Horses for courses here. As far as F1 is concerned I always hated Ryder as the anchor. I never felt he added anything and had no any real knowledge or desire to be there.

The people who overhyped this season have no one to blame but themselves. If they looked at things from a reasonable and logical perspective, they would realize that overtaking would be even harder thanks to how the teams have developed their diffusors around a certain loophole...


I think that's rubbish. He has a general passion for motorsport, he's doing the BTCC after all, a comparatively small series compared to F1 and for me that

I think he narrated some WRC season reviews also in the 1980s.

I think a large part of the complaint is around the fact that this race was boring BECAUSE of the regulations; regulations that were brought in ostensibly to improve the show. Yes there will be dull races through a season but they are surrounded by exciting ones. His concerns are probably that the (lack of) excitement of this curtain-raiser might become the norm - and at the moment as the only GP this season, it certainly doesn't bode well. There's a lot being pinned on the Oz GP now !!

Whereby DC blames Mosley, and yea it is indeed a sad state of affairs in F1. I bet if Bernie made a million pounds on each overtaking pass, then we'd see heaps of overtaking!

Constant patter??? Toe curling small talk more like!

Does anyone remember that Angus guy who did a few races for ITV at the back end of '06? I'm pretty sure he covered the Super Aguri story at Suzuka that year. I didn't think he was too bad.

New blog from Jake: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/20...fer_this_y.html

All I need is a live video feed for each session the rest is money down the drainhole

He was rather bland. Slick but bland. Jake brings more charisma to the role.

Jake is a very good presenter and an asset to the BBC. But he's a bit too 'nice' to be interesting in blogland.

Is he really going to say the race was boring a piece of shit? They won't say that. They want people to watch, otherwise people will question why they spent £30-40m per year on the rights.

That's my point. His blogs will (or can) never contain anything 'juicy'. DC on the other hand seems to be able to let rip a bit more.

I used to watch Jake in childrens TV and it seemed a but weird seeing him in f1, I thought he wouldn't have a clue. Still he has done alright and isn't afraid to ask questions.

Does anyone remember the blog he made with the audio he gets in his ear piece. Once you hear that you will see what an amazing job he does.

From someone who likes Steve 'smug as they come' Ryder.

No 'pit lane report' from Ted yet, I see.

Jake comes across as a genuine fan of F1, which if he is, he wouldn't say that anyway. The race wasn't a good one, but hell, I found some interest, and IMO it certainly was not a boring piece of shit. Just somewhat tedious, like many odd races over every year. I think the bbc highlights programme was a good edit, and made it look not so bad.... which actually IMO it wasn't.

He is. He rejected going to the Football World Cup to carry on presenting in the F1!



Agreed. I think to some degree that the Vettel/Ferrari battle kept the race going and made it enjoyable.

Now that'd be interesting to hear. Any links?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/20...the_action.html

It's scroll down for the video and take a quick look at the blog

It's probably more exciting when you're driving.

Although if I wanted to watch pitstops I would switch to the Newport Pagnell Service Station CCTV Channel.

How does the fact he is doing the BTCC equal a passion for motorsport? He is doing his job, if he refused to do it he wouldn't get paid. He could have a passion, but if he has he kept it well hidden when he fronted F1. I personally didn't like him, but if you feel differently that's fine.

DC can easily afford to be dropped by the BBC. When you take away the monetary worries it becomes much easier to say what you want.

We need more timing info, neither Martin nor Jonathan mention the time gaps enough and the on screen stuff is insufficient (and quite dull - grey???)

It's pretty widely known that Ryder is a big motorsport fan.

yes, Ryder is a huge F1 fan - unfortunately ITV ruined him, (same with Des Lynam years ago) - both were much better presenters on the BBC

I honestly think the whole Button/Hamilton bias which annoyed so many viewers (including me), back in 2006-2008, was ITVs decision to focus so much on the Brits, and Ryder had to toe the line...

This reminds me of the 2007 Brazilian GP where Ryder must have repeated the phrase "we make no apologies" a thousand times thanks to their Hamilton lovefest.

I saw Ryder at a Mercedes-Benz bash last autumn which was attended by Hamilton no less. Was very cringe worthy.

Yup.

See also Martin Brundle cringing with embarrassment when handing Michael Schumacher a 1966 England replica football strip. All done on the orders from, on high in ITV Sports.

Ryder alwas came accross as someone who has a passion for sport not just F1, but he was never the problem at ITV he was an old school pro in front of the camera. Humphrey is far better suited for modern F1 though.

I like them both to be honest.

Martin and Jonathan do have an access to the timing screens in the commentary box, but the timing screens in there are so small that you can only just make out what the say.

By the way, does anyone have a copy of ITV's coverage (full) of the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix? The reason I'm asking is in the Daily Mirror preview of the BBC F1 season, Jake Humphrey says:

"But after I'd got the job and no one knew I remember standing in the Red Bull garage in China [2008] watching Steve Rider live on air. It was a bit of a voyeurism really. Instead of being elated I thought 'I can't do it, what on earth have I got myself into?'."

I don't remember spotting him live on ITV's coverage in the background... just wondering whether anyone has a copy and would be willing to look in the background to see if they can spot him!

I loved Steve Rider and the ITV team. So much more professional

Sorry, I don't.

But this has just reminded me of something, it has little to do with the BBC though.

During the warm up lap of the 2007 Chinese GP, FOM used a 'tyre temperature' graphic on the screen - I believe on one of the McLarens.

That's the only time I can ever remember that graphic being used. But it existed! Wonder why they haven't since.. No access to it any more?

No way. Steve Rider knew very little about F1 and always looked as if he didn't want to be there. BBC coverage is streats ahead.

Sorry SirSaltaire, but I disagree completely with your points about Ryder.

You do know he actualy went to ITV because he wanted to do F1 it was his sole reason for going there at the time so he wanted to be there.

You don't possibly think the money might have had something to do with it?

How many years has Steve Rider been associated with British Touring Cars and been presenting the Autosport awards?

20 years maybe? I'm not sure, but what ever it is, he's been involved in motorsport for a long, long time.

I'm sure he knows a lot more than some on here would like to admit....

ITV was the problem, not Steve Rider.

Size of the screen would vary from track to track, no? But even despite that, Martin has no problems with reading live timing while Legards STILL needs someone explain to him how it works.

"And Massa's just set the fastest time!" (first/second flying lap of the session)

at this point it's clear that he (Legard) is not going to change his commentary style, the BBC should just get Allen back and that is becoming a more realistic possibility especially with the popularity of his blog

Watching some of Murray Walker and James Allen's old commentary, I really think Legard's commentary really does bring out the boring parts of a race. Murray was excitable and noble, James was enthusiastic and engaging (If not somewhat bias). Legard is as boring as watching paint dry and it really does reduce the spectacle watching it on TV. Furthermore he and Martin Brundle have no rapport at all and it really shows.

He always does this.

In Bahrain on Sunday on the 2nd or 3rd lap, I can't remember, he yelled "Vettel's just set the fastest lap!!!!"





I would generally agree with this, although Allen was a bit irritating sometimes. As I've said before, I think the whole issue of James Allen's "bias" was propagated from deeper regions of the ITV F1 coverage. In a time when they found a new audience with Hamilton in F1, they realised a big proportion of the overall audience would be Hamilton fans, and so they - understandably - catered to them. In many ways they had to.

I really believe that if you stuck Allen in a BBC commentary booth and told him the whole ethos of the BBC and explained some stuff, he'd be far less biased than people criticise him for.

Anyway, yeah - Legard doesn't have "it". He doesn't build tension, and so subsequently he doesn't explode in excitement. He just offers a bland, dull, repetitive running commentary. By the end of turn 1 on Sunday he'd already said my pet hate when it comes to 'Legardisms'.

"There's a problem there!"



No, Jonathan. It's a frickin' crash/spin/engine blow up/collision/other mechanical issue. He had to utter it in Belgium last year when Button crashed (Hello Jonathan? He's leading the WDC, don't you think it's more than a 'problem there'?)

Sorry for the mini-rant. I keep forgetting how much I dislike him.

Really hope he gets replaced next year so I can listen to the commentary properly.

Because the BBC lied to Freeview users (yes, lied) about the audio options it means I am probably stuck with out-of-sync radio commentary for this year.

But on a happy, happy note - Ant's back next race! Yay!

There are a lot of people who find Legard less irritating than Allen was. I find Legard much easier on the ear. Still not Murray, but then who is?

Just because Allen can write doesn't mean he can commentate. He is a terrible commentator.

There are also alot of people who in the past criticized Allen and now want him back.

Why was he terrible? How many times have people stated that he was yet had very little to explain why...

I always thought Allen was OK. Not great, because he doesn't have that spontaneity and excitability the great commentators have, but he does at least know wtf is going on.

So unlike The Leg he doesn't have to fill his commentary with cliches, repetition, padding, and statements of the obvious, delivered with that awful fake authority.

I LOVE his blog.

I can't STAND his voice with his attempts to be clever with words, or the presentation of his videos when he appears in them.

His blog is excellent though.

From BBC Press Office - provisional schedule for Malaysia:



I can't see any details of it following on BBC Two, DigiGuide will update tomorrow with that week's provisional schedules, so we'll have to keep a close eye on what happens.

EDIT: Have received confirmation that the F1 will move to BBC Two at 10:00 following Match of the Day and will run until 11:10. The F1 Forum will follow on BBC Red Button running until 12:10.

But Allen, despite his knowledge, always suffered from the same key problem that Legard does - they just don't know when to shut up. As for the excitability factor, with Murray it was clearly always genuine, the man lived the sport. With Legard, it comes across as horrendously forced and constantly out of context as he'll get excited as soon as anything happens, no matter how inconsequential or mundane it is, as if he's constantly feeling the pressure of his role to engage the viewer.

Allen had a long time to improve, and didn't really show any signs of doing so, but it's possible he might have learned to tone it down one day. Legard though appears to be a lost hope, he has too many flaws on top of what is clearly a rather large hole where his F1 knowledge should be.

Ew.

Even the shape of his head annoys me now .

I have a serious Leg allergy.