F1 back on the BBC...next year

[Ratio]

Personally i think its great news, no more add breaks, uninterrupted coverage and probably some funky choose you own camera or map overlay from their digital service. I do hope that Martin crosses over for commentary, and its not Damon Hill!

The BBC website states:
Formula One to return to BBC TV
Lewis Hamilton on the podium; Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari leads Lewis Hamilton's McLaren
Hamilton's battle with Ferrari will be on the BBC from next year
The BBC has secured the television rights to show Formula One in the UK from the 2009 season.

The five-year deal marks the return of the sport to BBC screens 12 years after ITV began broadcasting Grands Prix.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said: "I am delighted to conclude this new deal with the BBC.

"It is an exciting time in Formula One and the BBC has some innovative new ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base."

The deal covers all platforms and will see F1 broadcast on the BBC Sport website, as well as on TV and radio.

Dominic Coles, BBC Sport director of sport rights, said: "The biggest motorsporting event in the world is returning home after 12 years.

[Detomah]

Really pleased about this, the Grand Prix just hasn't been the same on ITV and I never have got used to adverts.

By the sounds of it Ecclestone didn't give any other networks much of an option, it sounds like he was giving it to the BBC no matter what, even if it meant a lot less of an income from the actual TV rights.

I'm pretty sure Martin and the team will be there with it on BBC1, I think they are married to the sport rather than a specific channel, lol. In an ideal world, we'd have Mr Murray Walker back too, but it's a bit late for that now.

Anyway, at least if this season carries on the way it's begun the actual races themselves will make for an exciting season and as much as I want a Mclaren win this season I just hope Lewis isn't going to dominate too much, or he risks spoiling that excitement.

[Harv]

Formula One to return to BBC TV

Hamilton's battle with Ferrari will be on the BBC from next year
The BBC has secured the television rights to show Formula One in the UK from the 2009 season.
The five-year deal for an undisclosed fee marks F1's return to BBC screens 12 years after it switched to ITV.

The contract covers all platforms and will see F1 broadcast on the BBC Sport website, as well as on TV and radio.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was "delighted", adding: "The BBC has some innovative ideas to consolidate and expand our UK fan base."

Among the new developments will be live video coverage of F1 on the BBC Sport website.

Asked why he had decided to split with ITV, Ecclestone said: "It's not that we are unhappy with ITV but I think maybe they will have their hands full with other things and maybe the BBC can service us a bit better.

Sport Editors' Blog
We're all thrilled and excited to be welcoming back Formula One to our airwaves from next season - it's one of the world's biggest sport events

Roger Mosey
BBC director of sport
"I think they will be able to service us an awful lot better, a little bit more time.

"I think it will be good, a fresh face. I'm not complaining about ITV, I'm not saying they did a bad job or anything like that.

"But with all the other things they are loaded up with - and who knows they will get some more stuff - maybe it will be a bit more difficult to spend as much time on us.

"I think the BBC will do that."

Dominic Coles, BBC Sport director of sport rights, said: "The biggest motorsporting event in the world is returning home after 12 years.

"We were delighted when Bernie Ecclestone approached us about the return of F1 to the BBC.

"F1 is a crown jewel of sports broadcasting, so to bring the rights back to their traditional home from 2009 is tremendously exciting.

"Fans will be able to enjoy uninterrupted, state of the art and innovative coverage from BBC Sport, across all of our TV, radio and new media platforms, for the first time since 1996."

An ITV statement on Thursday said: "ITV plc today confirmed that it has decided to exit Formula One at the end of this season.

"This was a straightforward commercial decision for ITV and we are pleased that F1 will continue to be broadcast free-to-air.

"ITV will continue to broadcast live coverage of every race this season as Lewis Hamilton attempts to win his first world championship."

So ITV have had enough or bernie is more riled by Martin Brundles attacks in his column then he first made out ( although threatening to revoke his press pass for this year was pretty riled imo )

Will be great to watch without ads again and hopefully the digital era will strike and we may finally get interactive viewing with BBCi

Very quick decision by ITV though - do they know something we dont ???

[Detomah]

Originally Posted by Harv

Very quick decision by ITV though - do they know something we dont ???

The way Ecclestone puts it makes it sound like it was his decision, the way ITV puts it makes it sound like it was ITVs decision... Hmmm... I'm sure the full truth will come out on this at some point, probably after this season finishes. At the end of the day though, the winner in this is us viewers, who get to see advert free races again.

[Sash]

Not fussed so long as they keep the mighty fine theme tune!

[Detomah]

You gotta be kidding Sash.....



All the way...

Of course... There is always this:

[Sash]

That is an amazing song, but I love the new one too - (tis the last 30 seconds or so part of moby's song.)

ok! ok! you win (after badgered to death by the hubby! ) God he's even playing the flippin thing on the tele now pmsl kids are dancing to it now ffs!!

lol at the revving national anthem! funnily enough that is my favourite part when we go to the race track, the sound of the engines is just awesome.

[Ratio]

Originally Posted by Detomah

At the end of the day though, the winner in this is us viewers, who get to see advert free races again.

Totally agree 100%
I really like the sound of the new technology. I would love a track position overlay on the screen with split times.....
I think that the start of the 2009 season means i can justify buying a BIG flatscreen TV.

[notsosilentbob]

Sky sports had full interactive races for a season a couple of years ago but it was pay per race (£6 i think) which kinda sucked but i did buy the british gp just to check it out and it was awesome u could pick any car at any time with multiple cameras and any track or pit lane cameras as well a rewind etc. Shame they only had 1 season and made u pay for it was definatly the way to go for viewer satisfaction.