F1

[wai]

My only beef is the pay TV model. Which is to get heaps of money for the sports owners via TV rights. But then because the TV audiences drop, the teams sponsors don't get the same returns and walk away. So then the teams are the ones in the end who lose.

That's exactly right. The problem is that somehow Foxtel has managed to convince F1 that the PayTV model here is like the PayTV model in Europe. It's completely different. Here there are only around 2 million PayTV subscribers, and most of them who get it for sport get it for AFL or NRL. Only a very small proportion of those actually get it for motor sport.

You are probably looking at something like 5 to 10 times as many who follow motor sport on FTA TV. This means that advertisers are not getting anywhere near the exposure on PayTV than they would on FTA TV.

The penny will drop, as it has with other sports that went to PayTV, and after one season went back to FTA TV. The only problem is that they have destroyed their credibility in doing what they have done.

But it's not just the broadcasts.

It was Ten that got V8Supercars to where they are (or were before 7 got the rights and started the screw up). One of the best things in those days was RPM. It was a sharp show that covered things properly. Now every show must have a comedian. They cut things to the bone and absolutely screw it up.

Thank goodness for streaming services.

[wai]

Rest in Peace young man, we will all miss you dearly. Today, we have lost an angel.

Likewise.

One thing that was shown today was the actual impact. Given how light a F1 car is, it was quite shocking to see something like a front end loader being lifted up and moved a couple metres when Bianchi's car hit it.

[mattaus]

Genuinely gutted by the news. Its sucks; really, really sucks. I was never confident he'd survive but the news this morning hit me hard. Way too young.

[SkodaVIC]

The last 2 races have been nothing short of exciting - just what the sport needed (especially in light of the sad news we received last week). Silverstone was exciting thankis to the Williams starts, and the race was spiced up even further with the rain towards the conclusion (frustrating for myself as a Williams fan to watch our cars struggle in the tricky wet conditions).

The Hungarian GP was incredibly entertaining to watch - helped largely due to the front wing incident with Nico Hulkenbergs Force India - the Safety Car really brought the race alive. A bit of a shame that Kimi had the MGU-K issue, also a shame that Daniel Ricciardo was involved in numerous incidents throughout the race which ultimately cost him a shot at trying for victory - what a turnaround that would have been for Red Bull Racing. Also a shame that Williams suffered so badly at this track - firstly with Massa not lining up in his grid spot correctly, secondly that Bottas picked up a late puncture from the front wing of the Toro Rosso of Max Verstappen - but, that's motor racing - unpredictability is the only certainty. Hopefully next time out (in SPA) things will look better for my guys in white, blue & red!