So Formula One is back on the BBC after an absence of 13 years. A lot has changed in that time and viewers have become more sophisticated and expect a lot more. Of course there is only so much that you can do that hasn’t already been done.

So how did they do? On the whole I thought that it was pretty good. It was great to hear The Chain back again as the theme music as that really epitomises F1 on TV. It was clear that they were all settling in and it will take some time for the commentators to find a way to work together. It was evident on Saturday, for example, that Jonathan Legard and Martin Brundle were talking over each other – something that they had clearly talked about over night as they were much better on Sunday. The anchorman Jake Humphreys did a good job but, I think, needs to be much better at controlling Eddie Jordan, who I just found irritating and wouldn’t mind if he disappeared from the coverage altogether.

The revamped website to accompany the coverage is great but the level of detail that is available on Autosport is much better.

But the real coup de grace is the extended coverage. Not only are there no longer any adverts but also more of the three days are covered either on TV, via the red button or online. So if you want to follow every session (and have the time to do so) you now can. I think that it is this that make the coverage more appealing to the committed F1 fan, rather than the casual viewer that ITV were aiming their coverage at.

ShareThis