2020 Styrian Grand Prix - Spielberg, 10-12 July

[El Scorchio]

Good news for them, possibly not for the rest of the field.

[dans79]

Absolutely- it's all about trying to drag casual/new viewers in with those features and endless talking heads and interviews rather than appealing to some of the more hardcore fans, (although i think they do a good job of building up the 15 minutes or so before a race start) and also it's very important for ad revenues for the broadcaster to have lengthy pre and post race shows. Anything live will get so many more viewers than if they shoved on library programming until 10 minutes before the race. It doesn't really cost the a great deal more to broadcast for longer from the track seen as most of the costs are the same regardless of how long you broadcast for. If they can eke out a 90 minute (ish) race into a 4 hour event, then they are making a hell of a lot more money. Unfortunately that does mean a lot of chat and fluff. But that's with all sports rather than just F1.

I don't have a problem with the chatting and what not, what I have a real problem with, is the constant need to dumb everything down to a toddlers level. My other major issue is with Crofty and his attempt to hype up anything that even looks like a possible pass attempt. Some times sky feels like I'm watching some low rate reality tv show.

[TNTHead]

Isn't next weeks second race back to back on the same circuit an unprecedented novelty in F1?

[Sieper]

Per Albert Fabrega, Merc was able to address its gearbox sensor issues. No gearbox-related penalties are necessary.

But if/when (strike out what does not apply) Merc is in 1/2 again with the rest of the field not keeping up, it might Just rear it’s ugly head again. Just kidding, and likely it will be Lewis in P1 This time around and Bottas I don’t see being quick enough to threaten Lewis (on equally old same compound tires).

[Sieper]

Isn't next weeks second race back to back on the same circuit an unprecedented novelty in F1?

It is. But somehow, maybe as the season is still so fresh, it doesn’t bother me. Plus previous race was a good one. Not for me as a max fan but overall.

[PlatinumZealot]

I liked BBC with Brundle, Jake, Ted, Coulthard, Eddie Jordan..
Sky is not half bad. More PC, more relaxed. It is watchable. Crofty is paid to hype things up, but his jokes are uninspiring, and he has little insight into the drivers, and is not creative when it comes to stirring up trouble.

[dans79]

Per Albert Fabrega, Merc was able to address its gearbox sensor issues. No gearbox-related penalties are necessary.

But if/when (strike out what does not apply) Merc is in 1/2 again with the rest of the field not keeping up, it might Just rear it’s ugly head again. Just kidding, and likely it will be Lewis in P1 This time around and Bottas I don’t see being quick enough to threaten Lewis (on equally old same compound tires).

Personally I think the electromechanical gremlins that affected several teams are because they through so many upgrades on the cars at once without any real integration testing. Upgrades that would have normally been bolted on over the course of 5 or 6 race weekends, all got put on at once.

[Sieper]

Per Albert Fabrega, Merc was able to address its gearbox sensor issues. No gearbox-related penalties are necessary.

But if/when (strike out what does not apply) Merc is in 1/2 again with the rest of the field not keeping up, it might Just rear it’s ugly head again. Just kidding, and likely it will be Lewis in P1 This time around and Bottas I don’t see being quick enough to threaten Lewis (on equally old same compound tires).

Personally I think the electromechanical gremlins that affected several teams are because they through so many upgrades on the cars at once without any real integration testing. Upgrades that would have normally been bolted on over the course of 5 or 6 race weekends, all got put on at once.

that is undeniably true. We did have 9 DNFs to make that point. I feel it was a little too convenient (and a smart way to keep your drivers at bay without totally upsetting them in race one) but that is just how it works in my head. I immediately felt that way when Lewis started getting really close and he was sort of called of. At first Bottas still kept using the kerbs and so the team made it abundantly clear to him as well (otherwise Lewis might not have accepted the call/ask not to use the kerbs).

[Wynters]

Absolutely- it's all about trying to drag casual/new viewers in with those features and endless talking heads and interviews rather than appealing to some of the more hardcore fans, (although i think they do a good job of building up the 15 minutes or so before a race start) and also it's very important for ad revenues for the broadcaster to have lengthy pre and post race shows. Anything live will get so many more viewers than if they shoved on library programming until 10 minutes before the race. It doesn't really cost the a great deal more to broadcast for longer from the track seen as most of the costs are the same regardless of how long you broadcast for. If they can eke out a 90 minute (ish) race into a 4 hour event, then they are making a hell of a lot more money. Unfortunately that does mean a lot of chat and fluff. But that's with all sports rather than just F1.

Very good points. I may despise it, but you are right that the reality is that for F1 to exist it needs viewers and getting new viewers is a much better focus for strategy than retaining existing ones.

I like to look at it that it might capture more new viewers and keep the sport as popular as it can be, even if i don't really watch it myself!

Put like that, it's hard to disagree

[Sieper]

I cannot watch Sky, But whatever does get posted on YouTube I always find interesting and well done.

The hyping up is not part of those videos, but sometimes the races are boring, or almost boring, so I can imagine where that is coming from. I usually just chat with mates watching with me at those times.

[etusch]

Isn't next weeks second race back to back on the same circuit an unprecedented novelty in F1?

If it result different it will be very interesting. Because of many unexpected retirement it will result different. but if.it result same it may be boring just in second race is spite of long break

[Ringleheim]

All you folks bitching about Sky's coverage of F1 should try the usual USA level of F1 broadcasting with the likes of David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Leigh Diffey. Before that, it was Bob Varsha.

I like old Steve Matchett, but those guys were absolutely terrible and said the same stuff over and over, and were really not up to date with their F1 knowledge or coverage.

F1 coverage in the USA has never, ever been better than it is now, by simply picking up the Sky feed from the UK.

Once you listen to the various personalities enough, they start to get annoying in different ways to different people.

I personally can't stand Chandok's accent or Di Resta's for that matter. Anthony Davidson talks as though he is a 10 time world champion, despite having never amounted to anything.

Then you have Crofty who I find highly annoying. He's too PC, has that annoying high pitched voice, and just will not shut up! He will use 30 words and a lead-in to say "that's driver X out of the race!"

Then there's Ted, who for some reason I just can't stand. He strikes me as a total douche in real life.

Nonetheless, the depth of coverage and knowledge present among the team is quite good.

The best F1 coverage I have ever seen was in the good old BBC days with Murray Walker and James Hunt. It's never going to get better than that, but it's never going to go back to that style anyway.

So we have to make due with reality. I do enjoy the fact that SKY seems to rotate guys in and out and we don't see the entire crew at every race.

[Ringleheim]

Absolutely- it's all about trying to drag casual/new viewers in with those features and endless talking heads and interviews rather than appealing to some of the more hardcore fans, (although i think they do a good job of building up the 15 minutes or so before a race start) and also it's very important for ad revenues for the broadcaster to have lengthy pre and post race shows. Anything live will get so many more viewers than if they shoved on library programming until 10 minutes before the race. It doesn't really cost the a great deal more to broadcast for longer from the track seen as most of the costs are the same regardless of how long you broadcast for. If they can eke out a 90 minute (ish) race into a 4 hour event, then they are making a hell of a lot more money. Unfortunately that does mean a lot of chat and fluff. But that's with all sports rather than just F1.

I don't have a problem with the chatting and what not, what I have a real problem with, is the constant need to dumb everything down to a toddlers level. My other major issue is with Crofty and his attempt to hype up anything that even looks like a possible pass attempt. Some times sky feels like I'm watching some low rate reality tv show.

The dumbing down thing is much worse in American motorsports TV coverage. It's been that way since the '80s, and probably since before then.

The assumption seems to be that every viewer, at every race, is brand new to the sport, finds it absolutely fascinating, and can't get enough information told on a very basic, introductory level.

In reality, the only people watching these races, particularly when it comes to F1 in the USA at 8:00am on a Sunday morning, are die-hard F1 fanatics who know what is going on.

The "new" and introductory fans aren't watching! They never were, and they are not going to.

Motorsport is a niche thing and is going to remain that way. It won't stop Liberty and everyone else from trying to make it the biggest sport on the planet. All sports operate in that manner now.

[ENGINE TUNER]

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/c7 ... 3d197ec818

Saturday looking like definite rain, sunday looking dry now

[search]

I cannot watch Sky, But whatever does get posted on YouTube I always find interesting and well done.

same for me. Especially knowing from experience with Sky Germany, how poorly F1 coverage can be done: one guy at the track, doing some completely content-free interviews, and a commentator with no knowledge at all, covering the race from the studio.

Next year they'll get the exclusive rights over here. Hopefully that means they they also plan to add some quality then.