RE: BBC confirms live Formula E coverage

RE: BBC confirms live Formula E coverage

Tuesday 13th November 2018

BBC confirms live Formula E coverage

Every race will be shown online or Red Button coverage, with at least one due to be shown on TV



The BBC has confirmed it will broadcast live coverage of every Formula E race on its Red Button and online platforms for the upcoming fifth season, with at least one race also due to be shown live on BBC One or Two. The announcement, which is expected to be the biggest boost yet given to FE in Britain, comes almost four years since the network stopped showing live coverage of Formula 1.

The BBC's interest in broadcasting the motorsport's top electric series comes as a surprise because live coverage is already accessible in Britain via YouTube. It also feels rather significant, given that the nation's broadcaster has shown little interest in motorsport since it surrendered the F1 rights to Sky.

Ali Russell, FE's media and business development director, told Autosport that "It's imperative that Formula E remained on a free-to-air network in such an important territory and key market for motorsport". He added "What better place to showcase some of the best and most competitive racing than on the BBC".


Formula E's upcoming season starts on the 15th December in Saudi Arabia. The new championship will use an all-new single-seater racer that - finally - can complete the full distance of a race, meaning no mid-race car swaps, and they'll be faster too. Races will take place in 12 global cities, including Hong Kong, Berlin and New York.

Will BBC coverage be enough to convert the British mainstream into FE fans? It seems unlikely. But the involvement of one of the world's biggest television networks in a championship that will soon have more manufacturers than F1 should not be overlooked. It certainly speaks volumes about where money, time, effort and the public's attention will be directed in the coming years. Perhaps F1 director Ross Brawn's suggestion that F1 could go all-electric in 10 years might not be so absurd after all.



Author
Discussion

V8muscle

Original Poster:

37 posts

118 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
BBC, that's appropriate - BORING BATTERY CARS.

Turbotechnic

675 posts

75 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
V8muscle said:
BBC, that's appropriate - BORING BATTERY CARS.
laugh very appropriate.

SamR380

725 posts

119 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Why don't they race on proper race tracks? Street circuits have the double failing of being dangerous and boring.

WyrleyD

1,883 posts

147 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
I have seen a few of those milk float races and found the sound that the floats make extremely tedious, enough to watch with the sound on mute.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
SamR380 said:
Why don't they race on proper race tracks? Street circuits have the double failing of being dangerous and boring.
Same reason Liberty are pushing to get more street circuits into F1.

designndrive62

743 posts

156 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
It's not perfect, and some of the track design and city choices have been a bit odd, but i've enjoyed what i've seen up to now. The races are usually pretty close and exciting and the drivers are mostly of an excellent quality - arguably more so than any other race series in the world to be honest. The new car looks pretty good and has enough performance to make the most of the tracks they race on. Power isn't everything, the most exciting races i have seen have been in less powered categories.

Yes there have been pitfalls with the technology and i don't believe that battery power is necessarily the way forwards, but i find it pretty interesting to see where the technology will evolve to.

ggdrew

242 posts

123 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Oh dear... the poor old BBC were flanneled into thinking they were buying something fabulous for peanuts.

Some-one should cunningly capitalise on the presence of these "I'll try anything for free' (fair to play to them) 'motorsport spectators' and blitz the track in the interval with an V10 F1 car and a Lola T70 .... bear with me ... and they'd be like ".. no fking way!!! - some Patagonian waistcoat-wearing can't (and a bunch of cheapskate manufacturers) told me these milk-floats were in-actual-fact motorsport!" "Where do I sign up to watch THIS fabulous devastatingly aggressive sounding awesomeness - take my money NOW!!"

If only these newbies could be shown the light smile


Edited by ggdrew on Tuesday 13th November 17:40

VTECMFR

214 posts

84 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
This planet baffles me. One minute I'm being told to make sure I switch all my lights off and keep electronics of standby, to reduce the worlds use of electric... yet they are wasting electric at what I assume is a serious rate, in this pointless race series.

I'm probably missing something, if I am please tell me, I am happy to be educated.

JN67

1 posts

90 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
I'm pleased about this and think it will gradually gain a wider interest. Like many others I suspect, I was somewhat cynical but came across it on TV by chance on a Friday evening in July (the NY race 1) and really enjoyed it, some good overtaking on tight circuits with closely matched cars. Followed it up by watching the 2nd race on the Saturday and made a note to follow it in the coming season. The irony is that as the batteries have developed the mid race 'car swap' is not now required apparently, which is somewhat unfortunate as I found it particularly entertaining.

pti

1,694 posts

143 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
I don't mind it and I'm glad. So there.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
WyrleyD said:
I have seen a few of those milk float races and found the sound that the floats make extremely tedious, enough to watch with the sound on mute.
I like to knit or practice a spot of crochet during my races with the volume on mute. It has a soothing effect, a bit like sitting by a lake on a nice sunny afternoon.

Reciprocating mass

6,029 posts

240 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
When are they going to rename it formula 1 whistle

Pericoloso

44,044 posts

162 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
This is at least the 3rd different tv channel that FE has been on.
Go figure !
No one watches it.

garypotter

1,483 posts

149 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Thank you BBC another waste of licence payers money on possibly the most boring race series in existence. spend the money on other club racing and kart racing - far more exciting racing, overtaking and give the chance for the small teams and individuals to get on tv.

Fittster

20,120 posts

212 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Can't possibly be more dull than F1.

When do they start racing around Brum?

ReaperCushions

5,951 posts

183 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Fittster said:
Can't possibly be more dull than F1.

When do they start racing around Brum?
The Birmingham Super Prix was the highlight of my childhood.. I'd love to see them race around there again.

Edit:

https://youtu.be/hamaRwRuhyM?t=114

The Monaco of the Midlands!



Edited by ReaperCushions on Tuesday 13th November 18:15

Andeh1

7,107 posts

205 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Good move, get my vote! Like F1 but without the stupid attitudes & arrogant drivers.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
garypotter said:
Thank you BBC another waste of licence payers money on possibly the most boring race series in existence.
The TV rights for FE are worth bugger all.

roland82

257 posts

214 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
I like watching Formula E. I know it's generally a F1 dumping ground but the actually racing can be good. Turn the volume down a bit and give it a try I say.

I might miss the first race though...

Fire99

9,844 posts

228 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
I have genuinely tried to like F.E. I've watched a few races but I can't deny it. It's like the last 60 years of motorsport never happened. This is sanitised 'motorsport' to the extreme.. It's not for me.