bdcardinal said:Well looks like a long night for Mercedes tonight after Bottas brushed the wall with a little too much force.[/quote
So, is the U.S. getting the Sky commentating team this year? Crofty was talking up Red Bull and being dismissive of Ferrari until Kimi demonstrated that Marchionne or someone else must have lit a firecracker under his backside, and Vettel had an amazing Q2. Despite Autosport's and Sky's best wishes, Ferrari is not fourth or fifth this year - at least not this weekend. Apparently, even Toto warned that Ferrari had their engines turned down all weekend so far.
I feel for Bottas, for sure. I don't feel for Mercedes, though.
F1 - 2018 Australian Grand Prix
- Thread starter gofast182
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I could not believe how ugly the cars are this year. I knew the halos would not be a good look
but the front wing and sides look like the car just crashed into a venetian blind.The engine cover
has me wishing for the old fin. Oh yeah, from the back they resemble dune buggies.
On the positive side I'm looking forward to the race coverage. Qualifying showed the TV cameras in areas
and views not seen before.
but the front wing and sides look like the car just crashed into a venetian blind.The engine cover
has me wishing for the old fin. Oh yeah, from the back they resemble dune buggies.
On the positive side I'm looking forward to the race coverage. Qualifying showed the TV cameras in areas
and views not seen before.
Originally Posted By: Garak
I feel for Bottas, for sure. I don't feel for Mercedes, though.
Perfectly said.
I feel for Bottas, for sure. I don't feel for Mercedes, though.
Perfectly said.
Originally Posted By: Garak
So, is the U.S. getting the Sky commentating team this year? Crofty was talking up Red Bull and being dismissive of Ferrari until Kimi demonstrated that Marchionne or someone else must have lit a firecracker under his backside, and Vettel had an amazing Q2. Despite Autosport's and Sky's best wishes, Ferrari is not fourth or fifth this year - at least not this weekend. Apparently, even Toto warned that Ferrari had their engines turned down all weekend so far.
I feel for Bottas, for sure. I don't feel for Mercedes, though.
Yes ESPN is carrying the Sky feed.
I just feel bad for the mechanics, late night/early morning for them.
So, is the U.S. getting the Sky commentating team this year? Crofty was talking up Red Bull and being dismissive of Ferrari until Kimi demonstrated that Marchionne or someone else must have lit a firecracker under his backside, and Vettel had an amazing Q2. Despite Autosport's and Sky's best wishes, Ferrari is not fourth or fifth this year - at least not this weekend. Apparently, even Toto warned that Ferrari had their engines turned down all weekend so far.
I feel for Bottas, for sure. I don't feel for Mercedes, though.
Yes ESPN is carrying the Sky feed.
I just feel bad for the mechanics, late night/early morning for them.
I watched the qualifying on Univision because for some reason ESPN 2 didn't fire off on my DVR. First off the HALO = UGLY! Then you can imagine my complete surprise at the qualifying order. Hamilton, followed by..... Wait for it..... Ferrari! Who could of possibly guessed that? And then to really throw a curve into the mix, that guy Verstappen is somewhere after that. Boy this is shaping up to be a season like no other!
And thank God they finally got rid of those ugly grid girls! Boy that Formula 1 Administration Limited is really on the ball!!
And thank God they finally got rid of those ugly grid girls! Boy that Formula 1 Administration Limited is really on the ball!!
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I just feel bad for the mechanics, late night/early morning for them.
Yes, they will not have a fun time.
Bill, but it is a surprise! The autosport media, including Sky (except Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert, who aren't simply journalists/cheerleaders; I don't know what Damon Hill was saying) assured us that Ferrari wouldn't be in the mix this year, and could be as low as fifth. So, it's a big surprise.
I wonder how obvious the cheerleading would become if a real historic British team like Williams or McLaren had a massive resurgence and with British drivers. Put Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton into a front running Williams team and Crofty and company would be positively giddy. Don't get me wrong. I'm an anglophile. I cheer drivers more than teams, but Williams is my favorite team. The media bias is pretty obvious, though. Of course, Horner gives them so much air time it's hard for them to give him much of a difficult time. But, I do see why Maurizio won't speak to English language media unless absolutely necessary. Then again, Italian media are like sharks for Ferrari.
It was rather nice of Bernie to lob a couple hand grenades again, all the way around the world. Liberty should count its blessings that Bernie isn't thirty years younger.
I just feel bad for the mechanics, late night/early morning for them.
Yes, they will not have a fun time.
Bill, but it is a surprise! The autosport media, including Sky (except Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert, who aren't simply journalists/cheerleaders; I don't know what Damon Hill was saying) assured us that Ferrari wouldn't be in the mix this year, and could be as low as fifth. So, it's a big surprise.
I wonder how obvious the cheerleading would become if a real historic British team like Williams or McLaren had a massive resurgence and with British drivers. Put Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton into a front running Williams team and Crofty and company would be positively giddy. Don't get me wrong. I'm an anglophile. I cheer drivers more than teams, but Williams is my favorite team. The media bias is pretty obvious, though. Of course, Horner gives them so much air time it's hard for them to give him much of a difficult time. But, I do see why Maurizio won't speak to English language media unless absolutely necessary. Then again, Italian media are like sharks for Ferrari.
It was rather nice of Bernie to lob a couple hand grenades again, all the way around the world. Liberty should count its blessings that Bernie isn't thirty years younger.
Well ESPN is trying. I think they keep switching to a dead feed. Just a still shot of one of the corners through Sky.
You Australian's sure have a beautiful anthem. And the C-17 pilot makes Sully look like someone who just finished flight school.
I love the Sky broadcast but when ESPN cuts to commercials we don't get "while you were away" when they return.
The fly-over pic posted on FB.
That was the most exciting part of the whole race!
I'm willing to cut ESPN some slack for the race itself; it was the first one, and maybe they'll get better at inserting the commercial breaks into the feed. But that pre-race was amateur hour. At first, I didn't even realize that it was one of the "Brundell" brothers doing the commentary.
Aside from Vettel, the McLaren principals were probably the happiest in the paddock. They did get lucky because Haas imploded, but it appears that they can at least consistently compete and finish races in the midfield again.
Toro Rosso? They don't award points and championships for testing, nor does bravado doesn't count for anything. I get that F1 was one of Hartley's lifelong goals, but I wonder how being an F1 backmarker compares to having a first class sports car or IndyCar ride? I guess the money helps salve the misery, and it's an easier path to go back than the one to F1.
Bowl cuts for everyone!
Aside from Vettel, the McLaren principals were probably the happiest in the paddock. They did get lucky because Haas imploded, but it appears that they can at least consistently compete and finish races in the midfield again.
Toro Rosso? They don't award points and championships for testing, nor does bravado doesn't count for anything. I get that F1 was one of Hartley's lifelong goals, but I wonder how being an F1 backmarker compares to having a first class sports car or IndyCar ride? I guess the money helps salve the misery, and it's an easier path to go back than the one to F1.
Bowl cuts for everyone!
I think what would really help the ESPN broadcast is having a "host" like Fox does with Formula E. Someone to give a quick 30 second recap of what happened during the commercial break, then do the "and now back to the Hamilton cheer squad" before cutting back to the Sky feed.
That would require effort, and money, and ESPN has neither when it comes to auto racing (which is doubly insulting considering the effort it once put into racing; remember RPM2Night?). I think it was clearly a fallback option for F1, after NBC said no thanks.
The silver lining is that IndyCar's new deal with NBC is another in a series of positive moves it has made, and part of a larger renaissance.
American sports broadcasters and excellent at ball/stick sports, where the action is confined to one spot, and there are pre-prescribed intermissions that allow for easy commercial interruptions. Racing needs an alert director, overseeing an uninterrupted broadcast, which is at odds with the business model, even more so when it's a niche sport that draws small audiences in the U.S.
The silver lining is that IndyCar's new deal with NBC is another in a series of positive moves it has made, and part of a larger renaissance.
American sports broadcasters and excellent at ball/stick sports, where the action is confined to one spot, and there are pre-prescribed intermissions that allow for easy commercial interruptions. Racing needs an alert director, overseeing an uninterrupted broadcast, which is at odds with the business model, even more so when it's a niche sport that draws small audiences in the U.S.
Originally Posted By: tig1
Who was on the podium? 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
Without being too obvious for a spoiler, driver with the new really bad haircut, driver with a consistent bad haircut, and driver who is the teammate of the new really bad haircut driver.
Who was on the podium? 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
Without being too obvious for a spoiler, driver with the new really bad haircut, driver with a consistent bad haircut, and driver who is the teammate of the new really bad haircut driver.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Without being too obvious for a spoiler, driver with the new really bad haircut, driver with a consistent bad haircut, and driver who is the teammate of the new really bad haircut driver.
Vettel looks like Moe of the Three Stooges.
Without being too obvious for a spoiler, driver with the new really bad haircut, driver with a consistent bad haircut, and driver who is the teammate of the new really bad haircut driver.
Vettel looks like Moe of the Three Stooges.
Originally Posted By: Carmudgeon
I'm willing to cut ESPN some slack for the race itself; it was the first one, and maybe they'll get better at inserting the commercial breaks into the feed. But that pre-race was amateur hour. At first, I didn't even realize that it was one of the "Brundell" brothers doing the commentary.....
That was without question the absolute WORST Formula 1 race coverage I've seen in the last 20 years I've been watching F1. It was beyond bad. It was a total joke. The 30 minute "pre race" show had no sound, and almost as little camera movement, for almost 20 minutes. I ended up fast forwarding through the whole thing.
The race coverage by Sky was total amateur hour. God I miss Hobbs and Matchett already. As much as I hated Buxton, along with his over caffeinated "grid walk", I'll take it over that clown Brundle any day. Between the lousy haircuts, no grid girls, amateur broadcasting, and boring racing, it may just be time to park watching F1 for a while. This season is quickly shaping up to be a repeat of last........ With a lousier broadcast bunch.
I'm willing to cut ESPN some slack for the race itself; it was the first one, and maybe they'll get better at inserting the commercial breaks into the feed. But that pre-race was amateur hour. At first, I didn't even realize that it was one of the "Brundell" brothers doing the commentary.....
That was without question the absolute WORST Formula 1 race coverage I've seen in the last 20 years I've been watching F1. It was beyond bad. It was a total joke. The 30 minute "pre race" show had no sound, and almost as little camera movement, for almost 20 minutes. I ended up fast forwarding through the whole thing.
The race coverage by Sky was total amateur hour. God I miss Hobbs and Matchett already. As much as I hated Buxton, along with his over caffeinated "grid walk", I'll take it over that clown Brundle any day. Between the lousy haircuts, no grid girls, amateur broadcasting, and boring racing, it may just be time to park watching F1 for a while. This season is quickly shaping up to be a repeat of last........ With a lousier broadcast bunch.
Granted that the coverage was bad but was it just my imagination or was the
actual broadcast image better than before?
actual broadcast image better than before?
The picture clarity was good.
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