Rob Dylan wrote:Why do we see so few driver changes over the course of a year nowadays? 2013 we had one driver change for the last two races of the year, 2012 we had one driver change for one race.
We all know who's under-performing, and the last few years there's been some excellent under-performers who've kept their seats because their bosses have been too "safe". The comment article "Reign of the Finger" brings up the point that the team managers are being far too safe. Specific cases that I recall such as Bruno Senna having his seat threatened at Williams, and Caterham planning on putting Kovalainen in the Caterham half-way through last year, never materialised into actual action, and even this year the bottom three ranked drivers from last year are still all here, some seemingly secure!
I'd just like to see some variety, instead of teams like Ferrari waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting for their drivers to perform and instead just freshen up the grid a little bit.
I find it amusing that in the week since you posted this, we've had two midseason driver changes, equal to the number of the last two years combined. Sometimes, the F1 gods really do grant wishes.
Hey, I ain't complaining!
Murray Walker at the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix wrote:The other [Stewart] driver, who nobody's been paying attention to, because he's disappointing, is Jan Magnussen.
AndreaModa wrote:Edwards, Croft, Legard, Allen, the rest, they all just shout down the microphone to try and create a false sense of excitement. They either know too much about the sport, and don't appreciate it in the same way as the viewers (an almost cynicism), or they know f*ck all and don't get excited by it. Murray knew everything, he did all of his own research, and was as enthralled by the cars, drivers, tech, overtakes, etc as any 10 year old on the street. That's the sort of person they need in there - someone at the level of joe public. Not some saggy-eyed weary beige journalist who, when the chips are down, just smiles for the camera, cashes the cheque and mauls our eardrums.
Going to have to also disagree about Crofty here. Maybe I'm just biased because he read my tweet out last year, but he's always seemed very down to earth and a decent commentator.
F1 claim to fame - Offending Karun Chandhok 38 minutes into the Korean Grand Prix's FP1.
Comparing commentators to Murray Walker is a bit pointless because no-one will ever be as good as him. However, David Croft brings an excitable-child way about him which does work well with the level-headed Brundle. They do work well off each other which is good to see. James Allen was thrown in the deep end as a 'quick we need someone, anyone' solution and Legard was... Just... Awful. Ben Edwards I know from other forms of commentating and is very good and observant whilst Coulthard brings the same (if somewhat biased) approach as Brundle (ex-f1 driver who knows more about the actual 'driving' aspect).
What I like to see is one commentator acting like a hyper-child in a sweet shop whilst watching an overtake and the other commentator going 'and he did that move by doing this and this and making his car do this'. We want to see the overtake and know how it was executed not just be fed terrible one-liners (Legard) or unashamed bais and pointless drivel (Allen).
As for pit-lane reporters and pre-race pundits: No-one is better in the pitlane than Ted Kravitz. I would absolutely live to have a one-hour 'post quali/race report' from him. 20-odd minutes isn't enough. The entire Sky team are very good and all bounce off each other. As for Suzi Perry and Eddie Jordan, I want them to go away...
RIP NAN - 26/12/2014 RIP DAD - 9/2/2015
Currently building a Subaru Impreza to compete in the 2016 MSV Trophy. PremierInn spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital
Talking about commentators; none of the kids today understand how difficult life was twenty years ago watching some dull-a-thon like the French grandprix with a minging hangover and Jonathan Palmers dulcet delivery threatening to put you into a deep recuperative sleep.
I'm amazed an argument about who's good and who's bad at commentary can come from a small thing I pointed out, where both commentators say almost exactly the same thing, my concern was that "was this actually a generic thing that every formula 1 lead commentator, no matter what language flies from their mouths, has to say at the start of the race?".
Now that I've found out that it's not, why do the competing British based television factions still do it? I would expect Sky Sports to cling onto hook lines of commentary for David Croft to be heared on the sky glory montages, especially Martin Tyler's "...and its LIIIVE..." just before a premier league kickoff, but Ben Edwards doing this aswell? the more reputable commentator with the more reputable <pfft> broadcasting corporation?
"The worst part of my body that hurt in the fire was my balls" Gerhard Berger on Imola 1989
CoopsII wrote:Talking about commentators; none of the kids today understand how difficult life was twenty years ago watching some dull-a-thon like the French grandprix with a minging hangover and Jonathan Palmers dulcet delivery threatening to put you into a deep recuperative sleep.
The laps I missed due to that...
Jonathan Palmer could make even the most fascinating race unwatchable.
CoopsII wrote:Talking about commentators; none of the kids today understand how difficult life was twenty years ago watching some dull-a-thon like the French grandprix with a minging hangover and Jonathan Palmers dulcet delivery threatening to put you into a deep recuperative sleep.
The laps I missed due to that...
Jonathan Palmer could make even the most fascinating race unwatchable.
At least your commentators don't explain everything as if they're explaining it to 5 year old kids with a down syndrome. With all respect to 5 year old kids with down syndrome, but this isn't the right sport for that style. I'd prefer watching an F1 race with Dora the exlorer commentating over watching an F1 race with Flemish commentary! (and the funny thing is that all broadcasters make this same mistake, i guess it's a problem within our culture)
As a former radio DJ and current commentator for racing leagues I know first hand how tough it is to call action. You can sit there saying in your head "great move around the outside by Rosberg" and yet come out with sometime totally out of kilter due to the moment catching you off guard. I will say Crofty is the best of the current lot, Edwards I do like and I think Brundle works great as a tech second hand. Coulthard is too sycophantic, James Allen and Alan McNish actually work very well together
"Hispania are a waste of talent and petrol!" Martin Brundle, Australia Qualifying 2011
This wrote:At least your commentators don't explain everything as if they're explaining it to 5 year old kids with a down syndrome. With all respect to 5 year old kids with down syndrome, but this isn't the right sport for that style. I'd prefer watching an F1 race with Dora the exlorer commentating over watching an F1 race with Flemish commentary! (and the funny thing is that all broadcasters make this same mistake, i guess it's a problem within our culture)
Well, here TV commentators have the bad habit of saying bloody obvious things and with this I mean that they act like your were listining to them via radio instead of watching the race with, well, images and all that... Also, they tend to miss things if the feed only spends less than 30 seconds with it. Like a pit-stop for instance. Finally, they don't say "lights out" they say stuff more like "and it's the start of the race" or similiar as it at least changes from race to race.
Colin Kolles on F111, 2011 HRT challenger: The car doesn't look too bad; it looks like a modern F1 car.
Talking of commentary/how difficult it can be, try being 16 (me), and aspiring commentator (me) and Canada a few years ago with B****r all actually happening, whilst sat there talking into a mic for 2 hours on my own! I think there's a fine line between shouting to make it 'exiting' and actually being exited, you'll hear it in mine occasionally where I sound like I'm just shouting for the hell of it, whereas you'll tell when I am really really exited as my voice goes a bit higher!
Still though, I suppose that Crofty is as good as Edwards. Legard was just useless!
Bits in background are easily missed if the Comms box is not by the pits and their tv's aren't 61 inch LCD, usually a 21 inch monitor or smaller!
Do we actually need commentators... a couple years ago I was in Amsterdam at the time of the Abby Dabby GP and watched this on Dutch tv with the sound turned down and could just about follow what was happening during the race.....
WeirdKerr wrote:Do we actually need commentators... a couple years ago I was in Amsterdam at the time of the Abby Dabby GP and watched this on Dutch tv with the sound turned down and could just about follow what was happening during the race.....
This is all irrelevant, because until you have had to put up with Derek Daly, and worst of all Peter Winsor, you do not know pain.
Professional Historian/Retired Drag Racer/Whiskey Enthusiast
"He makes the move on the outside, and knowing George as we do, he's probably on the radio right now telling the team how great he is." - James Hinchcliffe on George Russell
Wallio wrote:This is all irrelevant, because until you have had to put up with Derek Daly, and worst of all Peter Winsor, you do not know pain.
James Allen on the ITV coverage, now that was pain. In fact the whole ITV coverage was awful because of the adverts!
It wasn't until those 2 years with Hamilton that ITV really became unbearable
NBC is pretty decent, but there are moments where it's simply stupid trying to listen. For example, their constant worrying about Bianchi being excluded from the Monaco GP because of the penalty situations. That was all they talked about for so ewhere between 3-5 laps, when there were better things to say. Seriously?! Besides those occasional moments though, they don't make watching Formula 1 completely unbearable. Sure, they're not worth much, except for Matchett, but they get the job done, usually somewhat well.
I personally can't get enough of Coulthard's formula 1-chess comparisons
Murray Walker at the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix wrote:The other [Stewart] driver, who nobody's been paying attention to, because he's disappointing, is Jan Magnussen.
watka wrote:And Bianchi wasn't the most interesting thing about the Monaco GP? I think you should leave...
They were talking about the thought of Jules being excluded from the results, when not having much info at their disposal (they thought that Marussia ignored a stop/go penalty when everything was resolved about what would happen at the end of the race well before then). It made me want to leave the TV screen and out of earshot. I knew they found a way around it, for me it was pretty obvious with the actions taken. The point I was trying to prove is that they might have not had too much info in their hands, but their constant worrywart attitude got to me.
I do understand that Bianchi was the most interesting and awesome part of the Monaco GP. I don't think I deserve to be here if I didn't!
Rob Dylan wrote:I personally can't get enough of Coulthard's formula 1-chess comparisons
INDEED.
Actually, I don't think it's just a DC thing, I think it must be a Scottish thing, as it's been pointed out to me that I'm guilty of exactly the same thing
Novitopoli wrote:Everytime someone orders at Pizza Hut, an Italian dies.
Don't forget all the "Crucial!" moments, as well as the wondering of "What Can He Do?!" as he "Comes Round The Final Corner!"
Murray Walker at the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix wrote:The other [Stewart] driver, who nobody's been paying attention to, because he's disappointing, is Jan Magnussen.
I liked it when Martin Brundle and DC were commentating together on the BBC, it felt like having two ex racers with good personalities in your living room. Having a nice jovial chat about their wonder years, and occasionaly talking about the race going on. They felt more relaxed and actually talked about things that would make me want to Google later.
Mind you, I know what's going on in the race. I can't say the same for the casual TV audience.
McJaggers wrote:I liked it when Martin Brundle and DC were commentating together on the BBC, it felt like having two ex racers with good personalities in your living room. Having a nice jovial chat about their wonder years, and occasionaly talking about the race going on. They felt more relaxed and actually talked about things that would make me want to Google later.
Mind you, I know what's going on in the race. I can't say the same for the casual TV audience.
I second that. Though David got out of hand on the DRS praise after a while. When our family were watching at the time we were waiting for the next time he would say DRS, which was about every 5 seconds
Murray Walker at the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix wrote:The other [Stewart] driver, who nobody's been paying attention to, because he's disappointing, is Jan Magnussen.
WeirdKerr wrote:Do we actually need commentators... a couple years ago I was in Amsterdam at the time of the Abby Dabby GP and watched this on Dutch tv with the sound turned down and could just about follow what was happening during the race.....
That's because nothing really happens there
But yeah..I think we need commentators. Not all the audience are made of die hard fans but, more importantly, they can build up tension and excitement. Take this clip for instance, from the dreaded commentator we have here in brazil. Back then, when he used to actually talk about the gp, the commentary really increased the tension/excitement towards the end of the lap! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZlh1URTwgY
the same can be said about any clip with japanese commentary
FMecha wrote:Talking of commentators, what announcer from a game would look good as F1 commentator and which one would look really bad as F1 commentator? :p
Greg Proops. He did the voice for the two-headed announcer in Star Wars Episode 1: Racer "AND ITS A NNNEEEEWWWW LAP RECORD!!!!"
Professional Historian/Retired Drag Racer/Whiskey Enthusiast
"He makes the move on the outside, and knowing George as we do, he's probably on the radio right now telling the team how great he is." - James Hinchcliffe on George Russell
FMecha wrote:Talking of commentators, what announcer from a game would look good as F1 commentator and which one would look really bad as F1 commentator? :p
Greg Proops. He did the voice for the two-headed announcer in Star Wars Episode 1: Racer "AND ITS A NNNEEEEWWWW LAP RECORD!!!!"
Star Wars Ep 1, eh?
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
FMecha wrote:Talking of commentators, what announcer from a game would look good as F1 commentator and which one would look really bad as F1 commentator? :p
Greg Proops. He did the voice for the two-headed announcer in Star Wars Episode 1: Racer "AND ITS A NNNEEEEWWWW LAP RECORD!!!!"
Star Wars Ep 1, eh?
I'm ashamed to admit I don't get the pic. Is that what Ankain has mutated into?
Professional Historian/Retired Drag Racer/Whiskey Enthusiast
"He makes the move on the outside, and knowing George as we do, he's probably on the radio right now telling the team how great he is." - James Hinchcliffe on George Russell
