[alias]

They've done a good job

[pharmaclid]

not really. the adverts have ruined it and caused us to miss a lot of the action, James Allen is an embarrassment. BBC coverage will be a lot better.

[Gintovtosik]

ITV's best coverage was probably the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. And that pretty much says it all really.

[aabbaDE]

The ITV coverage has been basically competent, but no more. As ever when ITV lose the rights to the BBC, no-one will be sorry except those who lose their jobs. No matter how hard it tries — too hard, a lot of the time — ITV just isn't seen as the natural home of sport on UK television and it doesn't deserve to be. Deep down, I reckon it knows it, too, no matter how many rights it buys in at once.

[alias]

not really. the adverts have ruined it and caused us to miss a lot of the action, James Allen is an embarrassment. BBC coverage will be a lot better.

I think most of the time he's pretty good. The switch from ITV to BBC won't make any difference here as far as ads are concerned, unfortunately.

[mbaueee]

I started watching Formula One in 1996, so pretty much all I've known is the ITV coverage. I have to say that Martin Brundle single-handedly raised the level of the coverage. Without his insights I would probably not have bothered with 2002 and 2004 It was great hearing the legendary Murray Walker for 5 years before 2002, and then came James Allen.

I think Allen is a clever man and he is so enthusiastic it's untrue. However he made a lot of mistakes, especially with regards to driver identity, which really you should never make. It's clear enough who's driving which car unless it's a very long shot, and even then you have some idea who it is. Overall he wasn't quite as bad as many people said, but he did infuriate me at times. He has seemed to improve over the last few races however. I wouldn't mind if he went to the BBC for 2009 but it'd be nice if someone else has a try.

As for the presenters, Jim Rosenthal was ok, but didn't have the raw F1 knowledge. Steve Rider was very good but I think he got saddled with some of the blame for the Hamilton-bias when it wasn't really his fault. I think he's just genuinely excited that Lewis is at the front.

Speaking of the devil, the Hamilton-driven coverage over the last couple of years has infuriated me somewhat. It gets to the point during the races where James Allen almost has to introduce a guy like Giancarlo Fisichella because he is almost never mentioned.

In fact most of the guys near the top 10 are never mentioned, like Jarno Trulli and Nelson Piquet. I hope the BBC can cover EVERY team and driver and not just the Brits. As proper F1 fans and not bandwagon-jumpers, we'd probably like to know one fact about every driver on the grid than 20 about Lewis Hamilton before every race. I like Hamilton but they should know when to stop.

A big talking point was the advert breaks during races. Yes, they've always been there but they used to be around 30 seconds before 2006-7 when they turned into fully fledged advert breaks. During a major sporting event. Enough said. I think they should run the Brazilian GP with no damned adverts and let us watch the title decider all the way through.

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, I feel like I did when Channel 4 lost Test Match Cricket to Sky Sports. I feel ITV moved F1 broadcasting forward a long way, and delivered a usually highly polished presentation, with a few niggles thrown in here and there.

It'll be a sad occasion for me because most of my F1 life I have known the ITV coverage, but I'm looking forward to new beginnings and a fresh approach next year. I hope the BBC don't regress the coverage by sticking a few people in a studio.

[dr-eavealer]

Thank God!! Let's hope and look forward to uninterrupted race broadcasts - no advert breaks.

[alias]

Thank God!! Let's hope and look forward to uninterrupted race broadcasts - no advert breaks.

...For the BBC.

Channel Ten is still going to have to pay the bills.

[dr-eavealer]

...For the BBC.

Channel Ten is still going to have to pay the bills.

That's OK!! Let's hope we get better webcast next year from the Beeb!! Bugger Channel 10!

[QEoMi752]

That's OK!! Let's hope we get better webcast next year from the Beeb!! Bugger Channel 10!

You're not going to get it unless you find a UK proxy server. The Beeb GeoIP-locks their live webcasts.

[Ruiceara]

Whenever I complain about Channel 10, it's usually met with stoney silence. The fact remains is that here in Oz, the Grands Prix will still be put on at stupid o'clock to make way for Big Brother, Australian Idol, Australia's Got No Talent, or whatever the hell stupid ass reality show that they put on... rararrarrr :

[alias]

Whenever I complain about Channel 10, it's usually met with stoney silence. The fact remains is that here in Oz, the Grands Prix will still be put on at stupid o'clock to make way for Big Brother, Australian Idol, Australia's Got No Talent, or whatever the hell stupid ass reality show that they put on... rararrarrr :

That p!ssed me off to no end until I got digital TV. Which has pre-race stuff as well as live coverage.

Too bad quali is still on at stupid o'clock though.

That's OK!! Let's hope we get better webcast next year from the Beeb!! Bugger Channel 10!

I can't stand watching the internet feed constantly buffer

[Eunatis]

We get the ITV based broadcast in South Africa with James Allen and Martin Brundle's commentary. We don't get their adverts, but some nice peaceful moments without commentary while, I assume, u are watching adverts. We were lucky to get all the practice sessions and quali live. Only quali and race sessions had commentary. And did I mention NO ADVERTS!!!

I hope we don't lose any of these benefits in SA when it changes to BBC

[VUzgOhgv]

North One have done a good job.

ITV have done their best to undo all that good work with shoddy scheduling, far too many ad breaks, and piss-poor picture quality.

Even in recent years when they've had three digital channels, how many times have we seen the post-race coverage cut short as they throw to Coronation Street or a Bond film which has been on a hundred times?

In the rare cases when they've extended their coverage they've not updated the EPG, so anybody recording the race will have missed out - ITV's duty office told me this was impossible but that's BS: the BBC manage it ok and even Eurosport occasionally work out how to do it.

I'll be watching Brazil with joy in my heart, no matter who wins, knowing it's the last race (at least for a few years) where I have to endure adverts and Sony ironically telling me how they make the most of HD while watching a sub-standard SD broadcast.

[dXI9XFOA]

ITV's commentators are too Lewis-loving, Ferrari-hating for me. I guess they never heard of balanced reporting!

[dr-eavealer]

You're not going to get it unless you find a UK proxy server. The Beeb GeoIP-locks their live webcasts.

So did ITV. I just rely on some very creative persons who turn up at pino's chat room for quals and races.

[pharmaclid]

ITV's commentators are too Lewis-loving, Ferrari-hating for me. I guess they never heard of balanced reporting!

Ha, very true!! How many times have we heard Steve Ryder say "we shouldn't forget the other British drivers" in the pre and post race broadcasts.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

On the whole ITV, or rather North One Productions have done a good job - everything that could have been asked of them in all honesty. Yes, the Ad breaks at times have been annoying but hey-ho...

Having Steve Rider as the presenter over the past three seasons has been a definate plus and he will be missed - how ironic that he was the presenter at the BBC when they hosted their "last" Grand Prix in 1996.

To me its James Allen - yes he is enthusiastic and knows a heck of a lot and yes he makes mistakes BUT to me he just isnt a commentator. His voice is too monotone and when he does 'try' to get excited it comes across as fake. He was better suited in the pit lane. And seeing as its he who does 60% of the talking, for that reason more than the uninterupted coverage I'm glad that its going back to the BBC - I feel that Jonathan Legard will be much better, more of a commentator than a presenter - and there is a difference. Hopefully Mosely wont get his way on Martin Brundle....

[dr-eavealer]

As I see on the other thread, it will be Martin and DC. For direct experienced information and discussions, I guess we could not have asked for better.

[Redys]

Whenever I complain about Channel 10, it's usually met with stoney silence. The fact remains is that here in Oz, the Grands Prix will still be put on at stupid o'clock to make way for Big Brother, Australian Idol, Australia's Got No Talent, or whatever the hell stupid ass reality show that they put on... rararrarrr :

this is for all you Channel 10 bashers
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/tra...s/s2395650.htm
Next year fifteen free-to-air television channels into Australia,