Bernie sold out - F1 moving to sky

[Shug]

No smugness from me (although I'll be getting the coverage for no more than I'm already paying, it still sits a little uneasy with me)

As we were discussing following the last GP on Sunday, the Beeb have got the coverage totally nailed. It's a proper shame that the team is being broken up and we're losing the current winning combo. There's another side of me that's quite excited about having a channel devoted to it over GP weekends, with much more in-depth stuff and (this especially tickled me) reference to the GP legends and looks at the history of the sport. That is, after all, what makes F1 that little bit more special - it's been the pinnacle of motorsport for over 50 years and at times, the most glamourous sport in the world - if the Beeb failed in any way, it was to skirt over this a little. Was inevitable as they didn't have all the time in the world and the budget went on the coverage - quite right too.

I think Crofty and Brundle will be a good commentating team - I wonder how Brundle will settle back into the pundit chair though, he was really good as a lead commentator, but so is Crofty and he has decades of experience on F1 (he's the 5 Live guy, in case you weren't aware) Guess it'll be all about how the chemistry works and we won't see that until the start. Crofty is a lot more chatty, knowledgable and deferential to those of more experience than Legard ever could be, so I feel it'll work.

Interesting times and I bet in our house, we'll be chopping and changing between the two options until a clear favourite becomes apparent - especially on the live races, of course.

[jason]

I agree on it being a shame to break-up the BBC's current formula. I f I was a Sky viewer I'd be nervous they were going to over egg the pudding, like they have done (for me, I stress) with test cricket coverage when I've seen it.

I wonder whether the BBC's non-live races will use Sky commentary or have their own guys for all races? Probably the latter, but would have been interesting to have heard the Croft/Brundle combo. I half suspect Brundle won't be happy taking the pundit role again - he's started to come across as being a little too self-important in the last couple seasons since taking on the lead role. No doubt in my mind that he and Coulthard have struggled a little to keep on top of things at times - neither coming from 'commentating stock' IYSWIM - and I think it will work well with Croft in that sense.

No doubt you Sky folks will be able to comment on this next season

[Lazydonkey]

Annoucement this morning

Commentators
Martin Brundle has proved himself as a driver and broadcaster over four decades, racing with eight F1™ teams and winning awards. He will be on-air every day of each Grand Prix™, dividing his time between paddock, pit-lane and commentary box. David Croft, BBC Radio’s F1™ commentator for the last six seasons, will join him for qualifying and races. For practice sessions for the majority of the season, Croft will be joined by former F1™ driver Anthony Davidson.

Presenters
Simon Lazenby, a live Sky Sports presenter for twelve years, will host each Grand Prix weekend. Georgie Thompson, host of a range of live sports events and Sky Sports News, will present a new weekly F1™ magazine show. And broadcasting veteran Steve Rider will stage a series of big interviews with racing legends of the past and present.

Reporters
Ted Kravitz, the F1™ reporter for 10 years with ITV then BBC, will bring news, interviews and insight from the pit lane and paddock. Ted, who will also co-present the magazine show, will be joined by Natalie Pinkham, formerly BBC Radio’s F1™ reporter. Together, they will gather insights from the most technologically advanced sport in the world.

Sky Sports Executive Producer for Formula 1™, Martin Turner, told today@sky: “We want to take viewers deep inside Formula 1™ and these are the perfect guides. Together they have the technical knowledge, F1™ experience and broadcasting pedigree to bring viewers the best insight into the sport.”

“In Martin Brundle we have the outstanding F1™ broadcaster – on the track and in broadcasting, he’s proved it time and again. Working alongside him, David Croft is a passionate, experienced commentator and Anthony Davidson can bring great technical knowledge to live practice sessions.“

“Ted Kravitz has huge knowledge of the pit-lane and paddock and he and Natalie Pinkham will get the information and access our viewers need. And guiding us through the coverage we have the experience of Simon Lazenby and Georgie Thompson. Each has hosted major sports events, from the British Lions to the Ryder Cup – they have trust and respect.”

[Dominic]

Looks like a decent line up,.. and no mention of James Allen

[Shug]

Excellent - frankly, almost a dream team. Kravitz and Pinkham are top (Pinkham did do the Kravitz role for 5 Live so heard her during practise) Crofty is brilliant and Davidson has a good eye, current experience and isn't actually afraid to be honest - has said a few things during practise from the racing driver perspective which make you raise an eyebrow - prefer him to Coulthard in the commentator/driver role (good though David was given his experience).

No idea about the Sky presenters that are coming on, but if they are in production meetings with the likes of Brundle and Crofty, it will bleed through to them. Glad that Ryder is being kept for the legends and classic stuff, as he's frankly really good at it - Goodwood coverage, for example.

Generally

[Tommy Twist]

I only discovered a few days ago that, as an existing Sky HD subscriber, I will have access to the new F1 HD channel for no extra charge...

Not looking to gloat at all, but just wanted to echo Shug's comments, i.e. if you already have Sky standard-def and have a decent-sized HDTV, and you don't have a Sky Sports subscribtion (and don't want one), then give the HD subscribtion some serious consideration. It may not quite live up to the oft-used "stunning", "breathtaking", etc. superlatives — Hollywood Blu Ray it is not — but it is a palpable upgrade from ('orribly compressed) standard def. Also, more and more shows are being shot in HD, so the content is ever-increasing.

[Tommy Twist]

P.S. The HD stuff is often also "'orribly compressed", but of course it's usually much less noticeable/objectionable...

[Lazydonkey]

Currently watching frozen planet in HD. Stunning isn't close. The breathtaking is getting there

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Tommy Twist]

Good show - imagine how it'd look on IMAX...

[campbell]

So who's left blowing the tumbleweed around at the Beeb for next season?

Anchor = Jakey
Paddock pundits = DC and Eddie?
Commentator lead = ?
Commentator deputy = ?
Paddock coverage = ?

I wonder what Virgin are offering to enable their subscribers to watch the Sky material. Presumably just the usual option to add Sky Sports package? (no thanks). Or will there be a bundle inside the Virgin HD "box", which we don't have but I do give thought to very occasionally.

[jen]

Do virgin customers receive Sky Atlantic HD?

[Tommy Twist]

Shame that the Brundle-Coulthard partnership had to be broken up. I thought that they worked well together – their enthusiastic banter even managed to make some of this season's less interesting events seem entertaining.

[Lazydonkey]

Do virgin customers receive Sky Atlantic HD?

No. its sky only.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

[campbell]

Apologies if posted already.

From Jake Humphrey's blog...

So what can you expect from the BBC next year and how will we make a very different season just as interesting to watch?

Well, the first thing to say is that EVERY race will be on the BBC.

I know you guys want live F1 but you will still get plenty of racing to watch - and often at much better times. Australia, Japan and Malaysia, for example, are races that take place in the early hours in the United Kingdom but we will show almost the whole race at 2pm. As well as that, the programme will be two hours long, so there will be plenty of action and reaction. For non-live races that are run at lunchtime in the UK, you can now enjoy a Sunday out, get home for 5.30pm and have 90 minutes of F1 in a peak-time slot.

The highlights will not just be a few token laps edited together either. We're talking extended, comprehensive highlights to really tell the story of the grand prix.

I can also reveal that the BBC presentation team will be at all the races, so the guys and I will be interviewing drivers, bringing you the usual banter and hosting the show in the way you've come to expect since 2009. So expect F1 Forums and the usual 60-minute build-up for live races. Plus we will have in-depth analysis from DC and others, as well as stacks of driver interviews for the highlights races.

Yes, it's a shame we haven't got 100% live F1. As a fan, I would dearly love to host every race live and you can only imagine how hard and uncertain it has been for all of us since Hungary, when the new rights deal was announced.

The team works so hard to make F1 a success on the BBC and it hurts that, after all that effort we've put in, things have changed. But the BBC has backed us with great on-air times and, as I have said, will be sending us to every race, while the usual back-room talent will be making every show special.

Thanks so much for your support, loyalty and viewership over the last three years. I promise you that, if you stick with the BBC, we won't disappoint in 2012. I am personally driven to make next year's coverage even better than ever before.

Have a great winter and I look forward to you getting a lie-in before I welcome you to the Australian Grand Prix in less than four months.

All the best,

Jake

Perceive a bit of honesty in there but also a lot not being said. Like who's commentating etc! But if nowt else, Jake is still there it seems, and that's a good start.

[StiflerMR2]

For some reason, and I cant say why, I just dont like Jake Humphrey - seems like a smug git to me.

Seriously considering upgrading to HD.