Leaving aside the debate over the validity of Mercedes strategy calls this weekend, the controversy highlighted a pain-point for me, and surely millions of other Formula One fans.
Out of pure desperation I’m publicly calling for it to be addressed.
Until recently, Australian Formula One fans were treated to free-to-air simulcasts of the British Sky Formula One coverage. Indeed it has come to be default coverage for most English-speaking TV viewers, especially if they have forked out for cable television to watch the Formula One season in its entirety.
Being British-centric, they understandably give their own drivers extra attention, after all they are the ones they know most intimately and those their core audience back home want to engage with.
But after the pathetic offering during this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, it’s time to admit that their approach to covering the sport is quite simply broken, and doesn’t service the greater good in contributing to the sport’s growth.
It’s perfectly understandable that when a driver like Lewis Hamilton has won the championship, or is challenging for a victory, that he receive his fair share of the commentators’ focus. More often than not this year focusing the spotlight on him has reaped dividends, but it’s when he doesn’t deliver the goods that the coverage devolves into an embarrassing mess.
I’m not for one second blaming Hamilton for contributing to Formula One’s shrinking attendance figures and dwindling TV viewership, I know full well that Formula One has far greater problems to address.
Yet it’s time to admit that turning Formula One coverage into the ‘Lewis Hamilton Hour’ is inappropriate and occasionally cringe-worthy.
I also understand Hamilton is admired for his passion and broad demographic appeal, but the Formula One Fans survey last year not only showed that he wasn’t the favourite driver among participants – he wasn’t even in the top three!
Yet the attention that he is currently enjoying is unprecedented, and you’d sometimes be forgiven for not thinking that other drivers were even capable of winning on their own merit.
The rhetoric from the brains-trust during a victorious Hamilton weekend circles around phrases like ‘masterclass’ and ‘utter dominance’. Yet as soon as any other driver gets the upper hand the analysis switches to what Lewis could do to get back on top, where he might overtake and even what other drivers should or shouldn’t do to help him win!
During the races, and throughout the post-race analysis, the result is always the same – unbridled adoration or steadfast defence. Should Hamilton win it’s because of his exquisite driving ability and all is well in the sport, yet when he loses Mercedes strategists are called in to question and the rhetoric about changing the aerodynamic profile is that cars to facilitate overtaking is ramped up to 11.
Barrages of tweets and audience feedback suggesting that Mercedes wanted to keep Nico Rosberg happy, ensure that he takes second place in the championship and that since Singapore they’ve changed the car to suit him were all given lip service.
Paranoid hypotheticals suggesting that Rosberg was getting payback and trying to push Hamilton back into the clutches of Sebastian Vettel were thrown around with stern seriousness. Pensive former drivers like Damon Hill bemoaned the veracity of a Formula One team who dared to ignore Hamilton’s demands for privileged treatment.
It’s an absolute embarrassment and I’m sick of it.
To spend an entire race weekend in Hamilton-land is exhausting. By analysing the race from the viewpoint of how, where and when Hamilton will take his rightful victory is amateurish, and robs fans of a an undiluted viewing experience.
For those saying, ‘Well if you don’t like the coverage don’t watch, or watch it somewhere else’ you miss my point completely. A fair and reasonable commentary of the race is a virtue unto itself, and plays a crucial part in appealing to new fans.
I’m not saying that the problems of the sport should be excused, after all sometimes sunlight is the best disinfectant, but the current bias in the Formula One media suggests an infection so festered that may require amputation.
I should point out, too, this is also mostly aimed at the Sky Formula One broadcast. Certainly the handful of times I’ve seen the BBC coverage it has faired a few degrees better, and I can’t speak to the US coverage but I hear it lacks the depth and confidence that the primary broadcaster provides.
In the most evident illustration of bias I could find, on the podium Martin Brundle greeted the victorious Rosberg with a question about surrendering some of his lead to Hamilton at turn one after what looked like a driving error, while subsequently disarming Hamilton and reminding the audience who the rightful victor should have been by pointing out that he claimed the fastest lap of the race.
Returning to Rosberg, Brundle threw out a tongue-in-cheek dig that Rosberg really ought to have won more races earlier in the year, prompting the equally passive-aggressive rejoinder, “Thanks for the advice, I didn’t think of that myself”.
Sadly, though, Sky’s written coverage is no better. Nor that of several other British publications.
The Daily Telegraph’s Daniel Johnson wrote that Hamilton followed home “an obdurate Nico Rosberg“. If, like me, you had to Google what that means, it suggests a stubbornness or unyielding.
It’s a bizarre label to use, and one that suggests that faced with the alternative of letting Lewis through, Rosberg decided against it. No, instead he selfishly decided he was entitled to win after taking pole position, leading the entire race and – you know – it being his job.
A lot of publications have disappointed themselves by shifting the blame for Hamilton’s subservience to the Mercedes, who have assisted Hamilton just as many if not more times than Rosberg throughout the last three years, or the technical regulations. Most of them fail to even mention that by Hamilton’s own admission he spent the previous fortnight partying and could not possibly have been as well prepared and focused as Rosberg was to show up and get the job done this weekend.
Hamilton is a divisive figure, and I have no delusions about which side of the bread I prefer to butter, but when a commentator fails to recognise that they’ve fallen prey to his reality distortion field it should be grounds for recusal or termination.
Chris
Guest
Seems true even in 2017! Thanks for writing.
Di
Guest
It's the end of the 2016 championship and nothing has changed with Brundle - he is a worse loser than Hamilton. Quite agree with all you said, and I am in the U.K. totally biased coverage, hardly knew Dan Ricardo had finished third this year. Three cheers for. Rosberg
Luca
Guest
You've pointed out everything that needed to be said. Thank you for that. One more thing I'd like to add is the fact that the FIA is an international body and Formula 1 is a global sport. When broadcasting rights are handed over to any English-based media source (since English is the official language used in F1, not German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, etc), they have to stay professional and serve the larger interests of F1 fans around the world. English is understood by many nationalities. This is what gives countries that speak the language soft power. And, the British use it to their advantage extremely well. What SKY is doing is wowing the home crowd, garnering their support, getting the home crowd subscribed to their channel. Their motivation is revenue. Okay, so that results in bias. Is that the only thing they're doing? No. They're also engaged in manipulation and framing news, events and talking points in F1. For example, they tarnish German drivers at every opportunity they get. Vettel gets his good share of attack. The most important part (of note) played by SKY is the character assassination of Rosberg over the last 3 years, making him out to be the bad guy. The fact is Lewis is well trained in the art of media maneuvering from his days in XIXE where he learned tricks on how to play people and the media. He plays a victim at every given opportunity, which SKY, BBC and other British-based coverage of F1 magnify to such a proportion that people actually believe that Lewis is the victim and Mercedes is conspiring against him. One may have come across the zealot Hamilton fans who question Mercedes every time he (Hamilton) under performs. Then you have both SKY, BBC and many F1 blogs (most of which is based in the UK) contributing to the hype of Lewis' victimized status (and over hyping his abilities well ahead of anyone who has ever raced in F1 (including the greats). The chatter that Hamilton fans generate has made debating rationally on social media impossible. Even Mercedes was forced to write "the open letter" to Hamilton fans to try to convince them that Mercedes is not sabotaging their hero's car. Have anyone one of you heard anything like this in F1 before? Mercedes, which is probably 3-5 times older than the time Hamilton was born, and a company that is at the cutting edge of technology in vehicles and engine technology worldwide, is having to bow down in front of Hamilton. Ask yourself what kind of climate this creates. It puts Mercedes on the defensive. People who actually trust SKY's rhetoric and that of the bloggeratti and their hoard wrongly influence global opinion about drivers. The result are unjustified boos, which then affect drivers' confidence. I'm not a fan of either Hamilton or Rosberg, but given what I've witnessed the media do to Rosberg, his ability to just bounce back time and time again is quite an accomplishment. Hamilton has been on the receiving end of the exact treatment Rosberg is getting. It happened in this McLaren days when paired with Button. the English media tarnished him as much as they could. Their chosen guy to get behind, then, was Button. The result was Lewis' horrible year in 2011.
Damien
Guest
What a ridiculous interpretation of what was written! The writer is speaking directly about the broadcast coverage that viewers have to listen to while watching an F1 race live during a weekend and he is 100% correct. Bringing in newspaper coverage is a separate topic and issue.
Ed
Guest
Totally agree - continuing this season as well. Cringe!!
Andrew
Guest
Well, here we are at the 2016 Spanish GP and nothing on Sky has changed. We tune in for the Lewis Hamilton adoration hours...... Again!
Me
Guest
Pretty much.
Me
Guest
Errr Well done Lewis for turning F1 2015 into the Lewis Hamilton Show?
Solo
Guest
Article Translation: I don't like Hamilton so please don't talk about him that much. That is really what it comes down mister article writer. Also yes they are British reporters so they will focus on the British guy. If you hear German, Spanish, Latin America etc media they are ten times more focused on their guy than The British guys. Also Hamilton may get lot's of attention in the English press but half the times the comments aren't even flattering. Just look how Button is fine living in Monaco and paying no tax but everyone wanted Hamilton's head for it etc. As a non British am completely surprised by how much poison they throw to their own 3 time world champion. If we had 3 time world champion in my country they will be talking like he was a God. British media from TV to newspapers etc aren't even close to be as adoring and crazy Hamilton loving as other countries are about their own drivers.
RantingMrP
Guest
1. Change channels. 2. Pay for a satellite broadcaster that is not Sky. 3. After either 1 or 2 above, shut up about it.
Taras
Guest
sky gushed over seb, if they were there in the schumi years they would have gushed and fell over themselves with him. Same with senna. So really its being biased against one driver that you personally don't like so you bash, him, sky and the bbc. One word: CLASSY .. Meanwhile you should crowdfund your own f1 show, it would solve all your issues with f1 (sorry i mean lewis) in one go.
Kiwi Dave
Guest
My wife, bless her, has absolutely NO interest in F1 at all. I on the other hand have been a massive fan since the early 80's. Needless to say, I watch all the races and given that I live in the UK I reluctantly coughed up for Sky when the F1 coverage was picked up by them. Like I said, my wife's interest in the sport is non existent. I don't even discuss it with her as it's just a waste of breath. I gave up on that years ago. Obviously she's aware of the sport and of course she sees snippets of the show from time to time when I'm watching it and she just happens to enter or pass through the room. So it's fair to say her awareness of the coverage is minimal at best. What I thought was amusing - and concurs with your excellent article Rodney - is that a few months ago she wandered in whilst I watching the show (which she clearly wasn't aware was on) and exclaimed "Oh, the Lewis Hamilton show is on!". This is a completely voluntary comment from someone who only sees/reads short bursts of media coverage on the subject, and this was her impression. Sums it up I reckon.
Council
Guest
This is a very late reply, sorry for that. Have you by chance ever seen Foxtels Rugby commentary team?
Serin
Guest
Thank You Rodney. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thanks a million for this article. Shame on those sky commentators. I am fairly new to F1 and i have been watching sky for the past couple of months and i've been so irritated by this biased commentary that sometimes i had to mute the audio to enjoy the racing. I don't know exactly how many are there but Martin Brundle stands out in my case as to how substandard a reporter/commentator can be.
Rodney Gordon
Expert
Yeah, what the hell would I know.
Jordan
Guest
Also he has a perfectly reasonable sense of humour. This was classic Brundle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcSB4Zs38ro And some of the comments from that video: "Haha Martin is great. Christian Horner is complete arsehole." "I've always loved Brundle's commentary. " "lol Brundle droppin dem bombs! I seriously don't know what i'll do when Brundle eventually stops holding a mic at F1 races. He is SO GOOD!"
Jordan
Guest
You seem to be in a minority with that opinion because every time I see a discussion on the British TV coverage, somebody is always singing his praises. I've yet to see any of this "sour grapes" nonsense. He talks sense and nothing but sense. His experiences in F1 cars have given us plenty of inside technical information from him and he knows what he's talking about... political and technical. He is the sole reason I still pay for Sky Sports F1 and I will continue doing so as long as he's there.
Jordan
Guest
I guess you haven't been exposed to EJ's voice enough to notice. But it's definitely him.
Not convinced
Guest
You've certainly hit a nerve Rodney as I don't think there's been this type of reaction to a piece since I've been reading The Roar. It points out a couple of things for me. That F1's problems extend beyond what's been happening on the track and within the teams and organisers to how the product is being delivered to what's left of a diminishing audience. Secondly, that seemingly very little if anything is going to change while the same idiots are involved. Unfortunately it's very unlikely that your piece will be read by anyone at Sky or that they'd take any notice if they did. But they should!
Kaks
Roar Guru
That is not the view of the average F1 fan in England/Britain. As I said, I CBF searching and posting the articles, but if you ever come across them on a lazy sunday afternoon search through mind-numbing articles then you will see what I mean when you read the comments. However, what it will show is that you are right about the British bias when you read them. Benson is quick to praise Button as soon as he slams Hamilton. Great article by the way and I tend to agree with it after watching this seasons shambles.