Melbourne GP (BBC Spoilers)

[Ray_S]

So it begins.

So far Sky's presentation has been top notch expect for that red button graphic that you can't get rid of.

Rollon FP1.

Edit: Not much action going on due to the wet track, already I am sick of Sky cutting away from the worldfeed to show pre-recorded VT's and pitlane interviews, also sick of sponsored by Santander 123 current account every ad break, though the HD picture is way better than whatever the BBC pumped out last year as is the 5.1 audio and finally the proper use of graphics in 16:9 rather than 4:3 safe.

Edit 2: Ok maybe the pitlane camera isn't such a bad thing now that we have a picture to go along with Ted's reports like Kimi's steering column problem just now, we saw it being tested then taken out of the car.

Edit 3: Massa bins in into the gravel trap at turn 9, no damage by the looks.

Edit 4: So ends FP1 with the McLaren boys 1 and 2 with Schumi 3rd, I'll catch FP2 later as its way past my bedtime.

[Windy]

Originally Posted by Ray_S

...already I am sick of Sky cutting away from the worldfeed to show pre-recorded VT's and pitlane interviews, also sick of sponsored by Santander 123 current account every ad break...

Adverts!



... So switch to the BBC live coverage - No adverts, no pre-recorded interviews - they are all live, only interruptions are the team radios

Jennie Gow is doing an excellent job in the pit lane (although I prefer to see her).

Not so sure about Jaime Alguersuari - his Spanish accent is not so easy to understand...

[JoCoLo]

James Allen was excellent today I thought.

[Windy]

Originally Posted by JoCoLo

James Allen was excellent today I thought.

I'm not a fan of James Allen but have to agree he did a good job and I think Jennie is probably the best pit lane reporter the BBC have had so I will be quite happy to stick with the BBC live coverage for all the races this year

They just need a better choice of ex-driver...

[MGJohn]

It's been a very long wait since my last F1 'fix'. How did I survive...

BBC F1 :~

Down under P1 and P2 Stats

Sehr interessiert...

Shaping up nicely but, still early days.
.

[Windy]

For anyone who wants the live BBC coverage of this weekends F1, it is all here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007m6lj , including recordings of the live practice sessions for anyone who didn't stay up or forgot to set their recorder.

Unlike Sky, there is no subscription to pay or even any need for a TV licence - totally free, even when live

[Dean Carr]

I think the story so far is that Mercedes are looking good, Red Bull are likely sandbagging, Mclaren not expecting any dramas and Ferrari are scratching their heads.

[JoCoLo]

Yes, I will be listening with the TV (muted) on RTL.
Quote above (Not so sure about Jaime Alguersuari - his Spanish accent is not so easy to understand...)

I thought this too, but then again BBC have a bit of a coup in that he's virtually a current F1 driver so he knows all about Pirellis, DRS and racing against nearly all the other drivers. His knowledge could be important.

One thing is for sure, that he will say "for sure" a lot because all F1 drivers do for some odd reason.

[patpending]

Good lord, it's this weekend!

This may be the year I stop following F1 - I stopped recording every race a couple of years ago. All I have from that is a huge pile of VHS cassettes of a lot of cars going round then the red one wins!

I had a cassette of the full Spa 98 complete with commentary. I lent it out.

[MGJohn]

Just been trawling the BBC's F1 web site. In Albert Park down under, Lewis Hamilton has given a couple of very level headed interviews which I found very refreshing. If he is ever able to take that considered coolness onto the track, he will be a more successful F1 driver.

Unlikely but, if the 'form' shown by the teams so far in P1 and P2 this weekend is a true indiciator, then this season should be very interesting.

P3 is @ 0300 UK time, Qualifying @ 0600. Another night's interrupted sleep is on the cards. May miss P3, I fell asleep listening to P1 in bed last night... ... set the alarm for 05.55 and see how they all shape up.

So the questions; have Red Bull and Ferrari deliberately not shown their true pre-season form so far and thus flattered both Mclaren and Mercedes-Benz GP? What about some of the teams just a place or two down the grid? Do they have room for improvement to challenge the top four?

I've had a few wagers prior to any wheels turning down under. Looking good and am pleased with things so far. Not counting my chickens just yet mind. Especially as I've just had my worst Cheltenham Races for as long as I can remember....

We shall see come 07:00 Saturday...
..

[Ray_S]

Originally Posted by Windy

Adverts!



... So switch to the BBC live coverage - No adverts, no pre-recorded interviews - they are all live, only interruptions are the team radios

Jennie Gow is doing an excellent job in the pit lane (although I prefer to see her).

Not so sure about Jaime Alguersuari - his Spanish accent is not so easy to understand...

I counted at least 4 ad breaks in FP1 and 5 in FP2 on the main feed, all is not lost though as you can chose which feed and audio in the pretty excellent red button feature. The interviews were live which cut away from the track action mostly, its just that they had pre-recorded VT's introducing some of the teams which didn't last long as I guess they had a ton of complaints via twitter and email, they better not have any breaks during qualifying though.

We had David Croft and Anthony Davidson on commentary also Ted Kravitz, Natalie Pinkham and Martin Brundle reporting from the pitlane and the back, with Sky Jake (Simon Lazenby) and Damon Hill around.

Originally Posted by Dean Carr

I think the story so far is that Mercedes are looking good, Red Bull are likely sandbagging, Mclaren not expecting any dramas and Ferrari are scratching their heads.

Originally Posted by MGJohn

So the questions; have Red Bull and Ferrari deliberately not shown their true pre-season form so far and thus flattered both Mclaren and Mercedes-Benz GP? What about some of the teams just a place or two down the grid? Do they have room for improvement to challenge the top four?

Have to say I agree with Dean Carr, the Ferrari seems like a handful, Massa went off though it was more his mistake and Alonso also almost got sucked into the wall at the final corner at the end of FP1.

Didn't see much of the RB's but they were apparently 12kph down at the speedtraps than the Mclaren and Merc AMG's.

Out of the mid-field probably Sahara Force India look good, the hammerhead VJM05 looked mighty in the hands of the Hulk.

But its too soon to tell anything really as the track was wet and then drying during both FP's.

[Dean Carr]

Originally Posted by MGJohn

Just been trawling the BBC's F1 web site. In Albert Park down under, Lewis Hamilton has given a couple of very level headed interviews which I found very refreshing. If he is ever able to take that considered coolness onto the track, he will be a more successful F1 driver.

Unlikely but, if the 'form' shown by the teams so far in P1 and P2 this weekend is a true indiciator, then this season should be very interesting.

P3 is @ 0300 UK time, Qualifying @ 0600. Another night's interrupted sleep is on the cards. May miss P3, I fell asleep listening to P1 in bed last night... ... set the alarm for 05.55 and see how they all shape up.

So the questions; have Red Bull and Ferrari deliberately not shown their true pre-season form so far and thus flattered both Mclaren and Mercedes-Benz GP? What about some of the teams just a place or two down the grid? Do they have room for improvement to challenge the top four?

I've had a few wagers prior to any wheels turning down under. Looking good and am pleased with things so far. Not counting my chickens just yet mind. Especially as I've just had my worst Cheltenham Races for as long as I can remember....

We shall see come 07:00 Saturday...
..

You paid Murdoch then?

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Dean Carr

You paid Murdoch then?

Has he bought the BBC now then ?

More seriously, never knowingly paid him. His monopolies are widespread and all enveloping. You and I could subscribe to his monopolistic uber-powerful empire without even realising it!

Much as I love F1, some of us have standards and even in the unlikely event that his organ provided a better F1 service than the BBC have done in recent years, I will NEVER subscribe. Alien control of UK interests is invariably harmful, in the longer term.

His prime target all along is to undermine the way the BBC is funded, even though apparently it's worldwide sales are very profitable. As soon as the advertisers call the tune, quality of service suffers.

Mark my words, like all those sports his monopoly have already stitched up, with the passing of time it WILL be much more expensive to view F1, unless those commercial organisations which currently support the F1 teams financially big time now cry enough when F1 is no longer available FTA.... Free To Air ... Enthusiasts who are prepared to pay the Monopoly are nowhere near as numerous as the more casual FTA F1 viewer. Here I have in mind one of the least car enthusiastic folks I know, namely my good lady, who sometimes takes an interest and watches the F1 races. There are millions of those type of F1 viewers and they buy stuff. The commercial firms financing F1 teams are aware of that.

It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Listening to R5L F1 chat as I write this, the wiser pundits predict another Vettel pole and win. How brave. The exception being the female presenter Jenny who bucks that trend and predicts a Button victory if precipitation imminent continues down under. I like the cut of that lady's jibs... Good for her ...

[Pete27011]

BBC1 is not showing the Australian gp live is it?

[Dean Carr]

Originally Posted by Pete27011

BBC1 is not showing the Australian gp live is it?

TLDR.

No I do not think it is.

On a disturbing note, did anybody see a female test driver interview or was I imagining it?

[MGJohn]

Originally Posted by Pete27011

BBC1 is not showing the Australian gp live is it?

Correct. ..........

[Ray_S]

Originally Posted by Pete27011

BBC1 is not showing the Australian gp live is it?

Nope.

Qualifying highlights on BBC2/BBC HD 17/03/12 at 1pm.
Race highlights on BBC1/BBC1 HD 18/03/12 at 2pm.

Live on Radio 5 Live, Sky, RTL etc.

[Pete27011]

i have sky broadband so may have to upgrade to f1 online!

[Ray_S]

Originally Posted by Pete27011

i have sky broadband so may have to upgrade to f1 online!

Thats pretty expensive, IIRC £35 per month for access to Sky Go on its own with Sky Sports F1.

FP3 brought a few surprises, both Vettel and Schumi bin it into the gravel trap, Grosjean was pipped at the end by Hamilton.

Now to get an hour or so of sleep.

[thatone1967]

Great qualifying session.... If that's anything to go by, it's gonna be a great race!