First ITV rumoured to be in talks over taking F1 coverage, then...
Formula One rights 'wanted by Channel 4'

Anyone else get the feeling the BBC are starting these rumours to try and get a better price out of Bernie?!

I really hope it stays with the BBC.

Going back to a commercial channel after not having any adverts for the past few years will not be a good thing.

+1

Also, the BBC F1 team is first rate in my opinion. I don't want to lose that.

Heaven forbid it goes to ITV and we end up with James Allen again!

I've tried to remember but I can't think who the ITV team was?

I know Brunle was there but I can't remember anyone else.

I love the BBC coverage and red button forum and hope it stays, when I was on holiday I watched some of the Montreal GP on a German channel (RTL) which has a lot of adverts and I really don’t want to go back to that. In fact I'd prefer to pay for F1 if the coverage was good as or better than the BCC and in true HD.

Martin Brundle
James Allen
Jim Rosenthal
Ted Kravitz
Louise Goodman

I think.

+
Mark Blundell
and
Tony Jardine
and
Towards the end, Jim Rosenthal was replaced by Steve Rider.

When ITV took over the F1, they showed the BBC just what was possible with F1 coverage, before that it used to be just crowbarred into the BBC's afternoon of sport, wasn't it?! The BBC never realised the value in F1 until ITV made so much more out of it. BUT... the adverts, the one-sided views from the "pundits" and, of course, James Allen, were the downsides on ITV.

However, since ITV showed them the way, I think the BBC's coverage has taken it to a whole new level since its return to the Beeb. Much better than ITV, mainly due to the presenters and commentators (with the exception of Leggard, obviously!). Whether it would have been this good hadn't ITV showed them it could be so much more than just showing the race itself, I doubt it. So, we do have something to thank ITV for. I do hope it stays with the BBC, though - don't think I could stick it with the ad breaks again!

Before Sky Digital, I used to flick over to RTL during the ITV ad breaks. Yeah, it was in german but at least you could see the action.

I do remember there was one race where RTL and ITV had synchronised their ad breaks though - highly annoying.

It was probably because ITV shared the RTL coverage. I doubt that the BBC have a full crew at every Grand Prix. They might have a small team for the pit lane and pre race line up and sound engineers for the actual race. The commentators regularly comment that some other organisation provides the TV feed.

In Oz they have adverts and a couple of local presenters who fill in a few gaps around breaks, but they use the BBC commentary team for the majority of the action.

Not perfect but at least adequate.

I miss Murray and James. There I said it, now I'm going for a pint !

It's all go today -

Williams Renault partnership to be revised in 2012

Another team gone off Cosworth?

Virgin sign long term Mclaren partnership

Virgin at last have a wind tunnel to use..... Hurray!

Hispania taken over by Spanish investment firm

Not again.....

Looks like there has been quite a blow up over blown diffusers.

Here

More detail here

So engine manufacturers are saying it is part of the engine design. How can that be when engines haven't changed in 3 years and diffusers weren't blown 3 years ago?

I would have thought that any attempt to make the most efficient use of exhaust gases should be allowed. The fact that it created additional downforce that helped them equalise against the dominant Redbull team should be allowed.

One way of looking at the rules is that any mechanical system that increases downforce is banned. Engines were mechanical last time I looked.

The main argument between Red Bull/Renault and Maclaren/Mercedes is that they are using cold blown and hot blown methods, and so RB are saying that they should be able to blow more. The FIA will not look good tinkering within a season and should have looked at this more thoroughly before it became an issue.

I'm all for teams trying to find find efficiencies and loopholes and playing catch up, but this petty squabbling and appeasement will not make the sport look good if it appears that a team has been given an advantage mid season. The story is changing quickly as it now appears that Red Bull have now just lost their 50% concession. Who knows what they'll be racing with.