Not sure how I feel about this season ....

[parabolica]

JonChalk said:

I think I'm going to do the opposite and NowTV the first few weekends, see how Norris and Russell get on, see if Ferrari and RB challenge Merc, then resort to C4 highlights if looks like being dull.

Yup, same here. Not sure how long it'll last as I really cannot stand the sky commentary team (used to like Brundle but he's been a right grump for a few years now). Really hoping the C4 team are still going to be involved with the highlights package as per rumours at the end of last year. I know Whisper still sell their F1 package to overseas markets so I assume Steve/DC et al are still going to be at every race, just not for UK viewers.

[Derek Smith]

I've been following F1 since 1966. My main sport is rugby. I don't have Sky sports, but have BT for rugby.

I thought the half of the races bit with Ch4 would be dreadful but I found it almost liberating. I had fewer Sundays to blank out of my diary.

This season is the first one for 16 years that I have not been the official videoer of my team;'s matches. I've seen four of my team's home matches.

I now have weekends. That my grandkid's birthday parties are/were all on weekends means I went to all of them last year.

Seeing F1 as highlights is what used to happen in the early days, and it kept my interest. It's no hardship going back to that. I've penciled in four races for NOW! this season. I'll cope. I've already got another hobby, and will be starting another in a month or two. Life doesn't end without F1. Odd though it seems, I was dreading this season. Now I think 'whatever'.

The point, I think, is how many others, in the homeland of F1, will think the same way?

[schmalex]

Highlights on fast forward is really the only way to watch F1. Otherwise, it’s 2 hours of drudgery interspersed with the odd bit of action.

Frankly, Sky are welcome to keep the live races locked away behind their paywall

[DoubleD]

schmalex said:

Highlights on fast forward is really the only way to watch F1. Otherwise, it’s 2 hours of drudgery interspersed with the odd bit of action.

Frankly, Sky are welcome to keep the live races locked away behind their paywall

Why watch it at all then?

[schmalex]

DoubleD said:

schmalex said:

Highlights on fast forward is really the only way to watch F1. Otherwise, it’s 2 hours of drudgery interspersed with the odd bit of action.

Frankly, Sky are welcome to keep the live races locked away behind their paywall

Why watch it at all then?

I retain an interest in it, but I have better things to do than waste half a morning or afternoon watching a dreary procession with, generally, the outcome having been decided after the first half dozen laps or so.

[S0 What]

Well i for one will be watching it, just purchased a years sports sub on NOW (well i won a years subs with Mcds last march but only just started it), i'm looking forward to it even if you lot aint

[Andy S15]

Look up an app called 'Mobdro'. You can install it on Android, fire stick, probably others. I've been using it for 3 years now and its about 95% reliable which isn't bad in my opinion.

Given more reasonable options (ie, the F1TV package) I'd be happy to pay for just F1, but Bernie's deal has forced my hand.

[stevesuk]

schmalex said:

DoubleD said:

schmalex said:

Highlights on fast forward is really the only way to watch F1. Otherwise, it’s 2 hours of drudgery interspersed with the odd bit of action.

Frankly, Sky are welcome to keep the live races locked away behind their paywall

Why watch it at all then?

I retain an interest in it, but I have better things to do than waste half a morning or afternoon watching a dreary procession with, generally, the outcome having been decided after the first half dozen laps or so.

This is kind of how I feel too. I got really interested in the sport in 1989 when the last normally aspirated era properly began. There were some dreary races back then of course (there probably always has been). However, some might say the early 90s was a golden era in the sport. So much going on - what with the array of different engine configurations, loads more teams and the roulette wheel of mechanical failure often leading to upsets/surprise results.

My interest started to decline around the time they banned the V10s. I'm not sure if that's because I began to find the sport boring, or whether it was just about growing older and having better things to do with my time. Probably a mix of both.

But I still have enough of an interest to follow F1 and see the races... Like you say - not two hours of dreary procession (or the race build-up... I couldn't care less which celebrity attended which race, or seeing the drivers stood around on the grid waiting for the start).

18 year old me might have lapped up every second of coverage - but these days, I want to see the start, any in-race incidents and the best overtakes/battles. The highlights package (assuming the quality is maintained) on C4 will be a good compromise - better than losing coverage completely. Sometimes its annoying trying to avoid the race result before you get a chance to watch it - that's the only issue I can see.

[Kraken]

I think age does have a lot to do with it as well. The vast majority of my friends who have fallen out of love with F1 are in their 50's whereas those in their 20's and 30's are, in the main, just as keen as they've always been. I might have odd friends though.

[John_S4x4]

I am about to completely redo my sky package and have the old Variety package with them. I think I get F1 on Sky due to my HD/3D option. What options do I now have to watch the F1 on Sky, if I go with the Entertainment package ? Do I have to get the full Sports package ?

Sorry, should be asking about this in the TV forum really.

[bristolracer]

John_S4x4 said:

I am about to completely redo my sky package and have the old Variety package with them. I think I get F1 on Sky due to my HD/3D option. What options do I now have to watch the F1 on Sky, if I go with the Entertainment package ? Do I have to get the full Sports package ?

Sorry, should be asking about this in the TV forum really.

If you have the "legacy" package then do not renegotiate your current deal.
The minute you move to a new package the F1 will only be given to you if you have a full sports package. They may do it cheap in year one to get you onto sky q but in year 2 they will empty your bank.

[The Vambo]

Andy S15 said:

Look up an app called 'Mobdro'. You can install it on Android, fire stick, probably others. I've been using it for 3 years now and its about 95% reliable which isn't bad in my opinion.

Given more reasonable options (ie, the F1TV package) I'd be happy to pay for just F1, but Bernie's deal has forced my hand.

Try TvTapp, very similar.

[FIREBIRDC9]

I use NOW TV as my internet and television provider.

They allow you to buy 24hr sky sports passes for 6 quid ish.
Works well for me as F1 is the only thing i watch on sky , so i just buy a 24hr pass when i am at home for the race.
Also handy because when i am away and can't watch the race i don't have to pay for it.

I'm looking forward to the 2019 season.
If Vettel drops the ball on this one as well i feel that Ferrari will lose patience.

Also, Jenson button is being a pundit this year too! Big bonus!

[E34-3.2]

Kizmiaz said:

I'm not in a position to pay for Sky so I am a bit meh about F1 this year. Normally by now I have the race dates in my diary and I'm thinking about the car launches coming up. I don't like football or any other sport (bike racing is now highlights) and am feeling a bit hard done by.
I want to say stuff it but I know quietly I'm missing out.

Can't you use live streaming?

[Lucas Ayde]

As long as C4 are still doing the 'highlights' packages in the evenings I'll happily watch them. They have done a great job in the past so as long as the shows continue in the same format that's good enough for me.

To be honest, for most races it's more enjoyable to watch edited highlights than to follow it live, anyway. You just need to be careful not to have the result spoiled for you before you get to see the highlights, which can be difficult in the age of the internet and news notifications on your mobile phone.

[Kraken]

Now TV is about the same for 24hr access (and with adverts) than most streaming services charge for a whole month with massively more programming with no adverts. With motortrend I pay less than half that and get way more motorsport. I paid £30 for two seasons of WEC with multiple camera angles, HD coverage and, again, no adverts in the coverage.

Sky and it's Now TV arm are just a massive rip off IMO.

[heebeegeetee]

Lucas Ayde said:

As long as C4 are still doing the 'highlights' packages in the evenings I'll happily watch them. They have done a great job in the past so as long as the shows continue in the same format that's good enough for me.

To be honest, for most races it's more enjoyable to watch edited highlights than to follow it live, anyway. You just need to be careful not to have the result spoiled for you before you get to see the highlights, which can be difficult in the age of the internet and news notifications on your mobile phone.

This is where I am with it, happy to watch highlights on C4. But it is tedious having to avoid all radio and tv, and all social media 'cos I still have friends who want to post results etc.

[wibble cb]

Still waiting for my cable channel to put up the race dates, as that’s usually the indicator that they are going to continue showing them, nothing so far, but it was late Feb last year.

[DoubleD]

heebeegeetee said:

Lucas Ayde said:

As long as C4 are still doing the 'highlights' packages in the evenings I'll happily watch them. They have done a great job in the past so as long as the shows continue in the same format that's good enough for me.

To be honest, for most races it's more enjoyable to watch edited highlights than to follow it live, anyway. You just need to be careful not to have the result spoiled for you before you get to see the highlights, which can be difficult in the age of the internet and news notifications on your mobile phone.

This is where I am with it, happy to watch highlights on C4. But it is tedious having to avoid all radio and tv, and all social media 'cos I still have friends who want to post results etc.

I think the highlights will be on even later this year. An extra hour I think.

[garythesign]

DoubleD said:

I think the highlights will be on even later this year. An extra hour I think.

I believe that is the case.

I am now used to watching C4 highlights and think it is a good compromise.

I live in Ireland and there doesn’t appear to be a huge folllowing of F1 here.

Unlike in the UK I am unlikely to hear the result before watching the highlights, normally on Monday evenings.