I was introduced to F1 by my grandfather, when James Hunt was fighting to be the world #1 back in the 70′s. We always watched on the TV. In those days that meant the BBC with Murray Walker’s insanely eager commentary and every episode introduced by the ominous bass of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”. We watched the British drivers come and go; Brundle, Blundell, Coultard, Herbert, Hill and Nigel Mansell in his Red 5 Williams. We watched Senna and Prost collide as team mates; Senna and Mansell go wheel to wheel; the track invasion after Mansell’s home win in 92, and the shock of Senna’s death in ’94. My grandfather incidentally was such an F1 nut that he had a scale model of the McLaren on his television, so as a four year old, Formula1 was something that was just a part of life: and a very exciting part of life too.
In contast, the last few seasons have been poor. Those of us with F1 in our veins have found this difficult to admit, but the dominance of Ferrari has made the spectacle less interesting for all but the most ardent follower. To become an F1 fan you must first be ensnared by the action, and drama, before learning of the technical complexity, the strategy, and the psychological deulling that are as important and absorbing as the on-track action.
I am therefore delighted to be able to say that the 2005 F1 season has, so far, been fantastic. A combination of changes to the rules has meant that the starting grid has been interestingly shaken up, and that has resulted in some scintillating racing. To paraphrase something Nigell Mansell once said, F1 is a Racing Drivers Championship, but what we want to watch is Racers, not Drivers.
Today’s race at San Marino gave us a race; and what a fantastic race it was. Schumacher had qualified badly and was in the middle of the field, whereas Alonso, the championship leader was in pole position. As the laps ticked away, and the cars peeled off for their pitstops, Schumacher, somehow, stayed out. He was carrying way more fuel than his peers, so as they re-joined the race, heavy with fuel, he had a light car and leapt forward from 12th to 3rd.
What followed was a 30 lap chase where Schumacher ate into Alonso’s lead by 1.5 seconds every lap. We commented that the last time we could remember a race with this potential for a granstand finish was “that time Nige’ was 18 seconds down and pulled back a second a lap on Piquet”. Several laps later, the ITV commentator James Allen recalled the same race. They knew what was in store too.
This is what great F1 is about. Knowing that every corner matters; every entry has to be good, every apex hit, every exit clean. Schumacher had it all to do, and he delivered lap after perfect lap.
The tension build for 20 laps and with around 12 laps to go Schumacher caught up with Alonso. What followed was a car chase that puts anything Hollywood can create to shame.
This was electric.
This as real.
This was live.
This was the championship leader against the 7 time world champion, in a race to the flag.
As the 10 laps ticked off, Schumacher’s Ferrari edged closer through the corners and the Alonso’s Renault clawed back breathing space on straights.
This, is the stuff that hooks people on F1. This is what makes it a global phenomenon.
This, with 3 laps to go, and the tension thicker than gravy; this, according to ITV, would be a perfect time to interrupt the coverage for a few quiet advertisements.
We sat there numb with shock. ITV returned in time to catch most of the last lap. The tension, the excitement, the anticipation, the enjoyment… had been destroyed.
Immediatly after the race had finished, only minutes later, the commentators handed back to the studio who cheerily suggested that we viewers should rejoin them after another ad break to see the last 3 laps of the race.
Somehow, somebody in ITV has failed to understand that watching the three climactic laps that we just missed, after the race has been won, and we know the result, is entirely pointless.
We switched off the TV so that ITV could not advertise to us, and turned it back on after two minutes later in order that we might see the driver interviews.
This got us to thinking….
The BBC used to provide us with uninterrupted coverage of F1. The only reason that ITV can afford to outbid the BBC is because they can sell advertising. ITV therefore need to come up with an alternative means of advertising that does not ruin the race, or they need to step back and leave it to someone who can.
Now, market forces are such that ITV are not going to stop their coverage, or change their way of working unless there is commercial pressure to do so – so we’re going to start that commercial pressure ourselves, by turning our television off for 30 seconds during every advert break for the rest of this F1 season.
Yes, as of today we’re going to boycott the adverts that ITV show during F1 and we invite others to do likewise.
Stick that in your post race analysis ITV.
What can I say…. my thoughts exactly! Bring on the boycott and lets push to bring F1, uninterupted back to the Beeb!
John Bickell.
Couldn’t agree more, was the end of one of the best races in years, and somehow they managed to show 3 ad breaks in the last 15 minutes of the race, ruined the entire thing. Fortunately Schumacher didn’t win, so that cheered me up a bit.
I doubt this will make any difference to ITV’s cunning strategies, but it’s good to vent anyway, and i’m glad other people notice. I flick through the channels during adverts anyway, so don’t watch the junk that they try and plug
Adam Walford
Use the licence payers money to take F1 home!
I agree, ITV should be ashamed with the coverage.
I have written to OFCOM to ask them to strip ITV of the coverage.
Failing that, I too would support a boycott of all the advertisers.
Tony.
What a joke ITV, two ads in 4 minutes?
Absolutey completely entirely Agree. My next car will not be an Audi.
Remember in 1998 when they missed the moment when Mika Hakkinen WON THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!?
They should have had the coverage taken off of them right there!
I will be contacting all advertisers in forthcoming ITV1 F1 coverage, that I have joined the boycott, and will not purchase their products whilst they advertise during ITV1′s coverage.
How about boycotting any product advertised during an F1 race until such time that no-one wants to advertise? I know that ITV need a revenue stream, but they manage to show football without interruptions – F1 could AND SHOULD be dealt with in the same way. I would be happy to hear a little less “BLAH BLAH BLAH” before the race, and have more breaks there. I’d also happily sit through adverts after the race, but to interrupt it like they did today – and not just the climax of the race – Schumacher’s last pitstop too – is unforgiveable. I have emailled ITV, and LG – ukmarketing@lge.com – I thought LG might be a good place to rant to, as they have paid more money than most to ITV for the sponsorship. Maybe they have the clout that members of the public don’t have in getting ITV to sort this out? Thanks for listening – I’m still angry nearly 12 hours later!
I agree and ill support the boycott, anything to get uninterupted F1 back. The amateurs at ITV do not deserve to host it.
Why oh why did ITV insert an ad break with three laps to go? Would they go to adverts with three minutes remaining in a football match?
ITV = a poor excuse for a British TV broadcaster.
ITV painted themselves into a corner yesterday due to this years policy of showing a large block of ads closer to the climax of the race than in recent years.
I would be happy enough with any action that would convince them to reverse this policy and declare the last 8-10 laps of all GP an ad free zone. Missed action before that can usually be made up with a replay as consolation. They could even delay the live action by two minutes as far as I am concerned. I’d rather turn off the live timing and 5 live in the assurance of not missing the action albeit slightly delayed.
If someone was to come up with a method for persauding advertisers and sponsors of the wisdom of this I’d readily contribute.
ITV are silly* in the head.
I refuse to watch it after this debacle.
* sanitized, for family viewing
Does anyone have a list of the adverts which appeared in the ad break 3 laps from the end?
If we all write to them or their ad agencies noting our displeasure at having the end of races interrupted by their messages then maybe the advertisers will tell ITV that they do not want their adverts shown in the last 10 laps or so of a race.
I like many thousands of F1 aficionado’s were discombobulated at the ill timed commercial break during the race climax at San Marino.
I fully support your boycott and will not be tuning to ITV’s coverage until they put their house in order.
Overall i have to admit ITV’s coverage is pretty good. Martin Brundels insight and knowledge of F1 is commendable and give credit where credits due.
Clearly, whoever decided to cut to commercials at that crucial point in the race should be dismissed on the grounds of ineptness. I personally have never witnessed such incompetence in the history of sports broadcasting.
I sold my TV and went 100% internet pirate several years ago. So while I cant watch it live, when I watch it the ads are cut out, and any blunders like itv’s is edited. This costs me alot of money and work but at least I’M in contol.
If anyone wants to make a complaint they should contact OFCOM either by letter or via their website ww.ofcom.org.uk. OFCOM regulate all the commercial channels who have to abide by the OFCOM rules and regulations and they take all complaints seriously. ITV are in clear breach of the rule that defines a “natural break”.
Any complaint to ITV will be totally ignored as they only listen to their paymasters, i.e. the advertisers, and hold viewers in contempt.
Thanks for providing LG’s email address Andy, I have emailed them about it. We shouldn’t have to put up with this deplorable behaviour & they need to be told. If BBC did adverts im sure they wouldn’t do something as heinous as what ITV have done.
Thanks for the Trackback to Full Throttle, it’s much appreciated. As a “Yank” living in the Philippines I didn’t have to suffer through the advert interruption but you certainly have my sympathy.
As you can see by my entry on the subject the US has had similar problems in the past.
By the way, nice WordPress theme… and where’s my “tea” as promised in the header image?
I agree that taking it back to the BBC would be good but I am worried that the BBC would give us some useless commentary team whereas at the moment we have the excellent Martin Brundle.
How about an ad banner on all the time on the bottom of the screen? Or a split screen thing where they had 1/2 size adds + the F1 with no audio.
A good idea from Dave methinks.
A good point well made and one I agree with entirely.
Can I ask that the same boycott be imposed when ITV is showing a movie! I remember years ago, seeing “Jaws” interrupted by the Andrex puppy and it still makes me “laugh” with anger.
RE: Ad banner.
Unfortunately at the moment UK TV stations are not allowed to do this – OFCOM regulations. Regulations I’d like to see changed for this very reason.
I agree that the F1 coverage from ITV is terrible. It’s nice to know that I wasn’t the only one left annoyed at the ad’ break on lap three of the San Marino GP.
As an F1 fan we have had to put up with the fact that we do not get to see the deciding qualifying session this season, and to make matters worse we get pathetic coverage like we got this weekend.
The add breaks ruinined the excitement of the race. They couldn’t have been timed any worse. One of the closest races for some time and ITV spoilt it for all the viewers.
I think ITV need to sack whoever was responsible for this decision, introduce a rule that no adds are ever shown in the last 10 laps of a race, and finally in this age of ‘digital’ television why not offer to show qualifying on one of the many channels, even if it was via one of the ‘push the red button’ things.
I can sum up ITV’s coverage in one word: PATHETIC. The only good thing is Martin Brundles commentary which is informative and enjoyable.
Best way to boycott is get an old sky analogue dish – point it to astra 19.2 and watch the race on RTL with sound from Radio 5 live.
I shall be watching the Spanish GP while on hols in Mallorca – having watched F1 on Telecinco before, they have picture within picture during the ads – why can’t ITV do this?
I’ve been boycotting the ads for some while – I bought a digital radio this year so I could listen to quali 2 on Five Live Extra and during the race it is my constant companion – the ads are muted and I listen to Maurice Hamilton instead.
Wow, what a fantastic idea! Boycott the ad breaks during the F1 race! Personally I don’t think the ITV coverage is too bad. Heaps better than Sky’s! Oh and has anyone watched a Grand Prix in America. It’s horrendous. But there was no excuse for what happened during the San Marino Grand Prix. But if this is truly going to work we need to spread the word to boycott the ad breaks. Any ideas anyone?
Some clever chap has posted all the addresses of the advertisers inserted in the San Marino race on the pitpass website, it takes a little time out of your day but if we all bombard these companies with our reasons why ITV has smeared thier products/services forever, ITV may in the end suffer……….please please please remove ITV from the equation they are an insult to all those who have made history in F1 past and present, and all other forms of motorsport.
Anne Highes is right. We have watched F1 on Spanish TV for the past four years and have been able to follow the race ( albeit silent and miniscule) in the top corner of the ads.
I would support any action to bring F1 back to Aunty
Having lived in Brazil for some time, I was amazed to see how ITV (and its clients) treated their F1 fans here post auntie. Globo TV there tried doing ads during the races years ago, and it didn’t last very long at all. They do banner ads at the bottom of the screen and everybody’s happy, just like in football.
I’ve been emailing ITV for over four years about this. What happened during the San Marino GP was an accident waiting to happen. They are too greedy to have seen it coming.
The advertisers can afford to laff it off if we try to boycott them, sadly, but I am up for the time shifting solution, I don’t care whether it’s in real time or not because the race is just as exciting in the repeats if you don’t know the result. This is effectively what happens in every other kind of prog. I truly hate the marketing disease that we have caught from the USA in recent years, even the BBC is at it in every spare moment. How stupid and gullible do they think we are as paying viewers? I guess if the BBC got F1 again they would also get Martin, I mean what else would he do?!
There’s another point here too, we still have to pay the license fee in order to watch ITV.
A far as I am concerned, they almost did it again!
In the final moments of the Monaco GP, the lead was settled, but there was one hell of a race going on further behind as current championship leader Alonso fought to keep his place.
So what did we have to watch? Yes, I know the director of the company was pleased, but did we need to watch him?
We were pleased with Brit manufacturer success too, of course, but it might have been nice to see all of the exciting race rather than just sit at the finish line to see the result
WHY CAN THEY NOT ORGANISE A SPLIT SCREEN???
With so many hits on this site, perhaps somebody from ITV is among them and might pass on the ideas raised?
ITV don’t decide what is actually on the screen (that’s down to the company that sells the feed to ITV and every other TV company). They then mix this with their own commentators and interviewers.
However… a boycott is not on the cards in my household… that would mean listening to it on the radio… which ISN’T going to happen….
I did think the race this time was fantastic!! They also clearly stated that the last 17 laps were completely uninterupted. Having Jenson Button there was also inspired!
They have really bucked up their act!
They have improved, no doubt about it. When they mentioned the uninterrupted coverage I was delighted.
Please note that I’m only turning the adverts off, not the race itself, so there’s no need for radio (though that would help fill in the missing bit). When the first ITV ident comes on I switch over to the BBC and wait for 60 seconds, then switch back. I catch the end of the ads, but at least two 30 second adverts have gone completely unwatched.
I’ll be doing that until ITV come up with a solution to the interruptions.
I support the idea of attempting to lever some control over ITV, but I don’t see how boycotting the adverts will work. How will ITV ever find out? How will the advertisers ever find out? Given the almost mystical nature of marketing and advertising, a direct impact on sales is unlikely.
However I do think that writing to OFCOM and the manufacturers of products that advertise would be much more effective. But to do this you will need to watch the adverts.
i agree take it off that useless ignorant channel!
i have emailed them about things before,most recently their terrible coverage of the brit awards.ie never live! yet it always was on bbc.the ignorant knw it all channel cant even be bothered to reply.
its now May 2006 and still the advert breaks, I have all but stopped watching F1, Come back Auntie Beeb.
I live in hope
yes lets fight back could not agree more have followed this proceedure of not watching the adds. in fact now i record the race and zip through the ad breaks. not live i know. but it does mean i miss the ads and the insane blah blah blah, if the commentators who are so afraid to critise the teams or the drivers just so much fluff
Ironically the BBC provides the feed for ITV’s coverage. They just shove the banal James Allan over the top and mix to their adverts every 2 minutes.
You’re also forgetting you do pay for ITV – with the shopping bill. Adverts aren’t free; a 30″ slot costs a few tens of grand. Manufacturers offset this cost by hiking the price of their products.
F1 needs to be back with the BBC or stack the adverts in the middle more frequently and give us a window to carry on viewing or more on screen overlays when watching live like the usa do …”this replay is brought to you by blaaaaaa”… the usa get it, we don’t.
I agree with you entirely and would dearly love to see F1 back on the beeb, however it might interest you to know that while I was in Turkey this year (unfortunately not close enough to Istanbul to attend) I watched the race on Turkish television. Like here it was also broadcast on an independent network but during the adverts the screen was split 60/40, you lost commentary but at least you could still follow the action. So as a compromise, if one station can do it, why not ITV too..!!
It isn’t only the one station that can, as I’ve said earlier, the same thing happens in Spain…. so come on ITV…start to think more of the fans and less of the filthy lucre