Planet-F1

Who's In Pole Position To Go To The Beeb?

Monday 21st April 2008

As ITV toss aside their BAFTA-winning TV programme, the BBC stand ready to take back the F1 coverage. So who will be making the jump to the new advert-free grands prix?

COMMENTATORS
James Allen:
Like him or not, James Allen is the favourite to swap channels in 2009. Now that Neil Duncanson and the ITV production team at North One have made off with a lovely BAFTA (20.4.08) courtesy of their excellent Canadian GP coverage, James can afford a little bragging. Because technically he is now a BAFTA-award winning commentator, his race commentary being the single biggest input to that programme. He may have an overt fondness for Michael Schumacher, Ferrari (naming his son Enzo Allen) and Lewis Hamilton, but he has a wealth of experience in what is a very easy job to get wrong. A former journalist he also helps root out some of the important pitlane stories before a race. However the BBC might want a change just to distinguish their coverage from ITV's.

Murray Walker: (Former BBC and ITV F1)
It's chilling to think that anyone has suggested a return for the Muzzer, but they have. You could never beat Murray for the sheer enthusiasm and excitement generated for his chosen sport, but in the latter years, the accuracy of the commentary went out the window faster than a Frisbee in an Alzheimer's ward. At the end he was a beloved embarrassment.

David Croft (Radio 5 Live) :
Crofty has made a huge difference to the Radio 5 Live team - giving it a sense of occasion and blending in nicely with regular pundit Maurice Hamilton and occasional pundit Ant Davidson. Ostensibly he's doing the same job as James Allen, commentating live to television pictures shown at the event and would be in our top three of commentary choices

Charlie Cox (BBC MotoGP) :
Charlie Cox's laid-back style is perhaps too laconic for F1. Whereas Murray would be hitting the rev limiter in his trademark trousers-on-fire style, Charlie has to force himself to be excited. A former BTCC racer who once got injured in a massive touring car shunt at Thruxton, he has the charisma and knowledge, he just doesn't have the nuts-and-bolts craft needed for F1. He's also over-keen on writing 'little gems' that he tyre-levers into the commentary, "Rossi's really shaking the sideboard with that one."

Jonathan Legard (Former Radio 5 Live) :
Not a great voice behind the microphone, he tended to sound like an enthusiastic vicar with a small amount of motorsport knowledge.

Ben Edwards, (ITV BTCC) :
Ben Edwards is probably the front-runner for the BBC job after James Allen. He handled the excellent multi-channel Sky F1 package in 2002 and is getting better and better as he moves around the formulaes. His BTCC commentary on ITV is rarely shoddy. You wouldn't catch him yelling: "And Lewis Hamilton ...(pause)...(pause)...(pause)...wins!"

PITLANE REPORTERS
Ted Kravitz (ITV F1) :
Ted has the experience to nose around garages and ask the right questions. He also won't shy away from asking awkward uncomfortable questions, which is why he's the best.

Holly Samos (Radio 5 Live) :
Holly is a former production assistant on Chris Evans' radio show (for those who don't know him, Chris Evans is like a milder, ginger version of shockjock Howard Stern). She may know a lot, but It sounds like she has very little idea what she's reporting on.

Suzy Perry (BBC MotoGP) :
A big (attractive) fish in a small pond, Suzy Perry doesn't come across as someone with the bottle to handle the characters on an F1 grid.

Louise Goodman (ITV F1) :
A woman with excellent contacts in the business, huge experience of F1 and who makes interviewing petulant egomaniacs sound a lot easier than it actually is. She sometimes gets just a bit too chummy with drivers and the older she gets, the more mumsy she sounds. F1 should be glamorous, though, and she's not.

Vicki Butler-Henderson (ITV BTTC) :
Unlike all the previously mentioned pitlane reporters Butler-Henderson is a pedigree driver in her own right. It would be a huge leap to F1 from the BTTC, but if Ted's going to have a partner in crime, then it should be Vicki.

PUNDITS
Martin Brundle (F1 ITV) :
Brundle is quite simply the best sporting pundit there is. When I was freelancing for ITV the director of the TV coverage told me that Brundle was paid double what they paid Murray Walker. It's hardly surprising. He is the Alan Hansen of F1 - the authoritive voice.

Mark Blundell (F1 ITV) :
Less of a pundit, more of a cabaret act, Blundell only really says what Martin and James have been saying for the last hour and a half in commentary. His fantastic malapropisms are a joy to the ear, though, Steve. We would hate to lose him, but we fear we will. On a strict 'information and analysis' basis you could easily find someone to summarise the race better, but would you want to. "Oi, get orf me BAFTA barra!"

Maurice Hamilton (Radio 5) :
In terms of insight, Maurice Hamilton is streets ahead of Blundell, but he's not as easy on the eye. Hamilton's been an F1 journalist since the mid-70s and knows his trade. Probably too old now.

John Watson (Formerly SKY F1) :
Wattie did his best, but the shiny shiny cars always seemed to move a bit too quickly for him.

Damon Hill (Formerly SKY F1) :
With his position as head of the BRDC (British Racing Driver's Club) and hence Silverstone, Damon is probably too busy to add full-time punditry to his work schedule. When he guested on the SKY programme he was often very funny and contributed some rare insights.

Ant Davidson (Radio 5 Live) :
When he's not racing, Davidson is a brilliant pundit, explaining incidents calmly and rationally with no axe to grind at all. Frequently in 2006 (when Davidson was reserve driver for Honda and was free on Sundays) Radio 5 listeners would know exactly what had happened to a driver thanks to Davidson's intimate and up-to-date knowledge of the cars. ITV would get there eventually but Ant would tell radio listeners straight away...

David Coulthard (Former Williams, McLaren, Red Bull driver) :
...and for that reason David Coulthard, should he lose his drive next season, would make a brilliant pundit. If he could remember that the programme went out before the watershed.

The Planet-F1 Elite team:
Commentator: Edwards
Pundit: Brundle
Summariser: Davidson
Pitlane: Kravitz and Butler-Henderson

Andrew Davies

Who Do You Think Should Get The Job? Let Us Know