F1 goes to Sky sports

[Born Racer]

I'm intrigued to know what channel those who have Sky Sports F1 will be watching on this weekend. What's your choice?

I'm choosing the BBC. Watching the easy-going nature of the three pundits is more appealing than Sky for me.

[Peat]

Currently watching BBC. Will be watching BBC tomorrow aslo as at a friends for the race.

They certainly do a great job. Been flicking between the 2, Lazenby is a bit.......awkward.

[Lotusonpole]

I'm with the Beeb too.

Have they tinkered with the size of the graphics this year?
Same graphics but bigger?

For example, I'm getting the usual list of lap times to left of screen but they seem bigger this season so the drivers names bleed off. Pretty useless seeing the times and not knowing who set them. .
My TV is the same one I've had the last few years and I have not adjusted anything differently. I've looked at all the settings and the list bleeds off no matter if its on wide, auto, smart etc.

But still very happy with the BBC otherwise.
P

[safc_fan89]

It's broadcast in 16:9 rather than 4:3 now. I couldn't see the driver names last week when I watched it on an old TV.

[Flavio Galtieri]

I must say I think Anderson is a great addition to the BBC coverage, far more knowledgable than anyone on the Sky team. He adds a lot to the show if you are interested in the tech elements, and without needing a pad thing either....

I also think Edwards and DC are a far better combination than Brundle/DC last year, so I don't miss Brundle a bit.

Can't wait to see the viewing figures on Monday.

[safc_fan89]

Gary Anderson doesn't look very comfortable on camera.

I think what the BBC misses the most is Ted Kravitz running around the pitlane. After annoying me for years on ITV he was much better for the BBC.

I don't mind the lack of Brundle so much because when he's involved, the programme is in danger of becoming about him rather than anything else. That's the feeling I got from watching Sky's coverage of the first two races, the commentary didn't seem very natural as Brundle was trying to crack jokes all the time, with Crofty giggling in the background.

[Knowlesy]

Just finished watching the BBC coverage.

It felt so good, like climbing into freshly washed bed linen after a hot shower.

Sky devotees get Ted Kravitz and a charisma vacuum awkwardly trying martial arts i.e. the ITV template.

To top it off I didn't miss Martin 'excited about the tech features' Brundle in the slightest.

[Knowlesy]

On Anderson, he's always been good. Unnatural on camera yes, but does a great job just like he used to on Setanta.

[Paradise City]

Anderson wasn't good on Setanta, IMO. I could never hear him properly. I don't *think* it was me, I could hear Kennedy perfectly but he'd mumble away. He was just a voice and I voice I couldn't hear. From that I'd predicted he'd be terrible at the BBC.

WRONG! In fact, the BBC knew exactly what to do with him. I like the way they use him in diverse roles, not only as an 'expert' but they are happy to deploy him in the hunt for interviewees and he's delighted to do it. It actually contributes to the sense that he's part of 'a family' in which everyone gets stuck in whereas the Sky people are more regimented each with their allotted roles.

I also like the way he's got none of that professional showbiz manner that is part of modern broadcasting. It may come across as 'uncomfortable' to some but to me without that slickness, he's the only one that comes across as 'one of us' with a bustling enthusiasm for the sport. The paper and pen stuff just ads to the magic.

[Born Racer]

I know what you mean Paradise City. I think he's speaking a bit clearer now anyway, or the BBC are getting the mic levels right.

1-0 to Sky so far in terms of the show. Sky taking us deeper inside the sport apparently- only it's the wrong sport; doing martial arts with Sebastian Vettel.

If only they could combine Ben Edwards, Martin Brundle and David Coulthard with Ted Kravitz and Gary Anderson, it would be the best combination for me.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I also like the way he's got none of that professional showbiz manner that is part of modern broadcasting. It may come across as 'uncomfortable' to some but to me without that slickness, he's the only one that comes across as 'one of us' with a bustling enthusiasm for the sport. The paper and pen stuff just ads to the magic.

i like that too. especially when compared to eddie jordan, who tries very hard and just ends up with a bit of a tabloid view of things.

[rocketcar]

I dont know whether it is just me but for the past 2 races sky's coverage has been a bit shaky, lacking content, depth and all round flow. However today it was a big step up. It might just have been the replacement of DH with JH that made the chemestry work just that little bit better, the lack of adverts, or the realisation that people have a choice over who to watch qually live with.

In my opinion JH was excelent, the skypad actually got used for somthing productive and there was some (albeit limited) input from GT as well as a few good interviews, noticably that with the mercedes motorsport vp NH (cant spell his name so not going to try) and ross brawn.

Sky certainly seem desperate not to see viewers leave with uninturupted coverage from the moment bbc goes on air... and i am guessing till the moment bbc go off air as well. as once someone switches over durring the ads to bbc there is a good chance they are not comming back.

Even with a cracking race in prospects for tommorow i am half hopping for some sort of punch up between bbc and sky over guest tommorow just to add to the action just that little bit more.

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by bella

i like that too. especially when compared to eddie jordan, who tries very hard and just ends up with a bit of a tabloid view of things.

Eddie Jordan strikes me as being anxious on TV in a very fundamental way and this hampers his thinking. He talks faster than he thinks, the result being that when he does talk, the words that emerge are unfinished thoughts and half-formed views. He tries to compensate for this by straining to be entertaining. The result is an even wobblier piece of punditry. I do empathise with him. It reminds me of me when I was doing interviews for my first big job. Trying to think quickly whilst being cross-examined with unexpected questions and coming up with half-baked answers that I tried to cover using feeble attempts at humour. I wound up looking ridiculous. The thing is if Jordan ever successfully tackled the insecurity he apparently feels at being live on TV I think he would make a good pundit. Brief commentary stints he did with RTE and later Setanta where concise and professional insofar as I was able to detect [remember] anyway. He certainly wasn't a clown in his interventions back then.

Contrast that complexity with Anderson's simplicity. Anderson broadcasts in the same easy way as if he was in a private conservation. At ease and unaffected, he feels no need to adopt another pose for his broadcasting. It shouldn't work for someone so quietly spoken but it strangely does.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

If only they could combine Ben Edwards, Martin Brundle and David Coulthard with Ted Kravitz and Gary Anderson, it would be the best combination for me.

Bemaravedgar Brunardedscouvitzon?

[Raspberry]

BBC > Sky for me. Still. Always.

"Crofty" is so annoying to me, I've even thought about doing what I have to do with footy, and listen to music rather than put up with the standard execrable commentary. I say "even", because of course while I do miss the crowd noise on footy, I couldn't bear to do without the F1 noises - maybe I need to create myself a mix-tape of F1 sounds from Uchoob or summat.

Just a couple of examples (there were several more, but I couldn't be bothered to note them down) of "Crofty" being irritating to me, to try and justify my curmudgeonly cynically critical stance :

Jenson in P2/3 (?),on a lap after a quick one - "Is he going for another fast lap...he's 5 seconds down on Sector 1....has he backed off?" FFS...D'YA THINK?

On incident where Maldonado and Kovalainen were under investigation "Car 18 under investigation - that's Vergne". I look at the on-screen lap times and see Vergne is 18th fastest - my anorak is at the Dry-cleaners, so I just think "Hmm, that's a coincidence...". A lifetime later, "Crofty" spots his gaffe. FFS - he's got all the info in front of him...hasn't he?

Too much of the big silly excitable dog about him for my tastes, getting all carried away and knocking everything over.

[Mr V]

Would love to see how all the armchair commentators got on given the chance

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Would love to see how all the armchair commentators got on given the chance

Luckily we're consumers and not professionals.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Eddie Jordan strikes me as being anxious on TV in a very fundamental way and this hampers his thinking. He talks faster than he thinks, the result being that when he does talk, the words that emerge are unfinished thoughts and half-formed views. He tries to compensate for this by straining to be entertaining. The result is an even wobblier piece of punditry. I do empathise with him.

me too. and i do it all day, every day. when i speak out loud i'm a mess, stupid happens! i simply cannot articulate in words what is happening in my head. which is why i like forums

i just don't think live tv is for him. he's done some really good non-live stuff for the bbc in the past few years.

[djinvicta]

Watched the Beeb for 5 minutes this morning and changed to Sky. Just missed Martin Brundle! Far further depth, just a shame Jakes not there too. DC sounded well off the pace and nervous on BBC

[mikestow]

What a surprise to find a full live race coverage from the BBC.After 2 Races from my new SkyHD,which I do not find user friendly at all as you have to hunt for the correct HDMI channel,to get Sky again after watching a DVD or a Freeview channel,I wondered how the BBC would perfom?A really delightful easy watch of a magnificent Grand Prix,with the old faces I seemed to have missed.Even Gary in the Pits had much more experience to make comments from,although a bit unfamiliar ground to start with.His tactics comments were excellent and a welcome indeed for the BBC,in which they completely trounced the efforts the Brundle team have made so far.Jake is so much better than the still stilted Lazenby,who frankly I now find embarassing,and DC ,with experienced race commentator now on his CV,more than makes up for the lack of Brundle who I did NOT miss at all.Even the DC Pit romp before the start was as good as Brundles,and the Engineers/Start Line Teams/Drivers seem to give him every bit of respect,maybe more than Brundle achieved,when asked for interviews.Steady Eddy brought some amusement to the proceedings,and I really missed his Repartit when forced to watch the Sky lot.All in all very glad I went back to the Beeb,and will now only watch the Free Practice on Sky,if the BBC continue to cover more of the far flung races.I still have recorded the Sky version,and will just see what I may have missed,but I was very impressed with the big difference between the two of them today.Marvellous to be back watching Jake,DC,Gary Anderson and of course Ben is every bit as experienced and does not get as much hyped up as Crofty.

[Knowlesy]

Thankyou BBC for giving us Ben.

Back to Crofty and Tech next week.

[Adam43]

I hate it when you have to hunt for a correct HDMI channel.

Watched on beeb today, although i only joined five minutes before the race. I enjoyed it.

[Mr V]

Watched the Beeb today. I thought that EJ was woefull and cringeworthy on the grid before the race. DC looked out of his depth and not as comfortable as Brundle does.

During the race i thought that Ben was good, although he made as many mistakes as Crofty does, thats Petrov, no it's Kovalinen etc. DC was ok too, although i still prefer Brundles style behind the mic.

Gary Anderson sounds like he's just been woken up everytime he was on the mic. Still prefer Jake to Sky's anchor man.

[Adam43]

Quite enjoying chat and light personal abuse on sky now.

[Mr V]

Not wanting to go off the topic of F1, but it seems that the Beeb have Also turned their back on horse racing.

Even more money for crap soap's.