BBC coverage of BTCC

[redshoes]

Just remember something else that puzzled me. At the start of the show we had a moody shot of a Tourer with the door being opened, a driver getting in and tightening his belts and getting ready to drive. The car was a Peugeot, the driver was Plato !

The graphics were just photos of the cars, which would have been fine if they were all from the same angle and the same scale. Trouble was some were side on, some 3/4rds front/side.

In keeping with the general lack of BTC-P coverage did anyone read Autosport this week. Production coverage was there was little more than the Independents used to get, almost an afterthought. Motorsportsing News was better, but only just.

[Kelvin]

I've not seen it yet, was at Brands again today, so someone has taped it for me. But judging from the comments on the various boards I wonder if I should bother!!
I think the BBC may have contracted the coverage out, so perhaps not up to true BBC quality? They may be screening it but did not make it (does anyone know forsure?)

kelvin

[Craig]

Yeah, i'd still watch it Kelvin, we're only concerned that it wasn't up to it's usual high standards...

As it happens, the BBC never did produce the coverage themselves - it was always produced by BHP. However Octagon/BMP/TOCA decided to boot them out and produce it themselves this year. BHP were left with the task of producing the off track coverage - pitlane, pre race build up, etc.

[SPOONERBORO]

just all be grateful that the btcc is shown on tv at all because considering the grid size and the lack of top international drivers barring the big three (jt, jp & ym) it doesnt seem all that appealing to the bbc really they would have been better off showing the f3 championship re the olden days!!!

But have faith as people have mentioned the crux of things are there the base is there and three cheers to the bbc to sticking by the championship>>>>......

coverage was ok not stunning but then again they were limited by the action - although they should show more btcp stuff and that dawn women skittle her out the way there was nothing wrong with the big aussie!! whatever his name was but i say VOTE ALAN HYDE!!!!!!!!

[Sodemo]

Oh, I thought she was quite sweet.

[Minardi fan]

I think it was her inane idiocy/fawning over JP - makes her quite endearing...

[RickP:Clio51]

Just a note about Charlie Cox commentating in the past tense... at Croft last year, he was on the same plane home as me, and the feature race had yet to start at that point...

Thought DMcD was terrible, but was first day in the job. Also spotted the Plato in the Pug at the start and thought it rather odd...

RickP

[Super Tourer]

Coverage was rubbish!!!!!!!!!!

Why, when there was only a grid of 8 BTC cars, was there no interviews or even a mention of Dan Eaves, Steve Soper or Dave P.

Even with a small grid, there was very poor value in the coverage for sponsors......except EGG & Vauxhall.

No proper interviews with the 1-2-3 in both classes....just very poor. Some of the in-car stuff was OK, but the way the whole thing was put together made for poor overall viewing.

Plus - nothing to do with the coverage, but surely the feature race must have the record for the most drawn out grid, the cars at the back must still have been at druids, when the pole car crossed the start line !!!!!!!

[mickey]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
Coverage was rubbish!!!!!!!!!!

Why, when there was only a grid of 8 BTC cars, was there no interviews or even a mention of Dan Eaves, Steve Soper or Dave P.

i was there when they were filming Dave and they did actually ask him some questions but when it came down to it all they showed was him getting out of his car.
Think they seem only interested in the top 4 drivers for the moment. Shame really.

[janetcampbell]

Mark Ward who normally writes for the Ten-tenths magazine on BTCC can no longer do this and has asked me to do a report for each race of the season this year to be printed on the ten tenths Newletter every week. In order to make this more exciting I thought I would try and get some interviews with some of the drivers over the course of the year - what do you think? Can you suggest any guidelines for me - I did report on the last race of the season last year and this was printed in the magazine and Liz Shaw seemed ok with it - let me know your thoughts!!!

Cheers fornow - Janet

[hunttheshunt]

I also thought the coverage was poor, for several reasons;

1) There was not enough insight nto the new rules, and no insight into the teams, drivers and cars. Should have done something like Season Review 1996 at the start. (going through all the teams etc.)

2) Not enough mention of why so few Tourers-at least show the Lexus.

3) Not enough interviews, particularly w.Prod drivers and non-Astra drivers.

4) Graphics looked bloody awful! They looked better 1995-1997!

5) Dawn whatever was awful! Why employ someone just for their looks when she doesn't have a clue about the racing! She could have done her homework into the BTCC. I think Louise Goodman is quality on F1 ITV because she knows her stuff-she was Jordan PR officer before she switched to ITV. Vicki Butler-Henderson would have been a much better choice.

The 2001 BTCC is definatley a thumbs-up, but the coverage gets a thumbs-down! :-(

[runnyhunny]

I think a lot of the coverage problems are down to the time allocated by the BBC. It's just too hard to squeeze everything into 50 minutes.

If they had 60-90 minutes, then I'm sure things would be a lot better.

Sadly, the BTCC isn't football... or curling, even... :-(

I thought the new graphics were OK, even on my knackered old 14" telly!

[John Batchelor]

In reply to Super Tourer, yes some of the cars were a hell of a long way back at the start in the feature race, I know I was one of them!! I think that this was due in a large part to most of us having had NO experience of a rolling start before and with such a large grid, obviously those at the front boot it first...this has the effect of stringing the grid out. I would have much prefered a normal start.

[Super Tourer]

Hi John B&Q !

Get your point about the rolling start, it seemed from the coverage, that even the leading production cars were nowhere near the back of the touring cars, was this intentional?

The BCT cars seem to have shot off before even crossing the start finish line. I don't agree with rolling starts, as I feel they diminish one of the great spectacles of the race.

[RickP:Clio51]

Sorry Super Tourer
But if you have seen a rolling start done properly, it is an awesome spectacle.
The last one I was involved in had 36 Clio V6, each touching the one in front and the one alongside.
The leaders took the green flag at about 130mph, the guys near the back were doing nearly 160 as they crossed the line...
Believe me, it was more than a little exciting down at the first corner...
I am sure that as the season progresses, the grid will get closed up, but I also think the Pug 306 team took a deliberate decision to not get involved with the Tourers and held their pack back. There were no prizes for them to get into a banging match with the 406s when everyone they needed to beat was behind them already.
All IMHO
Regards
RickP

[Super Tourer]

OK Rick point taken!

I agree that the Le Mans start always makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

[John Batchelor]

Hi super Tourer, No nothing intentional about it as far as the drivers briefing went, and our own brief was to get the cars home without too much damage in our first race.

[redshoes]

Originally posted by Carrie
I must have blinked

Don't know how you could have missd me

[Guy Goddard]

Originally posted by John B & Q
Hi super Tourer, No nothing intentional about it as far as the drivers briefing went, and our own brief was to get the cars home without too much damage in our first race.

No contact or damage in a touring car race!! you must have thought you had turned up to the wrong briefing session, it would explain the "low key" start to the season.

[Carrie]

I do believe Lorna managed to get a photo of you stood there as well

[John Batchelor]

Reply to Guy, what I meant was our own team brief was to get back with the cars in one piece! I don't think it can last.............I've just got to get nearer the pace. At Brands I would have welcomed the chance of a little company!!

[Guy Goddard]

Originally posted by John B & Q
Reply to Guy, what I meant was our own team brief was to get back with the cars in one piece! I don't think it can last.............I've just got to get nearer the pace. At Brands I would have welcomed the chance of a little company!!

Its an interesting tactic to return with the car in one piece and could be a winning tactic, but would'nt the body repair specalists in the pits get board!! Good luck John at the next event.

Guy

[John Batchelor]

Mmmmm, Body repair specialist........That'll be Stuart, he'll enjoy that title we normally just call him the bloke with the lump hammer.

[ziggy stardust]

For all those complaining about the T race being equal if not longer on TV than the P sprint: £.

The tourers have far more £ involved than Productions, so they get more airtime: common sense.

As for Dawn McD - a lot of her interviews she did in the pit-lane weren't shown on TV [ again]

[RickP:Clio51]

Well I'm sorry but as incentives go, the thought of securing the funding necessary to get my sorry butt into a Tourer just to be interviewed by DMcD is a let-down...
Now Vicki B-H, now she'd both worth raising the money and doing whatever is necessary to win the race!
Craig! We need to get VBH on this forum, if only so I can beg for her phone number...

Yes I know it's sad, but don't forget, 2 of my biggest supporters are the founder members of the Radio TOCA god, Alan Hydes, fan club... and what has he ever driven sideways???


RickP, well off topic and fading fast.