We Don't Know How Bad We Got It.

I wonder if Formula One fans realise how restricted the coverage given to us is.

Currently waiting during the red flag period during the Autoclub 500 Nascar race which Sky are showing via US coverage. Seeing it makes me shake my head about elements of the Formula coverage that we get. First example is the split screen to coverage two parts of the race, or replays. How many times have we sat in an F1 race and the television coverage is switched to something we don't need to see. Why don't we have split screen for that sort of situation, to keep us apprised of the race lead and whatever else needs to be shown? US race coverage has been using this for years.
There is also the marker system that commentators can use to point out specific things to the viewers. Another handy bit of technology that isn't around in Formula One. Something as simple as that to help make a point we don't have over here.

It does make you wonder. For all the wonders and the bragging that Formula One does about been the most high-tech sport in the world and we lack the sort of diversity to help enhance the viewing pleasures for us, the fans.

Of course those who broadcast could learn a lesson or two. As long time readers know I have long been harsh of the sub-standard coverage now offered by all but one of the ITV Sport team.

They too could learn from their American counterparts. ITV Spot puppy dog eye the home talent and their ass kissing extends to barking at anyone who enters their personal space. There is none of this bias in the coverage over in the US. Each driver is given equal treatment in their coverage. There is no 90% talk of one specific driver just because of his nationality even if he's having a bad day. That does maybe give you an idea of the F1 fan that ITV Sport is trying to court. The term is 'fair-weather' fans. Ones that just show up because they have been told to because there is someone successful to latch their success on to. Seen it way to many times in football, best example was Beckham's move to Real Madrid that prompted everyone to start wearing Madrid jerseys. History repeated with his move to America when LA Galaxy jerseys started propping up in sports stores over here.

If there is something technical to discuss, well FOX have a mock car that they can tell the viewers exactly what they are talking about. We just have to rely on descriptive wording. If pre-race bits can be done with real cars, surely they could arrange to have a replica on site to give fans an idea to the more technical aspects of a car. Or is that asking too much?

Why can't we receive unbias coverage that depends on fans for the love of the sport? It would be so much better to watch. How come we receive inferior coverage when other sports get it? F1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of motorsports. It's about time it started acting like it.

Start Your Engines!

Been give or take eight years but finally I got to watch NASCAR live again. Sunday was the showcase event of the series – the Daytona 500.

I have fond memories of the Florida circuit. Back in 1999 I had the chance to tour the track during a family vacation. Even before then I had an interest in Nascar via computer games but to actually be there and see the place, it was something else. The closest thing to a racing circuit I had seen before them was Mondello Park, which isn’t exactly the greatest track in the world over here in Ireland.

It was great to sit down and enjoy the race on Sunday. It didn’t dissapoint either with hard and fast racing. Everyone took it nice and easy during the opening stages before things got manic in the last 50. Congrats to Ryan Newman who broke a long run without a victory to win Penske their first restrictor plate victory in the series. A great result for his team-mate Kurt Busch who started last and had a whole host of problems during Speedweeks and the race itself.
Toyota and Joe Gibbs will feel it was a race lost with their three drivers extremely strong. Kyle Busch having to back off to ensure he didn’t pick up a penalty for going below the yellow line cost him a shot along with been able to bump draft his team-mate Stewart. Even powerhouse organisation Hendricks’s ran into trouble with only Dale Earnhardt Junior finishing in the top ten.

If Daytona is anything to go by it’s going to be a great season in Nascar this year. With Sky showing it on a regular basis I hope to give more regular commentary on the stock car series. For anyone with questions regarding the sport, especially those unfamiliar with it let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them!

Fuel To The Fire

Something that caught my sight today on PlanetF1.com. The site is okay for F1 news, more tabloid-like than the usual F1 sites. A decent enough source for F1 news on the odd day. I make a point of dropping by the main F1 sites to keep up to date, compare and contrast.

The piece in question was an editorial done by Andrew Davies titled ‘The FIA: Not taking any chances” concerning the recent racism issues in Spain. What caught my eye was this statement:

“if you went into a branch of Banco Santander you'd see a very telling poster. Given that Hamilton arrived on the F1 scene like a rock star, you'd expect to see a poster of the McLaren team featuring both Fernando and Lewis. Nope. The poster they used in branches was Alonso and reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa.”

One hand he shows facts, on another he shows ignorance. Sure it’s great to point out that Santander did not promote Hamilton in Spain. Shame on them for using Spain’s top F1 drivers on their posters in their home nations, shame on them! (Yes, that was sarcasm, since I know text at times fails to convey it.) Does Mister Davies not watch British television? The Abbey adverts showcase Hamilton and Hamilton alone, and – wait a minute! Abbey is part of the Santander group! Then there are also the Vodafone adverts over here which only feature Hamilton despite been a McLaren sponsor! The only advert that the two appeared together in was that ‘friendly’ race ad – how ironic that one came to be!

It really puts his comment into context. Of course a sponsor will want to maximize the popularity of home grown talent. It’s just good business sense. To point at them and try to in some way blame them for not sticking Hamilton onto the post thus adding fuel to the fire is wrong.

Cross-Atlantic Update

More news that I commented on a couple of posts back from America.

The talk of Champ Cars and the Indy Racing League appears to be on according to US journalist Robin Miller from SPEEDTv. ‘Closer than ever’ are the words been touted around about it. About time I say! Judging by the reports talks seem to be progressing fairly well with only a few stumbling blocks that need to be sorted out. Granted the Champ Car teams would be at a disadvantage for the first year with the combined series but like veteran Paul Tracy says, it’s better to get everyone under the one roof. Sure they could wait a year but with the way the single seater top tier is, getting everyone in now would provide fans with a mouth watering prospect for 2008.

Daytona 500 is next weekend! I’m going to be able to watch it too! Pretty happy about that too. Sky Sports have picked up NASCAR meaning I have the chance to watch it. It’s been years since I’ve had the chance to watch live NASCAR and am thoroughly looking forward to sitting down next Sunday to watch the 50^th running of the event.

Racism rears it's ugly head

It was only a matter of time before the racism card reared its ugly head in Formula One.

With the way the whole McLaren inter-team duel panned out, people probably should’ve expected it to happen during the test. Spain has a recent history of racism issues in sport, most notably football. Whether it’s given in domestic matches or in international matches such as England’s most recent friendly with the country or even going back to the Spanish coach making comments about Thierry Henry in a paltry attempt to inspire another player. The fact he is still the coach of the national team would make you worry about how Spanish authorities will handle this.

I’m surprised it took till this morning before the media really seemed to get a grapple on this. English sports writers had enough to write about with England’s rugby performance I bet. The FIA have sent out a strong statement saying they want this cleaned up or they will move on. Be interesting to see that if it continues in further tests or at either of the Spanish rounds of the season will they follow through. Such actions would get heads turned.

Maybe football could learn from them who at times seem to be slow dealing with the issues. I read that the UK sports minister is demanding that something be done along with the FIA. Perhaps his own comments would be better off in offering to help Spanish authorities in dealing with the issues, especially given England’s long history of misbehaving fans.

It’s an issue that needs to get nipped in the bud quickly. We don’t need motorsport turning into the mess that other sports have fallen into over the issue. Nobody deserves that sort of abuse and those who give it need some serious lessons of life given to them. Sure we want our fans to be passionate and care about those they support but to resort to such disgusting ways is not on.