Official F1/Motorsport thread

[Team Andromeda]

I am getting bored with you saying 'spot on' in most of your posts now though

Sorry, but a lot of what Van said was right and quite correct . Turn into ITV on the 7th of August to watch some fine free sport and racing at best, There's Live darts tonight as well .

Not bad for a channel that doesn't have any sport :P .

[vanpeebles]

Spot on mate

[Team Andromeda]

Thanks TA.

he sport has seen a rapid decline in the last 10 years only re-ignited due to Jenson and Lewis. The majority of life long F1 fans that come into my shop often comment that they only really watch the sport out of habit or support for something they once loved. There have been moments for sure but as a rule the racing is dull as you can find in any sport in recent times.

Yes it's the racing, the silly FIA rules and new boring tracks that are more to blame for the sports decline.

Any time you get a world Champion or Champions you'll see an upsurge in interest, be that Rugby (when England world the Cup) Spain becoming interesting in F1 thanks to Alonso. Given that we have 2 past World Champions in a top Team, it's obvious they'll be interest

[Team Andromeda]

Spot on mate

Tidy Darts !!!

[Shez]

SKY coverage of F1 was 2nd to none (when they had it a few years back) and showed every lap of every race, including both the Warm up laps and all the Practice sections , everything

It wasn't quite as awesome as you seem to remember.

For a start it was something like ?12 a race to subscribe, until they realised they couldn't rip people off like that and ended up selling a yearly package for ?50. I paid for all the races, because I hated the ITV coverage, but ultimately SKY dumped it after one season.

Yeah there was some great feeds, the helmet cam feed was a particular favourite, but it came at a cost and it was only ever the FOM feeds - Sky even commentated on the races from the studio, that was a farce.

And anyone who says F1 is in decline quite clearly does not follow the sport.

[Charlie]

F1's my favourite sport, I've been following it for over 25 years, and now it's moving to Sky and the BBC will only have access to broadcast half the races? How very depressing. Indeed it will probably spell the beginning of the end of my interest in the sport as not only do I object to paying for sport, but I cancelled my Sky subscription 10 years ago after listening to a radio programme about Rupert Murdoch and there's no way I can ever help line his pockets, and recent events only cement that moral stand and decision.

But getting back to F1, I can't see how the switch to Sky is a good idea. The BBC has ties with broadcasters all over the world and consequently millions of people around the world watch and enjoy the BBC coverage. Sky may pay F1 more money for the rights but not as many people will watch it. I think it's a bad move for the sport and the British fans. Alas money talks louder than sense.

[Prototype]

Has your interest in football ended? Because there is not much live football on basic TV.

I'm sure if Channel 4 or 5 had made a decent offer, they would have got it for less the price that Sky did. It seems nobody can afford it at this time. BBC even gave it up a year earlier than their contract.

[Charlie]

My interest in football ended? Pretty much, yeah. I do still watch some of the big Champions League games, but it's not a sport I like all that much anymore. For a while now I find there's something quite unsettling in watching people kicking a ball around and getting paid 100K, 200K a week to do it.

I think all sports should be available for everybody to watch; F1, cricket, footy, whatever, especially as it would impact on what players get paid.

[Prototype]

My interest in football ended? Pretty much, yeah. I do still watch some of the big Champions League games, but it's not a sport I like all that much anymore. For a while now I find there's something quite unsettling in watching people kicking a ball around and getting paid 100K, 200K a week to do it.

I think all sports should be available for everybody to watch; F1, cricket, footy, whatever, especially as it would impact on what players get paid.

Yes they do get paid a lot. But F1 drivers aren't on peanuts. Hamilton earns ?30m just from McLaren, and that's not including sponsors. And he moved to Switzerland because of tax costs.

[Charlie]

I know, but F1 drivers are risking their lives. I do think F1 drivers get paid too much right now, but given the dangers of their profession I think it's right they're paid very well.

[Atticus]

Just hearing about this ... bit gutted really ... I'm going to have to upgrade the Sky Sports and I really didn't want to ever have to (assuming it's included in the standard Sky Sports package that is, not read all of the relevant posts in this thread yet).

[Prototype]

I know, but F1 drivers are risking their lives. I do think F1 drivers get paid too much right now, but given the dangers of their profession I think it's right they're paid very well.

People in the army, firemen and policemen risk their lives. I don't think they are paid very well compared to other professions.

[Charlie]

That's why I find it disgusting. You get people risking their lives to save others getting paid, what, ?400 a week, and then you get people running around playing sports getting paid fifty times that. A reflection of the insane world we live in I guess. I'd sooner handsome wages go to those who save lives, educate our children, treat us when we are ill and help protect us from harm than those who entertain us for a few hours. But I'll leave it there as I'm probably moving a bit too off topic.

[Team Andromeda]

I

And anyone who says F1 is in decline quite clearly does not follow the sport.

Compared to the sports hey day in the 80's and early 90's it is decline I'm sure you'll post figs and go about the sports growth on the WW stage, but compared to the 80's and 90's where people in the Pub's, Clubs, schools were all openly talking about the sport and (here's the diff) enjoying the sport , it has seen a decline, that's also been reflected in the Press coverage and even computer games . Like what been said most either now watch it out of habit, or because there's nothing else on , rather than for the Love for the sport

And lets please don't try and make out that people don't follow the sport, because they dare to make out the sport is in decline . Like with Boxing (who can also go on about growth) F1 is not the topic of decision like it once was, not this unmissable event that it once was . Too many fans of both sports have been put off with the various In-Fighting and various rule changes to follow, talk about the sport, like they once did .

[Team Andromeda]

People in the army, firemen and policemen risk their lives. I don't think they are paid very well compared to other professions.

Why do people always bring this up in Sporting issues ? Film Actors can get paid Lewis wages for just 1 film , Music star's can earn millions and millions for just one Album (just ask Robbie ) Soap stars get millions and DJ like Chris Moyles can get millions for sitting on their ass all day, hell even the like of Miyamoto, Suzuki-san can become millionaires for just making games ... Somehow that's A-Ok, but God forbid Sports star's getting the going rate.