will get up every sunday morning, no matter the hangover and glue our eyes open at 4:30am ;)

The best race to watch in Europe is Melbourne. I remember especially well the 1998 race. Got home totally thrashed (KIPPIS!!) at 4am from the club to see the action and I thought I was hallucinating when McLarens lapped three seconds faster than anybody else.

[Ricardo F1]

Originally posted by Menace


Some of the european races get real tough after continuously waking up around 4:30am...

Aye, those back to back France/GB weekends are nightmares.

[fastlegs]

I live on the west coast of Canada so our coverage begins at 4:30am pst for the races in Europe. I always tape the race and watch it about 7:30am pst.

I find taping the race has it's advantages.

1. I can fast forward thru the commericals.

2. I can replay any incident that takes place, several times if need be.

3. If there is a despute on the BB over an incident that took place during the race, I can replay the incident to see what really happened and who on the BB got it right.

[pio!pio!]

Seeing as how I'm on the west coast of the USA, the races are usually on at 5 in the morning..I like my sleep

I set my ReplayTV to record the race, wake up around 8 or 9 and watch it. The ReplayTV automatically skips commercials. I watch it alone in my bedroom usually still in bed. Maybe some breakfast. I hate watching it w/ my friends because they are talking or making comments and I can't hear what the announcers are saying

[Mox]

Originally posted by paulogman


it is probably the worst coverage i have ever seen. they have no clue.

I hate saying this, but anybody thinking that the norwegian coverage stinks should try the danish coverage on for size. It'll make the norwegian commentators seems like visciously inspired enthusiasts.

Me, being a dane, I watch swedish TV4 for the races.

I used to have the digital feed. Never knew you could miss TV so much

[Gage]

I also live in the Pacific Time Zone but I have no cable access at my country home. I have a ritual of driving the length of Kalamalka Lake (20 min) to my sister's farm each race morning. It's a nice escape from the house and the drive is fantastic, whatever the weather. That time of day, I am usually the only one on the highway. Taping the race doesn't work for me, especially that time DC decided to take out most of the field at Spa and I missed most of it anyway. Someday I'll think of getting satellite but F1 is the only thing I watch on the tele. I can always find clips on the internet if I just HAVE to see something again. I will admit this year it has been difficult to motivate myself to watch MS cruise to the flag each race. My brother in law tapes Moto GP and gives me the tape after he is done with it.

[saudoso]

The usual alone/TV/laptop.

I think I'm lucky about one thing: No commercials from instalation lap until checkered flag.

And you guys complaining about quality of commentators, you should try Galvao Bueno, that does this here in Brazil. No clue at all. I more than often say "shut the **** up, Galvao".

[The Tiger]

Originally posted by Mox


I hate saying this, but anybody thinking that the norwegian coverage stinks should try the danish coverage on for size. It'll make the norwegian commentators seems like visciously inspired enthusiasts.

Me, being a dane, I watch swedish TV4 for the races.

I used to have the digital feed. Never knew you could miss TV so much

Hahaha... You guys think you're screwed? Try the mexican feed! It's a nightmare!
First of all, it's delayed, wich also rules out the posibility of watching the live timming on the net...

Second of all, the quality of the picture is from the cave man years... so much for spending $$$$$$$$ on the HDTV system...

And third, the comentators are just plain pathetic! They grabed a guy from the bull fighting team of comentators and some other guy from a repair shop and brought them together... the result? DISASTER!

[fillern]

Originally posted by Henrik Brodin
I seem to be nagging about the swedish coverage here. Well, last week I was in Greece on holiday and the only place i found showing the Silverstone race was a bar showing Norwegian television. I pity you, norwegians... I've never heard such uninspired commentating - it wasn't Bjørge Lillelien, that's for sure.

They have their bright moments...

...I seem to remember one in 2001, or was it in 2002?

I currently have no TV, but I have a DVB-sat card in one of my computers, so I watch the race on that, and see the timings on another. I don't stand in front of the TV when the start is. I kneel in front of it.

OK, I dont... ;)

There are some discussions on the quality on norwegian comments here and here.

[brabhamboy]

You lucky bastards! I've got no access to the races since moving here to Portland, US. So Atlas is out of bounds from Sunday until I can download a torrent of the race....usually Monday or Tuesday. Turn the PC round and snuggle up with my wife who's usually asleep by the first round of pit stops. :yawn:

At least I don't have to suffer the dreadful Spanish commentary duo anymore. 80% of the time they would be verbally masturbating over Alonso, and the rest of the time drone on about nothing in particular - all to cover up for their complete lack of understanding of what was happening on track. The Norwegians can't have been much worse.

[Vilenova]

I like to drive my yaught to each race and have a grid girl party after the race.
Too bad I wake up at the best part though.

[Rob G]

European F1 races come on at 7:30 in the morning here, so I tape it and turn it on whenever I get up. I like to be in the Atlas chat room while the races are on. That way when my station is in commercials I still know what's going on.

[Rene]

Most races start at 5:30 my time, so I watch the beginning of the race by myself on the couch....I lay on the couch comatose during the pre-race...but move closer to the TV for the first lap or two....

Then I settle in with some tea and watch the race, by 6:30 or 7:00 my wife and son are up, and they join me for the end of the race....although my son only being 2 years old likes to goof around during the end of the race...which is fine considering that most races have been decided before they even get out of bed!

I have found I hate watching races with other people as they talk too much, and distract me....my wife is pretty good about being quiet during the race...

[Menace]

Originally posted by brabhamboy
You lucky bastards! I've got no access to the races since moving here to Portland, US. So Atlas is out of bounds from Sunday until I can download a torrent of the race....usually Monday or Tuesday. Turn the PC round and snuggle up with my wife who's usually asleep by the first round of pit stops. :yawn:

At least I don't have to suffer the dreadful Spanish commentary duo anymore. 80% of the time they would be verbally masturbating over Alonso, and the rest of the time drone on about nothing in particular - all to cover up for their complete lack of understanding of what was happening on track. The Norwegians can't have been much worse.

Another F1 fan in Portland?!

Let me know where your at, I got Speed and all the live coverage you need.

[CampioneFerrari]

Originally posted by Ricardo F1
At home half asleep most of the time ; given that they usually start at 5am. . . .

I know how you feel, same for me.

[ScottL]

Originally posted by tifosi
Ther's a small group of us that meet at a place in Arlington for breakfast and the race. Slategrey, you would be upset as we never shut up, but then Speed commentators aren't worth really listening to anyways.

Tifosi! Are you talking about Summers?!? I went there for the first time two weeks ago at 7:30 AM for the British GP. Were you there? Perhaps that was you in the Ferrari shirt sitting in the booth. I was sitting center table with a couple of friends.

I'm going to have to speak up this Sunday and ask where the Atlas crew is. Great to be at a place where there are some honest-to-god F1 fans!

[tifosi]

Originally posted by ScottL


Tifosi! Are you talking about Summers?!? I went there for the first time two weeks ago at 7:30 AM for the British GP. Were you there? Perhaps that was you in the Ferrari shirt sitting in the booth. I was sitting center table with a couple of friends.

I'm going to have to speak up this Sunday and ask where the Atlas crew is. Great to be at a place where there are some honest-to-god F1 fans!

Yeah that was me probably. I'm usually sitting with Ivan and talking duriong the entire race (Sorry Rene). I'll c'ya Sunday for Germany.

[mikedeering]

Mostly alone. My girlfriend usually watches the build up and start then mysteriously disappears after about lap 5 only to reappear 2 hours later.

I hate watching with others because they tend to yap and do not appreciate that silence is a priority during a GP! At the moment we have just moved and are always decorating so I tend to watch the races on a small 14" TV while simultaneously attempting to paint the ceiling. This setup has allowed me to judge for myself whether modern F1 really is less exciting than watching paint dry.

[Pilla]

Coverage starts at 11:40pm on Sunday night and finishes at 2:00am on monday morning, so I mainly worry about work, if MS is in front after the first pit stops I usually go to bed.

[FuscaBala]

Originally posted by saudoso
The usual alone/TV/laptop.

I think I'm lucky about one thing: No commercials from instalation lap until checkered flag.

And you guys complaining about quality of commentators, you should try Galvao Bueno, that does this here in Brazil. No clue at all. I more than often say "shut the **** up, Galvao".

I usually turn on the radio 1 hour previously to GP start-ups, to hear the latest news and silly season. It used to be great for warm-up sessions times to predict some moves in the race.
Sometimes I turn off the sound of TV and follow the audio broadcasting by radio.
There are 2 radios (Bandeirantes and JovenPan) broadcasting live. The official one Bandeirantes has two reporters at every GP making commentary live about the backstages. I don't like one of them.
JovenPan had in it's rolls Baron Fittipaldi - Emerson's father - and currently a better broadcaster and commertators than the first one.

Overall quality is good but the editorial line is a bit over-nationalistic to my taste.

Galvao used to go at every race, but since he got oldder - and married a teen girl - he's not in loco anymore.
The main problem with Galvao is he misses some events of the race that apears on TV - looking somewere else - and them tries to guess what happened to a broken car or why a driver is slowing his pace. It's arrogant and pathetic. He must have some kind of mental telemetry.
Nelson Piquet hates Galvao.

[troyf1]

Sit on the couch in the living room. Fire up my laptop. Turn on the TV to Speed Channel. Watch the start. Wait for the obligitory spin, crash or grass mowing from Montoya. Watching Michael race off into the distance. Go take a shower. Fix breakfast. Read the sunday paper. Watch Michael take the win and listen to the German and Italian national anthems. Rinse and Repeat every two weeks

[paulogman]

Originally posted by Mox


I hate saying this, but anybody thinking that the norwegian coverage stinks should try the danish coverage on for size. It'll make the norwegian commentators seems like visciously inspired enthusiasts.

Me, being a dane, I watch swedish TV4 for the races.

I used to have the digital feed. Never knew you could miss TV so much

i lived in copenhagen for 6 years, and trust me, the norwegian commentators are worse

[AcuraF1]

On the couch in the living room watching TSN (ITV's feed), and like SlateGrey, I flip to Speed during the breaks, and when they are both showing commercials at the same time, I flip to RDS and watch.
The 6 month old daughter is usually up before the races start so nowadays I have one eye on her and one on the race.

[SlateGray]

Originally posted by mikedeering


I hate watching with others because they tend to yap and do not appreciate that silence is a priority during a GP!

And how! That is the reason people don't like to watch with me as I am always shhhhshing them!

Originally posted by mikedeering
while simultaneously attempting to paint the ceiling. This setup has allowed me to judge for myself whether modern F1 really is less exciting than watching paint dry.

Got a verdict yet?

[CONOSUR]

Always with a houseful of friends. The main room has the full stereo and surround sound. The garage/smoking room has a large TV with excellent stereo accompaniment. The deck has a smaller TV with stereo speakers. The bedroom TV is on. The basement TV is on.

We usually have anywhere from 6-30 people, depending on which race is on. The European races all come on at 6:30am, so we have a smaller group. Australia comes on around 9pm Saturday night and draws 30+. Malaysia, Japan and China, coming on around midnight, usually draw 15+. Canada and Indy always find me on the road, so...Canada = none, but for Indy, we have 25+ in Indy coming from all over the country plus Canada, England, Germany and Japan.

For Brazil this year, we'll have a season finale blow-out with 30+ complete with post-race barbeque and party. We expect people from California, Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, Ontario, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey and New York.

It always involves too much alcohol, too much food and way too much fun. You know...just the usual stuff.

[tifosi]

Originally posted by CONOSUR
Always with a houseful of friends. The main room has the full stereo and surround sound. The garage/smoking room has a large TV with excellent stereo accompaniment. The deck has a smaller TV with stereo speakers. The bedroom TV is on. The basement TV is on.

It always involves too much alcohol, too much food and way too much fun. You know...just the usual stuff.

WOW!!!! when can I join you. Finally an F1 viewer after my own heart. Lots of fun and friends. I was really getting worried about all these posters that apparently watch in total silene. Hell its a sport for christsake.

[JVattack]

Originally posted by Gebmeister
Hey everyone.

I was wondering how everyone watches F1. In a pub, in the main room of your house, alone or with friends.

I personally watch F1 on my own or with my Dad when he is in the house with my new laptop (free with my work!!!!) watching the live timing in the living room. I just if anybody had any recommendations to raise the viewing excitement (apart from a complete change in the structure of F1)??!!!

Well lately I am trying to watch it with a huge pot of coffee because I might fall aslep and miss that great pass from MS in the pits. I used to go to the Canadian and US GPs but I cut that down to one GP when Mika retired and then when JV got kicked out by Richards I rather spend my money buying more expensive cigars.

[Jodum5]

Originally posted by ScottL


Tifosi! Are you talking about Summers?!? I went there for the first time two weeks ago at 7:30 AM for the British GP. Were you there? Perhaps that was you in the Ferrari shirt sitting in the booth. I was sitting center table with a couple of friends.

I'm going to have to speak up this Sunday and ask where the Atlas crew is. Great to be at a place where there are some honest-to-god F1 fans!

I used to go to summers. NIce atmosphere, LOUD patrons. Am I the only person who actually likes to watch with commentary? I guess a sports bar is the wrong place to go for that... Anyway the last time I went was Hungary Last year. Was meaning to go for Silverstone this year but overslept.

On second thought, after reading connosur's post, I feel bad about liking to listen to the commentators. I have no problem as long as theres food, booze and friends (does that mean Im in invited now?)

[wawawa]

Originally posted by CONOSUR
Always with a houseful of friends. The main room has the full stereo and surround sound. The garage/smoking room has a large TV with excellent stereo accompaniment. The deck has a smaller TV with stereo speakers. The bedroom TV is on. The basement TV is on.

We usually have anywhere from 6-30 people, depending on which race is on. The European races all come on at 6:30am, so we have a smaller group. Australia comes on around 9pm Saturday night and draws 30+. Malaysia, Japan and China, coming on around midnight, usually draw 15+. Canada and Indy always find me on the road, so...Canada = none, but for Indy, we have 25+ in Indy coming from all over the country plus Canada, England, Germany and Japan.

For Brazil this year, we'll have a season finale blow-out with 30+ complete with post-race barbeque and party. We expect people from California, Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, Ontario, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey and New York.

It always involves too much alcohol, too much food and way too much fun. You know...just the usual stuff.

At the Indy pitwalk this year we saw a Mercedes whose license plate read "CONOSUR" - was that yours?

[MONTOYASPEED]

Originally posted by troyf1
Turn on the TV to Speed Channel. Watch the start. Wait for the obligitory spin, crash or grass mowing from Montoya. Watching Michael race off into the distance. Watch Michael take the win and listen to the German and Italian national anthems. Rinse and Repeat every two weeks

Sounds pretty much like moi.

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by wawawa
At the Indy pitwalk this year we saw a Mercedes whose license plate read "CONOSUR" - was that yours?

YES!!!

And, thus, the nic...

[CONOSUR]

Originally posted by tifosi
WOW!!!! when can I join you. Finally an F1 viewer after my own heart. Lots of fun and friends. I was really getting worried about all these posters that apparently watch in total silene. Hell its a sport for christsake.

All it takes is a PM...