An article in yesterdays' USA Today states that formula 1 coverage is moving to ABC/ESPN starting with this year's USGP @ INDY.

Here is the link:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/formu...08-30-f1-tv.htm

 

I guess that just means that there will be annoying commentators, plenty of commercial breaks and the occassional tear-jerking back story.

 

That sucks. Now I have to go to the USGP

No coverage of practice, and minimal qualifying

 

Hmm, that's usually one of my biggest complaints is that ABC/ESPN never provides any backstory. They just cut in on the parade lap and out on the cool down lap.

Clark

 

This is stupid. ABC's current coverage of racing sucks, and now it'll be hard to figure out what race is on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 and when it's on.

Plus, is ABC going to broadcast the race live starting at 7:30am on Sunday morning. I'm sure that'll bring in a ton of new viewers to ABC.

I love this quote: "Speedvision has done a reasonable job with what they have, but on ABC, more people would watch it by accident than they would (intentionally on Speedvision)," he (IMS president Tony George) said.

Instead of focusing on the fans and giving them what they want (like Speedvision currently does), they're hoping that millions more people will "accidentally" stumble across and become fans. If it's not NASCAR they're not going to watch it.

Andrew

 

"It's close, but it's not a done deal," IMS president Tony George said. "I think it's going to happen."

Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't happen.

 

Forget ABC they suck with race coverage. That is why there is a Speedvision for poeple that like racing and like cars and bikes and don't forget boats. I am glad SV is included in our cable.

Anyone see the first practice results for Belgian GP.

Here they are
P Driver Team - Engine Times
-------------------------------------------------
1. M SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1'48"655
2. J TRULLI Jordan Honda 1'49"404
3. R BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1'49"456
4. G FISICHELLA Benetton Renault 1'50"192
5. M HAKKINEN McLaren Mercedes 1'50"239
6. K RAIKKONEN Sauber Petronas 1'50"495
7. R SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1'50"801
8. E IRVINE Jaguar 1'51"555
9. J ALESI Jordan Honda 1'51"631
10. J BUTTON Benetton Renault 1'51"673
11. O PANIS BAR Honda 1'52"071
15. J VILLENEUVE BAR Honda 1'52"804

 

PLEASE GOD DON'T LET THEM TAKE IT AWAY FROM SPEEDVISION! It would ABSOLUTELY SUCK if F1 made it to ABC!

 

During the Belgium GP, I think I heard them say that Speedvision will still cover the qualifying, and move to ABC for the race. However, they won't be able to use the onboard cameras, which are proprietory to Speedvision.

This sounds like the same kind of deal as the Wimbledon tennis, where ESPN/HBO show all the preliminary matches (quite well) and then they really screw things up by having ABC (?) do the finals. What a$$holes!

 

oh god please don't let that happen, they'll ruin it!