News 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina, 24-26 November

[Notebook]

In progress:

Race starts under way - Bottas leads Hamilton
Grosjean battling hard with series of overtakes
Sainz out after pit stop error, Ricciardo out

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/40625240

 

[ADSWNJ]

End of the season. Bottas from Hamilton and Vettel for the 1-2-3 in the race, and Hamilton from Vettel and Bottas for the 1-2-3 for the championship. Sadly, a bit of a processional race, with apart from Ricciardo's retirement, the top 10 finished in the order they started.

End of an era for NBC Sports, who now relinquish the US rights to ESPN. There's comments suggesting that ESPN will just take the world feed and not do any at-track or in-studio presence. The NBC crew of Leigh Diffey, Steve Matchett and Will Buxton are now in limbo, whilst David Hobbs announced his retirement today. Hope we will see this team again.

 

[Notebook]

Didn't watch it, don't really like the circuit, bit bland.

Do you know why NBC have dropped it?

N.

 

[GLS]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

 

[Lucy]

Didn't watch it, don't really like the circuit, bit bland.

Do you know why NBC have dropped it?

N.

Probably something to do with the exorbitant cost of the rights, same reason the Beeb dropped it here (and C4 are dropping it for 2019, it'll be Sky Sports only from that season on).

The race was okay. Bottas defended well from Lewis when Lewis deigned to attack him, I do feel like he could perhaps have tried harder but Bottas went out and deserved his win. Sets him up nicely for the winter and he can come back next year on a high.

Really, the race felt like a formality since everything was already settled at the sharp end; roll on Melbourne.

 

[ADSWNJ]

Didn't watch it, don't really like the circuit, bit bland.

Do you know why NBC have dropped it?

N.

The story I read was that Liberty Media (new F1 rights holder) is considering building their own digital platform for streaming to the public (i.e. undermining the TV stations and their ad revenue). NBC chose to walk away rather than to tolerate that.

 

[Notebook]

The NBC crew of Leigh Diffey, Bob Varsha and Will Buxton are now in limbo, whilst David Hobbs announced his retirement today. Hope we will see this team again.

Not known here to me, obviously NBC are. Would they be generic sports folk, or
f1 coverage only?

N.

 

[ADSWNJ]

Not known here to me, obviously NBC are. Would they be generic sports folk, or
f1 coverage only?

N.

Here's a video of their last segment:

You get used to a set of commentators, I guess. These ones had a good chemistry, and I'll definitely miss them. David Hobbs had a knack of bringing such great color to the commentary.

 

[Notebook]

Seems I'm bloked for

 

[ADSWNJ]

Seems I'm bloked for

Damn... hate those regional blocks.

 

[tl8]

The story I read was that Liberty Media (new F1 rights holder) is considering building their own digital platform for streaming to the public (i.e. undermining the TV stations and their ad revenue). NBC chose to walk away rather than to tolerate that.

The broadcaster here decided to do the same. They also didn't make payment to FOM (among others).

 

[Lucy]

Yeah - it pains me a bit that the sport I love and follow is mired constantly in these kinds of backroom squabbles and restrictions on freedoms that detract from the ability of people to make the sport available for enjoyment by all. I hold out hope that this is something Liberty will be able to address, but contracts are contracts, and their end dates need to be respected.

 

[Notebook]

Must admit I don't watch as much as I used to. F1 was a staple item on BBC Sundays when I was growing up, seemed more fun then.
N.