how many races did you watch live?

[Greem]

I honestly can't remember. I know I watched Abu Dhabi, Brazil and the British GP but I think I watched the rest on the DVR having recorded them. Quite a number I didn't watch at all, despite them being recorded.

I plead other motorsport commitments, in the main, but I've definitely lost the obsessive streak I used to have.

[S griffin]

I would vote for a none of the above option if I could.

Let's see Russia I watched live from halfway, the rest that I watched in full live were Baku, Silverstone, Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. If the BTCC was on, F1 would be watched later.

I managed to listen to Spain, Canada and possibly Monza (can't remember TBH!) live on the radio. And the only race I watched in highlights without even knowing who won before I watched was Austria funnily enough

[GT6]

Watched all of the free ones on channel 4 but some i wish i had not bothered with, especially the last one.

[Lancsbreaker]

As a friend has Sky we tend to go round to his for all the socially acceptably timed ones, making it a social occasion - bacon butties, or Pizza depending on the time of day, and possibly the odd beer. Others I've mainly caught with the C4 coverage recorded, particularly if its clashed with one of our own race weekends. Watched a few of the FP coverage when C4 have shown it.

[Down F0rce]

Watched all the Channel 4 races. Occasionally watched live on Now TV, which was normally £6.99 for 24 hours to Sky Sports but I got some gift card for christmas last year which covered some of those.

I also looked into bootleg streams this year and found that some of them are full HD that can cast to a chromecast. I was very pleased to find that an Indian sports channel used the C4 feed, which meant that I could watch the race live with DC and Ben and not have to listen to Croft and Kravitz.

[Mekola]

Since about 2010 my watching of F1 races was dwindling and dwindling...

[bjohnsonsmith]

Watched them all apart from the US GP and I purposely only watched the first 5 laps and the last lap of the Abu Dhabi GP, as I've never liked the track and the WDC and WCC had already been decided.

[Paradise City]

I'm going to vote that I watched all of them because the intention was there and strong to do so.

I just missed one when I was quite sick and another one because I traveled and got confused between Sunday and Saturday. Neither had to do with a lapse in interest.

[bella]

reading your responses has made me realise i asked a bit of an archaic question and should have divided none into "none, i don't care about f1" or "none, i watch them when it's convenient for me as-live or in highlights format"

i suppose what i was wondering was how important having the race live was to a select bunch of enthusiasts, or whether it's more important to have the opportunity to watch it when it suits instead. sport is a bit different to normal telly, seeing it as it happens is more important.

makes me think that the market for a direct streaming service a la netflix is absolutely worth the investment for the new owners.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by bella

reading your responses has made me realise i asked a bit of an archaic question and should have divided none into "none, i don't care about f1" or "none, i watch them when it's convenient for me as-live or in highlights format"

i suppose what i was wondering was how important having the race live was to a select bunch of enthusiasts, or whether it's more important to have the opportunity to watch it when it suits instead. sport is a bit different to normal telly, seeing it as it happens is more important.

makes me think that the market for a direct streaming service a la netflix is absolutely worth the investment for the new owners.

The problem with a streaming service like Netflix will mean it will cost and that will put off the casual viewer/fan. Will it also mean Sky's F1 channel will be scrapped?

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by bella

reading your responses has made me realise i asked a bit of an archaic question and should have divided none into "none, i don't care about f1" or "none, i watch them when it's convenient for me as-live or in highlights format"

i suppose what i was wondering was how important having the race live was to a select bunch of enthusiasts, or whether it's more important to have the opportunity to watch it when it suits instead. sport is a bit different to normal telly, seeing it as it happens is more important.

I haven't voted in the poll, Bella, because I feel I watched around 15-20% live. That was not out of lack of interest, but in terms of the times being unsuitable for me to watch. By and large, those I watched were not in the middle of the day.

I like it to be available live, because nothing beats knowing it's happening now and it takes away the need to avoid social media or any news sources in the aftermath. Most importantly to me, I want to see the whole race; highlights frustrate me. Sometimes, if I'm watching a rerun on Channel 4, I notice they cut more out than at other times.

[bella]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

The problem with a streaming service like Netflix will mean it will cost and that will put off the casual viewer/fan. Will it also mean Sky's F1 channel will be scrapped?

i dunno, speaking hypothetically they'd have a bit of hassle renegotiating all the existing tv contracts to remove any exclusivity contracts in their own countries. but you'd have to say there'd still be value in a broadcaster like sky having the rights to show it. not everyone who watches f1 would be bothered to download an app or be able to stream it through their internet connection in the same way that they don't necessarily do it now.

the problem f1 has now is that if you want to watch f1 you have to maintain a really very expensive pay tv contract. they don't care what else you're watching, they just want you to watch f1. the skill would be in pitching a basic service low enough that the maximum number of people would pay, but not so low that it ends up costing them more for an extra few thousand subscribers.

[Paradise City]

I watch it live or it often doesn't get watched. I like to be with the rest of the world in not knowing what's going to happen, to watch history unfold essentially.

If I can't watch it live, I'm happy enough to read a race report tbh. I heavily dislike walking on eggshells trying to dodge the news. Don't know how representative that is but that's me.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I heavily dislike walking on eggshells trying to dodge the news. Don't know how representative that is but that's me.

same, life's too short to avoid everything and everyone. though even knowing the result i still like to watch a race unfold so i can weigh in on the day's drama

[Pontlieue]

All of them, 19 on TV and Monza at the circuit.

[dwh43scale]

Life long motorsport fan evidenced by visits to Daytona, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Sears Point, Cadwell Park, Silverstone, Goodwood, etc in the last year. F1 - watched only two or three live when free to air. Not bothered catching up with others. Saddens me, but DRS, confusing tyres, ridiculously complex front wings, grid penalties, etc mean it just doesn't cut it for me these days. Walter Hayes Trophy this year was ace though !

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Pontlieue

All of them, 19 on TV and Monza at the circuit.

Winner

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by bella

reading your responses has made me realise i asked a bit of an archaic question and should have divided none into "none, i don't care about f1" or "none, i watch them when it's convenient for me as-live or in highlights format"

i suppose what i was wondering was how important having the race live was to a select bunch of enthusiasts, or whether it's more important to have the opportunity to watch it when it suits instead. sport is a bit different to normal telly, seeing it as it happens is more important.

makes me think that the market for a direct streaming service a la netflix is absolutely worth the investment for the new owners.

It's too hard a question to write all possible answers for. "I tried to watch lots, but couldn't afford it" is also a valid answer, for example.

I watched none. They made it harder and more expensive to watch, so I went to the series that make it easy and free. I can't even get live timing anymore, so just have BBC Text and then watch some videos and read some forums later.

[alfettafan]

I only watched two or three live on C4. I don't think F1 is entertaining enough these days to warrant paying for it and of the live C4 races I dislike the fake, "plastic" tracks at Bahrain, Russia, Baku, Las Americas and Abu Dhabi. I must have had better things to do than watch either Monaco or Silverstone. That left Malaysia (sorry to see it go), Spa and Singapore to watch. With those I will watch only the Qualifying and actual race. I find C4 anchor man Steve Jones unbearable in the build up and post race. If it goes pay -per -view I would be saddened but I would not pay for it, in it's current format.

I subscribe to Australian Supercars Superview and regularly get up early to watch those live and it is worth every penny of the subscription. Similarly, I pay for BT Sport and I try never to miss a Moto GP - the racing in 2017 was tremendous and most of the circuits well suited to the formulae. F1 could learn a lot from Dorna.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

I watch it live or it often doesn't get watched. I like to be with the rest of the world in not knowing what's going to happen, to watch history unfold essentially.

If I can't watch it live, I'm happy enough to read a race report tbh. I heavily dislike walking on eggshells trying to dodge the news. Don't know how representative that is but that's me.

Well, fortunately or unfortunately, however you want to look at it, being in the US, I can go an entire week without walking on eggshells or dodging news and not have it spoiled. Pretty much goes for any racing other than NASCAR. Grrr....

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Pontlieue

All of them, 19 on TV and Monza at the circuit.

Nice work! you beat my 18 + Hungary delay + Monaco at the circuit.

[Mekola]

Back in 1995-98, my own family offered many times to send me to Argentinian GP, but ever said "no". Mainly because I didn't have, then, close friends to go with.