F1 on Channel 4

[kiseca]

bristolbaron said:

Sir Bagalot said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

100% agree

Let’s call it what it is - diversity quota. Having said that, although his voice grates on me and he’s got a very punchable face, I’m still pleased C4 have him an opportunity. He’s a young lad with insane determination and is getting better at adapting to his new craft. His insight into some of the newer drivers has been interesting at time, he just needs to withdraw from his position inside LH and he’ll do alright.

Is it? Is that what the BBC have called it? Or are you saying that because you think he's not great, and he has a disability?

[bristolbaron]

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

Sir Bagalot said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

100% agree

Let’s call it what it is - diversity quota. Having said that, although his voice grates on me and he’s got a very punchable face, I’m still pleased C4 have him an opportunity. He’s a young lad with insane determination and is getting better at adapting to his new craft. His insight into some of the newer drivers has been interesting at time, he just needs to withdraw from his position inside LH and he’ll do alright.

Is it? Is that what the BBC have called it? Or are you saying that because you think he's not great, and he has a disability?

Yes. I’m confident C4 wouldn’t have offered him the role had he not lost his legs.

[motco]

niva441 said:

F20CN16 said:

cuprabob said:

It could be Alex Jacques has to self isolate, like Steve Jones, because Billy monger tested positive for COVID.

Ahhh, didn’t realise Billy and Steve were missing (switched the highlights on after Q1). Thanks.

Sorry but i didn't miss either of their contributions

I missed Steve Jones as one might miss a stone in the shoe. Billy monger is irritating but Jones is a class of irritant above him. I wish Webber would slow his speech a bit as his accent goes off the scale when he gets excited. Coulthard's alright I suppose...

[kiseca]

bristolbaron said:

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

Sir Bagalot said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

100% agree

Let’s call it what it is - diversity quota. Having said that, although his voice grates on me and he’s got a very punchable face, I’m still pleased C4 have him an opportunity. He’s a young lad with insane determination and is getting better at adapting to his new craft. His insight into some of the newer drivers has been interesting at time, he just needs to withdraw from his position inside LH and he’ll do alright.

Is it? Is that what the BBC have called it? Or are you saying that because you think he's not great, and he has a disability?

Yes. I’m confident C4 wouldn’t have offered him the role had he not lost his legs.

So it's the latter? Or do you know the BBC offered him the role to hit a quota because they've said so?

[Sir Bagalot]

As for SJ, how the hell is he still in the job?

Have to admit I miss EJ.... yes he was annoying but he would always get the good stories.

As someone whose interest in F1 has waned in recent years..... is the British GP live on C4?

[HustleRussell]

motco said:

I missed Steve Jones as one might miss a stone in the shoe. Billy monger is irritating but Jones is a class of irritant above him. I wish Webber would slow his speech a bit as his accent goes off the scale when he gets excited. Coulthard's alright I suppose...

Bloody hell- what do you like?

[bristolbaron]

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

Sir Bagalot said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

100% agree

Let’s call it what it is - diversity quota. Having said that, although his voice grates on me and he’s got a very punchable face, I’m still pleased C4 have him an opportunity. He’s a young lad with insane determination and is getting better at adapting to his new craft. His insight into some of the newer drivers has been interesting at time, he just needs to withdraw from his position inside LH and he’ll do alright.

Is it? Is that what the BBC have called it? Or are you saying that because you think he's not great, and he has a disability?

Yes. I’m confident C4 wouldn’t have offered him the role had he not lost his legs.

So it's the latter? Or do you know the BBC offered him the role to hit a quota because they've said so?

I’m not certain if the BBC offered him anything to be honest. If you’d like me to say I think he’s not great and recognise he has a disability my original post covers that. Do you have a point you’d like to get across?

[kiseca]

bristolbaron said:

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

kiseca said:

bristolbaron said:

Sir Bagalot said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

100% agree

Let’s call it what it is - diversity quota. Having said that, although his voice grates on me and he’s got a very punchable face, I’m still pleased C4 have him an opportunity. He’s a young lad with insane determination and is getting better at adapting to his new craft. His insight into some of the newer drivers has been interesting at time, he just needs to withdraw from his position inside LH and he’ll do alright.

Is it? Is that what the BBC have called it? Or are you saying that because you think he's not great, and he has a disability?

Yes. I’m confident C4 wouldn’t have offered him the role had he not lost his legs.

So it's the latter? Or do you know the BBC offered him the role to hit a quota because they've said so?

I’m not certain if the BBC offered him anything to be honest. If you’d like me to say I think he’s not great and recognise he has a disability my original post covers that. Do you have a point you’d like to get across?

Just that I think you're being unfair to Billy if you think he's not great and therefore the BBC must also think he's not great so it's all about his disability.

That kind of thinking is why employers have diversity quotas in the first place. It's no better than seeing a female football commentator you don't like and then saying she just got the job because she's a woman.

I'm pretty certain that Billy didn't get the job over someone who Channel 4 thought was better suited to it, because he has artificial legs. But like you, I don't know for sure and probably never will.

So if you want to "call it what it is", as you said, say what it is. Not what you think it is.

[cuprabob]

Sir Bagalot said:

As someone whose interest in F1 has waned in recent years..... is the British GP live on C4?

Yes, I believe all practice sessions, qualifying and the race are all being shown live on C4.

[Stan the Bat]

HustleRussell said:

motco said:

I missed Steve Jones as one might miss a stone in the shoe. Billy monger is irritating but Jones is a class of irritant above him. I wish Webber would slow his speech a bit as his accent goes off the scale when he gets excited. Coulthard's alright I suppose...

Bloody hell- what do you like?

Just thought that, someone is a bit hard to please.

[CoolHands]

Thing is billy monger has an ‘in’ with all the drivers both through the sympathy vote as they know who he is, and through ex F1 drivers coulthard and Webber. So in the long run I suspect he will be in a good position because once you know everybody you’re gonna be sorted as a pundit for ever. The current drivers know him to talk to and so will the new ones who enter F1.

[Common Porpoise]

motco said:

I missed Steve Jones as one might miss a stone in the shoe. Billy monger is irritating but Jones is a class of irritant above him. I wish Webber would slow his speech a bit as his accent goes off the scale when he gets excited. Coulthard's alright I suppose...

I have never understood how Jones got the job after Humphrey. C4 team is laughable now compared to the current SKY line up with ,what, six ex drivers? Webber is a lovely guy but he isn't exactly articulate when He's reading a script... mate!

[anonymous-user]

Common Porpoise said:

I have never understood how Jones got the job after Humphrey. C4 team is laughable now compared to the current SKY line up with ,what, six ex drivers? Webber is a lovely guy but he isn't exactly articulate when He's reading a script... mate!

I'd take Weber over Di Resta every day, Mark is a good bloke and was successful for a decent period of time, something you cant say about that clown from Scotland.

[bigwheel]

Sir Bagalot said:

As for SJ, how the hell is he still in the job?

DC co-owns the C4 F1 show, the irritating and incompetent SJ is a mate of DC.
QED

[anonymous-user]

Stan the Bat said:

Piginapoke said:

I’m so impressed with how BM has dealt with losing his lower legs, but I can’t see what he brings to F1 commentary at all.

He's turned out quite a bit better than I thought he would on the comms front.

He’s at least as good as stating the bl@@ding obvious as the rest of them. It really annoys me that Coulthard always speaks over him.
If there’s anyone who’s superfluous it’s him. If he talks tyres, that’s it I’m off, zzzzzzz.

[HardtopManual]

motco said:

I missed Steve Jones as one might miss a stone in the shoe. Billy monger is irritating but Jones is a class of irritant above him. I wish Webber would slow his speech a bit as his accent goes off the scale when he gets excited. Coulthard's alright I suppose...

When everyone irritates you, perhaps you're just irritable?

[HardtopManual]

Common Porpoise said:

C4 team is laughable now compared to the current SKY line up with ,what, six ex drivers? Webber is a lovely guy but he isn't exactly articulate when He's reading a script... mate!

The Sky team is a great example of how being an ex-driver doesn't mean you're any good at presenting. They range from great (Brundle, Ant) to OK (Hill) to toe-curling (Herbert).

[2fast748]

I actually quite like the C4 team, Steve Jones is a breath of fresh air over the likes of Jim Rosenthal. I suspect demographics are the reasoning behind the choice of presenters as F1 needs to attract younger viewers to replace the old farts (ahem). BM's accent grates with me a bit but he's a southerner I'm a northerner so that's not a surprise. He does have insight into racing and is on first name terms with the drivers so I think he's doing fine. DC was the epitome of the corporate robot F1 driver during his day but now brings a slight irreverent tone to the show. Webber sometimes chews his words before spitting them out but again he knows what he's talking about so adds to the show.

[HustleRussell]

Martin Brundle is the best. I nearly started a thread in appreciation of him after the Styrian Grand Prix because of his excellent grid walk and superb and inclusive commentary through the race. He was doing a great job of explaining the basics to any possible first time watchers. You’d think that with all of his knowledge and experience he’d sit back and let Crofty do all of that.

However the rest of the Sky team are completely average or worse.

As a result I prefer the channel 4 team. The genuine chemistry between Coulthard, Webber and Jones makes them a lot more fun.

[thegreenhell]

HustleRussell said:

Martin Brundle is the best. I nearly started a thread in appreciation of him after the Styrian Grand Prix because of his excellent grid walk and superb and inclusive commentary through the race. He was doing a great job of explaining the basics to any possible first time watchers. You’d think that with all of his knowledge and experience he’d sit back and let Crofty do all of that.

Does he do that every race, or at some point does he recognise that the majority of his audience are the same every week?