BlogF1

Watching Formula One online is something a lot of Formula One fans have asked for in recent years, and just prior to the start of the 2008 season, Bernie Ecclestone reached an agreement with UK broadcaster ITV to show races live via the Internet. Three races into the season I feel it is time to look at the services on offer and give my opinions on online viewing. Continue Reading

After twelve years of covering Formula One, ITV has lost the battle to continue broadcasting the sport. Instead, from 2009 onwards the BBC will incorporate the show into BBC Sports and will have rights to mobile, radio and Internet broadcasting as well as the television rights. The deal is for five years but it is currently unknown if Martin Brundle, James Allen, Louise Goodman and Ted Kravitz will make the move as well. Continue Reading

ITV, the UK broadcaster of Formula One, has announced that they have signed a contract with Formula One Management (Ecclestone’s company) to show live streaming of Formula One on their website. ITV currently intend showing action from both Friday practices, qualifying and the race through their site - a landmark deal that fans have been crying out for. Footage of the races will also be available to fans for up to 30 days after the race, allowing people to re-watch parts, or even watch the entire race at a time they choose. Continue Reading

It was a busy fortnight for Formula One, with several teams launching their new cars and the first official test of the year at Spain’s Jerez circuit. We saw Ferrari looking good with their F2008, McLaren looking promising and Nick Heidfeld driving his BMW F1.08 inside. Away from the circuit we also heard of some changes to rules and a possible budget cap for 2009. Finally, ITV received some bad news from their sponsor just two months before 2008 kicks off. Continue Reading

Every year, Formula One fans the world over bemoan the coverage of their beloved sport. Be it the broadcast from Bernie Ecclestone’s company, FOM, or be it each countries pre and post-race shows. The media aspect of Formula One also comes under fire with some regularity, with online viewing currently not being allowed and videos being taking down from all the popular sites. In fact, the only good thing I can see with the coverage is the official live-timing, but even then it sometimes slows down or doesn’t work as it should. So what can be done, what should be done, and what would we love to see in the future? Continue Reading

BlogF1 seems to be getting a lot of hits from search terms like “ITV F1 Theme Tune”, and “What happened to Jim Rosenthal?”. So, to please some of the newbies who have arrived here looking for something that isn’t actually available on BlogF1, I thought I would do a quick five minute search myself to see what came up.

According to Desmond Elmes who commented on DoctorVee, the theme tune to ITV’s F1 coverage this year is Moby’s “Lift Me Up”. In previous years, it was a tune composed by the colourful-hatted Jamiroquai, and the BBC used a classic riff by Fleetwood Mac.

As for Jim? Well, it is reported that Mr Rosenthal decided to concentrate on boxing, which is a particular passion for the man, apparently. This is all I have been able to gleam from the interweb so far, but it would appear that he was not sacked, and that Jim just decided to work on other things.

I hope that answers some of your questions, but don’t stop searching, Googling and clicking - the more I know about what everybody wants, the better I can make BlogF1.

Update: F1-Blog.co.uk F1 Theme Music Page - From here you can download ITV’s tune in Midi, WMA or MP3 format. The BBC theme is also featured on this page.

It has been reported recently that ITV may be doing away with commercial breaks on their British Formula One coverage, and instead following Germany’s lead by splitting the screen in two. One part of the screen showing the live action, and the other part showing the various purchasing opportunities. This story came from PitPass and via F1Fanatic.

This is welcoming news to me, as adverts have really hindered the viewing of races since ITV took over from the BBC in 1997. The most recent and worst offense of advert interruption came at last years San Marino Grand Prix, where Alonso and Schumacher were locked in battle in the final laps. ITV then cut away to their commercial break and the race finished without witness. Admittedly, ITV did show a replay straight after coming back on air, but it was too late for F1 fans who were already throwing their arms in the air in disgust.

ITV have also recently had a shake-up of the show, replacing the exiting Jim Rosenthal with Steve Ryder, and Tony Jardine has also recently left the show. Now all they need to do is confirm the new strategy on advert breaks and partner Martin Brundle with Murray Walker again in the commentary box.