Comments on: Martin Brundle & David Coulthard For 2009 BBC F1 Team?

By: Martin Brundle F1 Fan

Martin Brundle F1 Fan — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:59:01 +0000

As a late update to this page – the BBC is keep it’s 2009 line up for 2010 as well. Shame the can’t get rid of Jonathan Legard!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:55:06 +0000

David shouldn’t retire from driving altogether. He is still young and can get the job done. I had hoped, if it is true that he will go to broadcasting, that he would look at the sports car series. Selfishly, I wished that someone in the ALMS series would be able to woo him to the US.

Or, perhaps Steve Windsor could have some how managed to get DC to work for SPEED.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:59:48 +0000

Think its great that Martin is at the BBC and Coulthard too, think Jake is a bad move though as hes just irritating and hardly knows anything about F1.

Plus the idea of a London studio is ridiculous, since ITV did away with studios the atmosphere has been much better, even thought Steve is boring and Blundell gets fatter with every race…!

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:59:57 +0000

Ann Bradshaw. Thank you! This temporary insanity/senility kept me awake last night. Many, many thanks Steven.

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:52:32 +0000

The only thing I can think is that you are thinking of Ann Bradshaw who used to be Williams press officer.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:03:05 +0000

I’m not quite sure where the Williams connection fits in

I think my mind is playing tricks. It could have been Louise interviewing Hill on the grid/paddock prior to a race in ‘97, ‘98 or ‘99. The more I look at the information, the more I think she didn’t work at Williams now. I’m obviously going senile!

By: Alianora La Canta

Alianora La Canta — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:22:39 +0000

Louise Goodman was Jordan’s first PR officer – she joined the team in 1993 and left at the end of 1996 to join ITV. It was during this time that she met and became partners with John Walton, who was chief mechanic back then. John went to Tyrrell/Prost, Arrows and Minardi after that.

I’m not quite sure where the Williams connection fits in – Louise was working for Jardine’s PR company immediately before Jordan. The Williams interview is an interesting nugget of information if true,

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:13:07 +0000

She was married to (or maybe not actually married) John Walton who I think was Irish and originally with Jordan. The first I knew of their relationship was when he died 3 or 4 years ago.

By: Alex Andronov

Alex Andronov — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:07:52 +0000

it makes me wonder how an Italian-based team member managed a marriage with a British-based team member

I really hadn’t ever thought about that. I’d been carrying around that nugget for a while but not really thought about what it meant.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:07:30 +0000

By the way, I’ve just discovered Louise has an awesome website in comparison to her colleagues. Well done Lou, great work.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:05:22 +0000

Louise was at Jordan

I think you’re right, because at the time, Jordan was quite the marketing machine and I believe Goodman was involved. But I also have an inkling of her being involved somehow with Williams and Damon Hill. I have a vague recollection of Goodman wearing a Rothman-Williams shirt and recording Hill over his shoulder as he spoke to the press. I’m probably crackers though, so don’t listen to me!

her husband worked for Minardi until he died a few years ago

I never knew that. That’s sad, but it makes me wonder how an Italian-based team member managed a marriage with a British-based team member! Wow! I know Minardi were more Anglo-Italian than Ferrari, but even so…

she caught most of the drivers on their way up in the sport

Precisely. That’s why I feel the broadcasting team should be more ex-F1 than new-F1. And less British-biased, but that’s another story for another day…

By: Alex Andronov

Alex Andronov — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:01:27 +0000

Louise was, of course, the first woman to ever take part in a real live pitstop.

She removed the left rear tyre for Tiago Monteiro at the 2006 British Grand Prix.

By: Alex Andronov

Alex Andronov — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:56:39 +0000

Louise was at Jordan I think, and her husband worked for Minardi until he died a few years ago.

So she caught most of the drivers on their way up in the sport.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:59:09 +0000

DC would have access to areas and people that Lee McKenzie would not.

I agree. Louise Goodman can pretty much get a soundbite from any driver just after they’ve retired from a race (when they’re at their lowest) because she has spent a long time in the sport (with Williams or Jordan, I think) and she knows the team personnel well. McKenzie, as you say, will have to spend the best part of a season developing the trust and understanding of these people before we get any real interviews pre-race or post-retirement.

By: Steven Roy

Steven Roy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:01:03 +0000

DC being DC would have access to areas and people that Lee McKenzie would not. She has to start building relationships in F1 whereas DC knows everyone and to use Jackie Stewart’s point about why he can get access to anyone in Ford when a lot of the big shots in F1 came into the sport DC was a famous driver while they were unknowns.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:31:01 +0000

Must admit I thought it strange that DC would be based in London for the grand prix – just assumed he would be required at the track for his Red Bull duties.

I do think it’s a good idea to have the presenters in a studio rather than shouting to make themselves heard over the noise of engines in the pitlane, but didn’t reckon on that studio being miles away!

Nothing confirmed yet though, so it may all change.