[slowlexrese]

We heard the same crap with Button now here comes a guy who is actually winning so....the hype is even more!

Makes it real hard to root for Hamilton..with all the love-fest on TV commentry, you are bound to be irritated one day or the other...also the fact that he is a smug fellow who comes across as if he is faking being a nice guy...JMO

[Heopretg2006]

Unfortunately Hamilton is F1/Motorsport in Britain.

I do agree that the media coverage gets a bit much, but remember we are largely talking about it the British media here, and Hamilton is British after all. Should we expect ITV and the British media to hype up (just as an example) Heikki instead? I don't think so.

Unfortunately the British media do have a habit of building sports starts up and up, before eventually finding reasons to tear them down again. Sadly, that's the way we seem to deal with many successful and talented people.

Still, look on the bright side. It was worse when Mansell was winning In those days Senna, Piquet and any other "johnny foreigner" who challenged "our Noige" were the bad guys. Now, Alonso appears to have inherited that dubious honour.

[sposicke]

Still, look on the bright side. It was worse when Mansell was winning In those days Senna, Piquet and any other "johnny foreigner" who challenged "our Noige" were the bad guys. Now, Alonso appears to have inherited that dubious honour.

Don't forget Britain had a Johnny too...

But Nigel had car of the decade right there and then, of course he was going to get talked about more.

[NEronchik]

Does anyone really think that switching to Aunty Beeb will make things different?

Sure, they'll get rid of James Allen and Martin Brundle (sob) but I bet whoever gets put in their place will still be given the brief of "HYPE UP HAMILTON"
You've seen the viewing figures of Top Gear, F1 isn't for the "fans" any more, they're appealing to the casual viewers who think Lewis is a sweet kid who banks with Abbey and uses his Vodaphone mobile to call his granny.

Blimey, if you think this is bad, you should have seen my flatmate twitch when we lived in the same town as ma Schumi - there was twice the level of fawning he had to put up with!

[BqTyG9eS]

Allen is cringeworthy in his adoration for Lewis and it really is quite sickening. However, that's no reason to hate the driver is it? Hopefully the BBC team will put a bit of balance back in the commentry.

However, I'm amazed that so many non-British residents are surprised that a British Driver in a British Car is focused on by a British Commentator on a British television station.

May I suggest you get your own countries TV stations to provide commentry and stop bitching about ours

[Muhabsssa]

Alonso is regarded as a great because he won 2 WDC and so came into last season as the man to beat.

Lewis just about matched Alonso so is the hype not warranted?

no

[errolurberozy]

The rumours are that the Top Gear boys could get the F1 commentary next year - will Hamilton then be the next STIG...?

I just hope Allen goes away full stop!

[AbraxiaAsus]

Even on Saturday in an interview with Alonso - last year was brought up. Please, let it go. Unfortunately Hamilton is F1/Motorsport in Britain.

Nothing wrong with that. It was Alonso's opportunity to set the record straight. Unfortunately there are people out there who thought he was lying scum or speaking the truth; in the same way some people think Lewis is nice lad and some who think he's cocky and arrogant.

[Ferrotoral]

However, I'm amazed that so many non-British residents are surprised that a British Driver in a British Car is focused on by a British Commentator on a British television station.

I appreciate that they are British commentators mainly targeting British audience, but to think of them as only YOUR commentators is definitely not correct. The ITV feed is relayed in many other parts of the world, Sky Sports in New Zealand and Network Ten in Australia are among them. I think they underestimate the large international audience that they are speaking to.

Indeed other than the Speed guys in the US and the ITV team, I don't know of many other English TV F1 commentating teams. Star Sport has Steve Slater and Chris Goodwin (mediocre to say the best), but this says that Setanta, RTM1 (Malaysia) and DStv (South Africa) also carry F1 in English live. Does anyone know if they have their own commentating team, or if they relay one of the above mentioned?

[BqTyG9eS]

I appreciate that they are British commentators mainly targeting British audience, but to think of them as only YOUR commentators is definitely not correct. The ITV feed is relayed in many other parts of the world, Sky Sports in New Zealand and Network Ten in Australia are among them. I think they underestimate the large international audience that they are speaking to.

Indeed other than the Speed guys in the US and the ITV team, I don't know of many other English TV F1 commentating teams. Star Sport has Steve Slater and Chris Goodwin (mediocre to say the best), but this says that Setanta, RTM1 (Malaysia) and DStv (South Africa) also carry F1 in English live. Does anyone know if they have their own commentating team, or if they relay one of the above mentioned?

I'm not sure if they do their own commentry.

I still don't know why people moan though. You have a choice. Watch Speed or something if you don't like ITV.

When I go to France, I often struggle with the Language but would never expect them to speak English just to suit the odd tourist that pops over. Similarly, a UK team, featured on a UK program, in the UK, with a UK driver, will focus on their target audience. The UK.

[Greactbet]

This is a typical case of nationalism. The more he wins, the more we'll experience nut-huggerism from the British Press.

I hope Hamilton wins the title this year. But he's still got a lot to prove to be in the same sentence as Senna.

[Lhiistyssdds]

The British press/media kicked off the Hamilton/Alonso 'war' last year after Monaco, with silly ill-informed comments.

Based on info that they got from some Hamilton named guys, father and son! :d

[Ferrotoral]

I still don't know why people moan though. You have a choice. Watch Speed or something if you don't like ITV.

I'm not one of the moaners, I love Brundle and wouldn't change ITV's commentary with anything else. Well maybe BBC's Radio 5 Live but I can't listen to that anymore after BBC launched iPlayer last year. Can't complain though as I'm not paying the Beeb tax anymore after moving to the colonies

When I go to France, I often struggle with the Language but would never expect them to speak English just to suit the odd tourist that pops over. Similarly, a UK team, featured on a UK program, in the UK, with a UK driver, will focus on their target audience. The UK.

I fail to grasp the analogy. Living or visiting a foreign country with TV commentary in the "English Speaking World" is surely comparing apples and oranges. I've lived in a couple of countries and I've always tried to pick up the local language with various degrees of success. Indeed you can probably tell from my flag that I am not a native English speaker.

Back on topic though, and let me clarify my position. I love ITV's commentary, and I feel to a certain extent their passion for Hamilton is justified (maybe the fact that I'm a Hamilton fan helps that!). But all I'm pointing out, is that ITV's F1 coverage is not only viewed in UK, it is being broadcasted in many parts of the English speaking world. Perhaps not even half of ITV's viewers are British. As such, a little more objectivity would go along way in making everyone happier.

[QWNPdpr5]

I hope Hamilton wins the title this year. But he's still got a lot to prove to be in the same sentence as Senna.

head the nail the hit on.

Re-arrange the above to form a well known saying........

[NEronchik]

aryan,
But are the comercials aimed at people abroad?
If the big bosses have said to the ITV presenters "we need to keep the advertisers happy, they're targetting 24-34yr old women who are only watching because of Lewis" then of course they're going to hype him up.
If the other countries who are buying the feeds were to increase the amount they pay for the service if the presenters were to "big up" a particular driver then I'm sure Allens boss would be telling him to forget about the boy wonder.

[Roorseprate]

Compare Lewis with Senna is a sin

[Cgnebksb]

Compare Lewis with Senna is a sin

Which Senna are we talking about??

[Heopretg2006]

Based on info that they got from some Hamilton named guys, father and son!

The British media, tabloids in particular, are quite capable of making ill-informed comments all by themselves

[Lhiistyssdds]

The British media, tabloids in particular, are quite capable of making ill-informed comments all by themselves

Sure they are, but we all know that the Hamiltons were the ones who were putting gas on the fire last year in Monaco! Why? Because he "felt" that he was faster!

[QWNPdpr5]

Sure they are, but we all know that the Hamiltons were the ones who were putting gas on the fire last year in Monaco! Why? Because he "felt" that he was faster!

Well, that's because he was faster! He was more than a match for Alonso, pretty much from the get go. Very similar to how JV entered F1, having conducted lots of pre season testing. If you do your homework, you get the results.