F1 TV

[Barbazza]

I've put this topic in this section because for UK viewers, other than live timing there is no current option for watching F1 this season, whereas there is now an option to pay for the archive package for £19.99 per annum.

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me, but I'd love to know exactly what I'd be getting, and the website isn't entirely forthcoming on that. The fact that their 'headline' archive races for Australia includes only highlights of Australia 89 seems a bit odd, as surely that exists in full? Also, I'd love to know what commentary I'd get, as I'd only be interested in UK commentary.

Has anyone taken the plunge?

[Nuppiz]

Based solely on that one occasion when their official YouTube channel featured the 2001 Malaysian GP in full, I believe the F1 archive footage mostly features British commentary.

That also might be why some older flyaway races only have highlights available, as to my knowledge they weren't broadcast in full on British TV until the 90s.

This is just assumptions - haven't tried the service myself yet - but could very well be the case here.

[Rob Dylan]

I'm about to get my first taste of Finnish F1 broadcasting - a half-hour programme for qualifying - and the race highlights on Sunday, which are about an hour. I think the whole race is being re-shown on Monday, but if the race is bad I'll probably cancel that recording.

So back in the UK, is there literally not even a highlights package from Channel 4 or anything?

[dinizintheoven]

There's a highlights package, but they're not allowed to show quite as much of the race as they did previously.

*switches on RTL with a two-second delay on the picture*

[dr-baker]

There's a highlights package, but they're not allowed to show quite as much of the race as they did previously.

*switches on RTL with a two-second delay on the picture*

With Radio 5 Live commentary?

[Barbazza]

I spoke to an F1 loving friend and his words were 'you will love it' so I probably will take the plunge. I gather that there are different options for commentary but the English one will be Murray / James Allen / whoever.

Nuppiz - I think you are right. I noticed that they have listed the 89 Australian GP as 'Highlights' even though it's nearly 2 hours long. This will probably be because they've used the Australian / BBC coverage as a basis and I distinctly remember that they showed nothing of the aborted first couple of laps but most of the rest so the timing would make sense!

[Rob Dylan]

My first taste of Finnish F1 broadcasting was...lacklustre. A half-hour highlights, including adverts, in which the first two minutes skimmed over the entire qualifying, and 75% of that was Hamilton and Bottas's Q3 laps. The rest of it was nonsense guff.

Having found out that Hamilton was on pole before watching the show, I learned literally nothing more than the front row, and that Räikkönen was ninth. Yeah, that show was pretty bad.

[dinizintheoven]

With Radio 5 Live commentary?

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...correct.

[dr-baker]

With Radio 5 Live commentary?

...correct.

Sie sprechen nicht deutsche?

[dinizintheoven]

Not enough to understand 90% of the commentary, and then there's those awkward moments of dead air when the commentators forget to say anything...

[dr-baker]

Not enough to understand 90% of the commentary, and then there's those awkward moments of dead air when the commentators forget to say anything...

You would be doing better than me if you could actually understand 10%! Last time I studied German, it was at GCSE level, in the last century, nay in the last millenium!

[dinizintheoven]

[quote="dr-baker"You would be doing better than me if you could actually understand 10%! Last time I studied German, it was at GCSE level, in the last century, nay in the last millenium![/quote]
Ditto, and my last German exam was in 1995. A few trips over there for Wacken and other such festivals have shaken off a bit of the rust.

[dr-baker]

You would be doing better than me if you could actually understand 10%! Last time I studied German, it was at GCSE level, in the last century, nay in the last millenium!

Ditto, and my last German exam was in 1995. A few trips over there for Wacken and other such festivals have shaken off a bit of the rust.

I have never been to Germany, and I have only spent a few hours in Switzerland (however long it takes to get to France from Italy via Switzerland - the most beautiful drive I have done yet). Even travelling to Dublin with a German and an Austrian didn't help improve my linguistic ability.

[dinizintheoven]

...and when I said "a few trips", it's at least 14, and that's only when I went to Germany, rather than merely through it...

[dr-baker]

...and when I said "a few trips", it's at least 14, and that's only when I went to Germany, rather than merely through it...

Ahh, nicht schlecht....

[Wallio]

Bought F1TV last month since here in America watching races live is a challenge. Most of the archived bits have multiple commentary options. Some just have English, and some don't have any.

[Nuppiz]

Seriously considering to pick up F1 TV Access. Just checked and it's a mere 27 € for the whole year, which is just a bit over 2 € a month. A pretty good deal considering all of that juicy archival content!

[dr-baker]

I have just looked this app up on Aplle App Store. Rating of 1.5?! What the...