A full pull-out of coverage was always on the cards as soon as they brokered the deal with Sky in the first place.

If it does go Sky-only I’ll no longer be a follower, same as I haven’t watched any MotoGP since it went to BT Sport.

aye – seems they have spoken to bernie already and he’s sticking firm to the original agreement they signed to take us to 2018 – saying that, thats what happened last time and then they secretly sold it out to Sky – would not surprise me if it doesnt go back to the good old days of 2 commentators watching it on TV from the UK as highlights package….

personally they could lose eddie J and suzy p, and i would not give a s***

on other news TAG leaves McLaren for red bull because its more trendy and young and happening – boy thats gotta hurt Ron!

I remember Ben Gallop BBC Sport trying to justify dumping F1 for the voice as cost cutting. I hope he is part of the cost cutting at the bbc. Funny how the voice got dumped as it was too expensive. The bbc are just full of cronies but thats another thread.
If the bbc wont pay I’m sure it will go back to itv.

No brainer for BBC to dump it imo. It would save around 15-20 million per year and on something that is losing viewing figures. Plus they can’t sell it to other countries like drama and comedy.

The future of F1 over the next few years doesn’t look good unless Bernie stops milking it and Merc become less dominant.

Have to echo the above. I certainly wouldn’t pay for any subscription channel to watch it . Moto GP has been totally off my radar in last couple of years too…..

Same here – absolutely no chance of me paying a Sky subscription to watch F1

As someone else above said, i’d rather save the money and go to a live race

No way I would be paying sky to watch the F1. Been watching for pretty much 35 years but it’d stop if the BBC lost it.

Such a shame the money grabbing bosses have taken the soul out of the sport (boring tracks/countries hosting who don’t give a crap about the sport just the prestige) – it’ll go the same way as my other Motorsport love world rally unfortunately (maybe for different reasons though).

switch to formula e on itv4 . Its always sunny when they race and they have fan boost. The cars sound the same anyway and most of the drivers are ex f1 so you already know them.

Time to tell the F1 bandwagon that fundamentally its a sport and not a prime time soap opera no matter how many scandals, penalties and infringements they stick in to spice it up.

As someone else above said, i’d rather save the money and go to a live race

same.
Not paying Sky a penny.
Does Beeb losing it also mean Radio5Live (and SportsExtra) ? or just the telly part?
Looks like it’ll be RTL with R5L audio if possible for me for all races rather than half (except for 1-2 where the German version of Strictly/Germany’s got (no) Talent/etc. prime time voting shows have priority).

No sport is fundamentally a sport now. Everything is a TV rights business designed to move all money from the masses to a few. Although as a football hater, football is becoming entertaining 😉

If it does go Sky-only I’ll no longer be a follower, same as I haven’t watched any MotoGP since it went to BT Sport.

+1

Echo the above, I’m sure F1 must have lost a lot of followers since it moved to Sky. Although I have continued to watch it on BBC it just feels more distant, it just does not have the same appeal anymore.

It may be time that McLaren finally realise they are dinosaurs of the paddock

What, like those other old stagers Ferrari did? What ever happened to them?

Echo the above, I’m sure F1 must have lost a lot of followers since it moved to Sky.

Sky’s audience is also falling.

I only watch it on Sky as I’m still on a package where the F1 channel came free if you had the HD option (when it was first launched). No way would I pay full Sports package rates for it.

RTL with R5L audio if possible for me for all races rather than half (except for 1-2 where the German version of Strictly/Germany’s got (no) Talent/etc. prime time voting shows have priority).

This sounds good. Is it possible to watch RTL on the internet?

So the proposed new customer engine plan has been thrown out – is this the final nail in Red Bull’s coffin? Seems their long-term plans may be scuppered and time fast running out for a supply for next season…

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-commission-rejects-alternative-engine-as-manufacturers-promise-solutions-659522/

That was never an option for 2016 anyway. They’ll be running rebadged or debadged Renault pus with a healthy gag clause in the contract.

It’s looking more like RB will be running a Renault engine next year.

No fancy bits and bobs, just a tweak on this years, if you believe Planet F1.

Clicky

Surely Bernies not going to throw the toys out with the bath water? …. is he?

How do you mean?

I’d rather poo in a bag and punch it than give a penny to Murdoch.

So no Sky here.

For the first time since my teenage years ( quite some time ago) i didn’t watch even 1second of F1 coverage this year. I gave up because I found I was falling asleep during the races and I got fed up with the politics and the ‘characters’ in the “sport”
I haven’t missed it at all. So from a purely selfish point of view…….. I don’t mind what happenes to the TV rights.

I’m with PJM1974 on this one regarding Sky

The Sky F1 coverage is pretty bloody good though….

cheekymonkey888 – Member
switch to formula e on itv4 . Its always sunny when they race and they have fan boost.

You’re being ironic right? It’s a small step on from the push to pass systems available in F1 and it’s tragic. S**t like that is just trying to make motorsport into pure entertainment when so many people are losing faith in it for precisely that reason.

The Sky F1 coverage is pretty bloody good though….

You’re joking, right? 😕 I’ve had the ‘fortune’ of watching it at my parent’s place once or twice and observed the following:

The lead anchor (can’t even remember his name..) is so wooden it hurts. At least Perry has a bit of personality about her.
Brundle is good still but the chemistry between him and Crofty is dire, far too many stagnent pauses and fake excitement.
The graphics do my head in, far too American in flavour.
The constant ad breaks in the pre and post shows means they struggle to analyse anything fully.
Hill and Herbert never come alive as a duo, too bland. Jordan gets your attention at least, although he is cringeworthy most of the time!
That theme tune is dire.

Just feels like they’re trying to do what the BBC did so well before by poaching the staff and then stretching it to fit an extra 2 hours or so.

I paid a one off fee to watch Hamo’s winning race. I wouldn’t pay again. I fear F1 is going one way.

Formula E is hideous. The cars hit every branch of the ugly tree and it feels like you took sandwiches into work on the day all your colleagues elect to eat out.

The coverage of WRC has lost something- the presenters/producers sap its energy.

Bernie/CVC need to walk away before they ruin it.

The constant ad breaks in the pre and post shows

ITV put them in the middle of the race!

hora – Member
Formula E is hideous.

Remember the first ?b?u?m?p?e?r? ?c?a?r?s? Formula E race – Beijing 2014

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG1VPss4LKI[/video]

rtl adverts arent much better but at least they have a small window showing the race whilst the adverts are on.
Simon lazyby is awful and has the charisma and enthusiasm of a stone. Hill basically suffers the same problem that footballers have in a post match interview ( state the obvious sound like they are reading a script.)
The last full time bbc coverage was the best with humphries and the the sky crew

Vettel at the back of the grid should bring some spice to the race tomorrow 😀 Pity I can’t see the Merc’s being allowed to tussle it out, hopefully a safety car or two should spice things up..

ITV put them in the middle of the race!

At least with them I didn’t have to pay a subscription too!

ITV put them in the middle of the race!

At the moment that would actually make things more exciting

rtl adverts arent much better but at least they have a small window showing the race whilst the adverts are on.

for some adverts, but not all. they have a countdown timer too, saying when it’s going to return to the action. one ad break is huge, of the order of about 4-5 laps some times, although I have known one to be 7 laps long (ie ca. 10% of the actual race!)

the best thing is when RTL have advert, Radio 5 Live still gives you an update while you go make coffee, lunch or take a /

unless R5L have decided that England cricket match is more important.

How do you mean?

If Bernie sticks to his own rules, Red Bull/Renault/Lotus folds and steps out of the ring, what will Bernie be left with ……. although maybe he can see where it’s all going and just wants to lay the blame at someone else’s door?

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^^ This.

A largely forgettable season, the only real stories being:

Honda being so far behind every other engine.
Verstappen being that good.
Red Bull spectacularly throwing all the toys out then having to back-track.

Normally I start counting down the days to the next season, can’t think of a reason why I should this time round.

nice nap this afternoon between laps 10- 40. As pointed out the drivers will always lose if they take the strategy into their own hands. Lewis is a great driver but as shown he needs the team behind him to achieve the best results ( I hope Bono gets a hefty bonus this year for a good job managing his driver).

Nice drive from Vettel and raikonnen. Verstappen getting a taste of wheel to wheel action ( please stop moaning about being driven off the track.) Crashtor doing what he does best this season which is DNFs.
Button seemed to have a lot of fun on track more than Alonso I see.

If RBR have a 1 year engine deal they really are pinning their hopes on the engine regulation change so they can fit a ford focus st 1.6 in the back for 2017. I see a repeat of this year next

and lets not forget i said it months ago – alonso will not be in a McLaren in 2016.

alonso will not be in a McLaren in 2016.

He was sounding pretty grumpy when he was threatening to give up if there isn’t a safety car.

Can’t wait for the season review show. Don’t know how they’ll manage to fit in all the action!?

Another big factor for 2016 is the fact there are only 2 test sessions and IIRC they’re only a few days apart. Not much time for any real work between them so it’ll be run what u brung

Didn’t watch this last race/ procession, however, can anyone tell me what lap Alonso got the third fastest lap time please? Only 2 and a bit tenths slower than Hamiltons lap time and 2 tenths slower than Vettel.