No more F1 on BBC TV at all

[kalniel]

So it's stop stopped now - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35149963

BBC needed to make savings, and F1 seems bent on just increasing costs of everything so I'm not hugely surprised. Problem for me is I can't see them replacing it with any more motorsport coverage, which is a shame as they're in a prime position to be encouraging a competitor. Rally, MotoGP, Endurance/GT.. all should be courting for a slot but aren't.

[satrow]

Well, they seem to have been able to transfer it to Channel 4, that makes me think that it was the current staffing costs/contracts within the BBC that was the main issue.

[Smudger]

So rather than the competition making their own stuff better, the government weakens the BBC so the PPV competitors can keep up. Yay.

[ik9000]

yup. It's interesting that the Murdoch media empire is so pally with the Tory party isn't it. Such favourable press in the election, and so damning of Miliband. Cam is pals with Rebekah Brooks who's now back in the Murdoch fold. It's also interesting how anti-BBC the gov seems to be. Really.... interesting.

[Millennium]

Yes I was sad to read this earlier. Really big F1 fan but not shelling out Sky prices.

[SMeK]

I really enjoyed the coverage since it moved to BBC and suzi took over. The production values and content the bbc put out is great. hopefully channel 4 will also have highlights of the races they don't do live I REALLY don't want to have to pay for sky.

[Andy3536]

So it's stop stopped now - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35149963

BBC needed to make savings, and F1 seems bent on just increasing costs of everything so I'm not hugely surprised. Problem for me is I can't see them replacing it with any more motorsport coverage, which is a shame as they're in a prime position to be encouraging a competitor. Rally, MotoGP, Endurance/GT.. all should be courting for a slot but aren't.

Have to agree with the other motorsport options. BBC doesn't seem interested at all though.
Would love to see the WEC or GT racing. Anything though would be nice.

Kind of sad to see it go though. Channel 4 is just a stepping stone untill it goes to sky fully.
That will probably be the season that the racing finally gets interesting when half of us can't watch it ......

[shaithis]

I still remember before Sky got the rights, Ecclestone stated that it would never leave terrestrial, or go PPV.

I wish their were some kind of legal recourse for such out-right public lies.

[SMeK]

I still remember before Sky got the rights, Ecclestone stated that it would never leave terrestrial, or go PPV.

I wish their were some kind of legal recourse for such out-right public lies.

I think it turns out that was covered with having highlights on bbc. Aslong as its on free tv in some format they get away with it

[Smudger]

And apparently half the cabinet were at Murdoch's cosy Christmas do the other night. Should media barons have this much access to politicians?

[walibe]

Let's be honest, if its a popular sport then the BBC can no longer afford it. Over the years we've seen football, rugby union (apart from some internationals and that will change) and a host of other sports disappear.

This could be a big thing for Channel 4 with the package they've picked up. It just keeps adding to the thought that we don't need a BBC or such a high licence fee.

[ik9000]

And apparently half the cabinet were at Murdoch's cosy Christmas do the other night. Should media barons have this much access to politicians?

nope! But welcome to modern Britain, were the elite set do deals with our politicians and the public get screwed. Anyone see this article in the standard last night?

[MaddAussie]

To be honest I think I watched all of about 3 or 4 races last year, F1 isn't (in my opinion) as exciting as it used to be, all of the contrived mechanisms (Engineered tires, DRS etc) to 'improve' the racing has done anything.

There are better forms of racing out there, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) had more moments of me standing up and shouting at the telly in excitement in one race than the last season of F1.

[outwar6010]

I heard there's going to be a new show about the underground racing scene in the uk.

[Smudger]

It just keeps adding to the thought that we don't need a BBC or such a high licence fee.

Well for one thing, news that's unbiased, and not at the mercy of advertisers. Want a world where you get your 'truth' from Sky News? The BBC is not perfect, but it's better than anything else we've got in this country.

[walibe]

Well for one thing, news that's unbiased, and not at the mercy of advertisers. Want a world where you get your 'truth' from Sky News? The BBC is not perfect, but it's better than anything else we've got in this country.

There is no such thing as completely unbiased news. The BBC is state funded which would make it a state run news agency. It's certainly been accused of being biased more than any other news network I can think of in the UK.

If the licence fee was abolished there is no reason the BBC couldn't be made to stand on its own two feet.

But we have now gone well off topic for which I apologise.