Formula 1 - 2018 Season

[BruceK]

So, the new season of F1 will start in a little more than 5 weeks.  And this year it will be broadcast to Americans on ESPN who will simply host the Sky Sports F1 feed of race coverage. 

But Sky Sports F1 coverage is completely commercial-free.  I can't imagine ESPN will forgo commercials when they pass the broadcast on.  So when viewers rejoin the broadcast after a series of commercials, how do they plan on getting viewers back up to speed (so to say) on what was missed since the Sky broadcast team will be covering things non-stop?  The NBC sports team often did a re-cap or did picture-in-picture thing to continue to show the race along with commercials.   Or, is there any chance at all ESPN will no have commercials?  No chance, I would bet.


http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11249198/f1-in-2018-sky-sports-f1-to-join-forces-with-espn

Sky Sports F1 will join forces with ESPN for the new Formula 1 2018 season.
An award-winning team of broadcasters will convey the excitement of the FIA Formula One World Championship to American viewers in 2018 as ESPN, Sky Sports and Formula 1 join forces to bring Sky Sports' presentation of the championship to the U.S.
Television audiences in the U.S. will be able to enjoy the Sky Sports coverage as ESPN and ABC air all 21 races in the championship under a multi-year linear and digital partnership between ESPN and Formula 1. Announced in October, the agreement brings Formula 1 back to its original U.S. television home as the first Formula 1 race ever aired in the U.S. was on ABC in 1962.

Sky Sports F1 to show every race live in 2018
Sky is a leading entertainment company in Europe, serving 22.5 million customers across five countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.

"We are excited to work with the Sky Sports team," said Kate Jackson, ESPN coordinating producer, motorsports. "Their coverage of F1 is second to none and we look forward to bringing their expertise and authenticity to our audiences."
Scott Young, Head of Formula 1 at Sky Sports, added: "We are delighted to be working with ESPN and ABC, and with this partnership extend Sky Sports F1's award-winning coverage overseas. Each season we look to find new ways to improve the broadcast and entertain our viewers and this year will be no different."
Sky Sports' comprehensive coverage will include commentary and analysis from a lineup of former world champions and current F1 drivers including:
Martin Brundle - regarded by many as the Voice of Formula 1. A star in F1 and sports cars; became a broadcaster in 1997.
Damon Hill - Formula 1 World Champion in 1996, son of former World Champion Graham Hill.
Johnny Herbert - raced 11 years in F1, three-time grand prix winner.
Paul di Resta - veteran of 58 F1 races, Williams reserve driver last year and competed at the Hungarian GP.
Anthony Davidson - Mercedes No. 1 Sim (simulator) driver and works with engineers to test the design and performance of the cars.
The Sky team also includes expert presenters Simon Lazenby, Ted Kravitz, David Croft, Rachel Brookes and Natalie Pinkham.
The agreement for ESPN to air the Sky Sports coverage was arranged by Formula 1, with the approval of ESPN and Sky.
ESPN and Sky Sports production personnel will work together on the U.S. presentation, with Sky Sports producing special segments that will appear on various ESPN platforms to supplement the television coverage.
Sky's F1 coverage includes storytelling innovations such as Sky's exclusive "Sky Pad," a large, interactive touchscreen TV used by pundits and guests to dissect highlights and information; race control and pit wall views, and some of the most advanced on-screen information available to race fans. Sky was awarded "Best TV Broadcaster for Outstanding Coverage" by F1 in 2012 and 2013.

[MiniDave]

Well, it will be different hearing the Brits calling the race....I also wonder how they will do it, if they put in the usual amount of commercials it will be a disaster IMHO.

[Jims5543]

The Sky feed is on another level from the dumbed down American feed everyone is used to. I typically go on Kodi and grab a Sky feed, while the Hamilton Nut hugging can get annoying, the commentary is spot on, the technical information is on a level that will appeal to a true fanatic.  If the American feed does not screw it up you will see  the entire green room after the race which is just so awkward it is hard to not watch. Especially during the Roseberg Hamilton year two years ago, it was fantastic!! Better yet was when Vettel was in the room, he seemed to enjoy the tension between the two, happy most likely, it was not him and Mark Webber again.

I really want to be interested this season, I will check on testing results and will check out the first race (Is it still Australia or did they move it to a ME nation where they beat woman but we cannot have grid girls) and maybe the second, if it is another Mercedes runaway season, I will go back to my life I have and not interrupt it.

[MiniDave]

Yeah, the first couple of races will tell us not only if it's going to be another boring Mercedes 1-2 season, but also whether Renault can run with the big dogs and if Honda has managed to make some HP and reliability.

[gr8kornholio]

Gonna miss the grid girls though especially with the occasional wind induced wardrobe malfunction.

Any reason the Canada gp is so far ahead of the us and Mexico gps?  You'd figure if they are over here might as well get them all in.

[Jims5543]

Gonna miss the grid girls though especially with the occasional wind induced wardrobe malfunction.

Any reason the Canada gp is so far ahead of the us and Mexico gps?  You'd figure if they are over here might as well get them all in.

I never understood the Canada in June and the rest in October other than it can get really cold in Montreal on October, although June has its moments there too.

I liked the direction the grid girls were going in during recent years F1 visits, they went from campy and cheeky to wearing more traditional clothing giving off a vibe of the local culture.

If Liberty wants to really make a statement pull the races out of the countries that have human rights issues as well as countries where woman are treated as slaves.  Stop this virtue signalling BS.  I never thought I would miss Bernie.  LMAO!!

Actually I live that they let the drivers shoot video in the pits and share on social media now.

[gr8kornholio]

Gonna miss the grid girls though especially with the occasional wind induced wardrobe malfunction.

Any reason the Canada gp is so far ahead of the us and Mexico gps?  You'd figure if they are over here might as well get them all in.

I liked the direction the grid girls were going in during recent years F1 visits, they went from campy and cheeky to wearing more traditional clothing giving off a vibe of the local culture.

If Liberty wants to really make a statement pull the races out of the countries that have human rights issues as well as countries where woman are treated as slaves.

Agreed

[MiniDave]

The Haas drops first.....first look at the mandatory halo....also the T wings and shark fins are gone for 2018

[MiniDave]

Well, all the teams hit the track for the first day of testing, and of course - it rained. It's also supposed to rain the next 2 days so, so much for sunny Spain!

A few things to note - Ricciardo in the Renault/TAG Red Bull set the fast time (mostly meaningless in re-season play, just like other sports)

The STR Honda was dead reliable, and Hartley ran more laps than anyone else, and was 5th on the time sheets.. Take that, McLaren...

Speaking of McLaren, they did 10 laps before Alonso found himself in the gravel trap - a wheel came off. Not an auspicious start for the orange boys.

Could be an interesting year between the big three, Merc, Ferrari and Red Bull, and the mid pack will be pretty tight too between an improved Renault power plant, Honda showing promise and the usual good runs from Force India and even Haas - the only real backmarker could be Sauber - but if they do have current spec Ferrari engines that should give them a leg up too.

Big Mac really has something to prove this year, I hope Alonso isn't snakebit again this year..... 

[BruceK]

Well, it's a little more than 2 weeks until the first race.  I just checked my DirecTV line up and found out that ESPN is indeed part of my channel lineup.  So that's good news.  Actually, I discovered that have several different ESPN channels - so I hope one of them is the right one for Formula One.   

It just seems to me like there is a complete information vacuum about how/when the races (and practices and qualifying) will be shown.   For those of you that regularly watch ESPN, are they running promos on the upcoming F1 races?  Heard any details?

[BruceK]

Found this scheduling info (finally!).    So like NBC, F1 stuff will appear on different channels 

[MiniDave]

Now I have to go see if I even get ESPN3....  8.gif

[gr8kornholio]

Is the practice coverage usually worth watching?  I could never find it in English before. Not sure I have 3 either though.

[BruceK]

NBC used to air some of the practice sessions too. I thought it was worth watching to learn the news and other developments that had happened since the prior race. 

[BruceK]

Not a good start.   ESPN is supposed to be showing Formula 1 practice right now.   Instead  they are showing some lame ass sports talk show with four geezers sitting around a table talking about basketball.    WTF?!

[MiniDave]

On my system it's not supposed to start till 10 pm......could you just be early?

[gr8kornholio]

Thanks for the reminders. Got them all set to record.

[MiniDave]

On now on ESPN News channel

[BruceK]

On my system it's not supposed to start till 10 pm......could you just be early?

My channel guide said it would start at 8:55pm.  During the mindless basketball discussion I noticed ESPN ran a "program note" chyron on the screen bottom noting the change in time.   Quite a mismanaged debut for F1 on ESPN - seems to show how important they consider it.

[MiniDave]

It's only practice...I wonder if they delayed it due to rain? Maybe they delayed the practice session?

So far I'm not overly impressed with the commentators, they do ramble on.....

[BruceK]

Yeah they talk CONSTANTLY.   And how many voices are we hearing?   Seems like 5-7 guys taking turns. 

[MiniDave]

Hard to tell who's in the booth, although I like the guy in the pits, he was very succinct. I think it was David Coulthard and Damon Hill in the booth, but like you say, hard to tell....... maybe as the season goes on we'll get more used to their voices but they weren't as distinct as Varsha, Hobbs and Matchett, or even *shudders* Daffey Diffey.

[BruceK]

Not Coulthard I think. I  Believe the Scottish accent was Paul diResta.   

I realize we haven't heard a race yet, but so far  I don't feel that it's markedly better then the NBC coverage.  On the plus side, there are are fewer commercials so far.    But when the commercials are over and they cut back in it's in the middle of a sentence or in the middle of a qualifying session that has already started.  Very clear that broadcast continued on uninterrupted while we Americans were watching commercials. 

[MiniDave]

Martin Brundle and David Coulthard in qually.......

[BruceK]

Martin Brundle and David Coulthard in qually.......

Oh, okay.  So diResta was in the Practice session they aired. 

I wonder why they don't spend, oh, 5 to 9 seconds, and explain who the commentators are?