BBC F1 or Sky F1?

Formula one is a fantastic sport. Coverages of the sport allow us to understand things better with what happens and what drivers and teams are thinking. Therefore the coverage we watch is pretty important and feeds us the knowledge and information we most likely want to know.
Here in the UK we have two choices; BBC or Sky. Here is my full opinion:

As most of you may have known BBC broadcasted all the practice, qualifying and race sessions before. Last year and this year, everything has changed slightly.
Let me weigh some Pros and Cons, these are completely my opinions.

BBC Pros

• Free, don't have to pay extra for it AKA the cheapest option price wise here in the UK
• Available easily on iPlayer or Watch Live on BBC Website
• Un-interrupted coverage without Ads
• Have great knowledge and commentary (fantastic experts)
• They also have the F1 Forum after the race for more news
• They are to the point when they explain things...well usually
• I think Lee Mckenzie is fantastic at interviewing the drivers
• Eddie Jordan, most of the time he speaks truth...I'm talking about how he was the first one to announce Hamilton's move to Mercedes and how no one believed him.
• I like 5 live, does that count?
• Highlights cover a lot of the grand prix and not just a couple of laps

BBC Cons

• I miss the combination of Jake Humphrey, DC (David Coulthard) and Eddie Jordan (biggest reason!)
• The Humour is lost 
• Not gelling to Suzi Perry, I feel like she is always asking DC the questions repeatedly and we don't hear enough of her opinions. She was great in Moto GP though, but not feeling her in F1.
• I miss the old stuff and that's why I think I just don't like it as much
• I feel like it's lost the spark it had and Sky is becoming more dominant and what we are paying for is what we're getting.
• But still highlights can't make up for a whole Grand Prix
• Ben Edwards shouts a lot during his commentary
• The coverage isn't very long.

Sky Pros

• Even though it's not free you get a lot coverage!
• You can take F1 with you anywhere with Sky Go!
• You can watch replays online
• Love the special segments they have during the race and qualifying
• F1 show is great for more information and round ups 
• Ted Kravitz's notebook has great information after the races on teams. Who can forget when the William's team garage caught on fire and he was exactly at that spot, to the side of the garage.
• Love the games they play with the drivers like Horse Power Tower and The F1 Buzz Game, really shows some off track fun.
• #MartinsGridWalk! - Don't need to say anything more
• Natalie Pinkham is awesome and funny. I like her interviews on the parade lap.
• They talk to a different team principle every race from the pitwall.
• The Sky pad is great for showing us footage, zoomed in, replayed, different shots ect and drivers also use it as well and guide us through laps and other things
• Huge team with lots of great opinions! From Anthony Davidson, Johnny Herbert, Alan McNish, Ted Kravitz, Martin Brundle, Damon Hill, Simon Lazenby, Steve Rider, Rachel Brookes and Craig Slater. More people = More opinions and views
• Amazing commentary from David Croft
• Lots of expert racers a part of the team as I mentioned their names above
• Brings us the Driver's conference, team principle's conference and more to our TV live!
• We can watch replays of other races from other years as we gear up to the next one... who doesn't love major F1 marathons?
• They showed some of the live car launches at the beginning of the season, like Force India
• They are willing to speak and interact with young journalists like pitstopradio.com and be on the show
• Videos and interviews are all online on their website and we can watch them
• I feel this is worth the money over what the BBC is producing for free

Sky Cons

• You have to pay extra... but theres a pro; you get every race live and so much more!
• Lots of Ads during Practice sessions but there's a pro; none during the race
• They interview more british drivers and top team drivers and principles and some drivers and team principles I hardly see getting interviewed
• I thought BBC was fantastic last year because of the team chemistry and didn't feel like Sky was producing great entertainment.  This year I feel that Sky is so much better with both.

So what do others think? Leave me a tweet here or leave a comment on my YouTube video here and join the discussion!

Twitter 

Sky- @KatehewiF1: Beeb 'cause of the chemistry between Jake, Eddie and DC. This year, Sky. I feel liek the whole package is worth the money and I love most of the team like Crofty, Pinkham, Davidson, Brundle etc. But I think BBC are doing the better highlights. They don't over do it with putting Brits on the show- sky do that a lot. But overall I prefer Sky.

Sky- @F1_Fans_Updates: I'm SkyF1 all the way. Not only because they have been great with me and psr (Pit Stop Radio), but because I like their team especially Crofty and Martin. Martin and David are definately the best commentators

BBC- @lukasredl: BBC! People there are putting their hearts into the coverage and the result is amazing, it's a shame they are so limited now.

Sky- @Ste_Doughty: #SkyF1 all day long, #BBCF1 is poor in comparison & presenter is not knowledgable at all

Sky- @Nandanf1: Put Lee McKenzie instead of Suzi Perry and get Louise Goodman for Lee. It would be BBC all the way. Perry spoils is for me

BBC- @craighermit: BBC... this year it's come on leaps and bounds. Anytime I see the Eddie Jordan, I'll switch to another channel

Sky- @Iain_MacKay_: #SkyF1 all the way for me. No question, love it. Every race is live and their presenters and pundits are the best.

Sky- @Orty84: SkyF1 all the way

Sky- @tahiri79: Was Beeb all the way, but it's sky these days sorry people get what you pay for

BBC- @8ean592: Team BBC all the way

YouTube 

Sky- Saurabh Sahu: Best will be Sky + Jake & Eddie...:)

Sky- Esther Gimenez: I watch more sky coverage it's the best, but something I put on BBC too at the same time with Sky. I should watch F1 in Spanish TV "Antena3" but the commentators are not very objective and always are talking about the same (Alonso, Alonso-Vettel) and their opinions with some of the drivers are really pathetic #HardcoreF1Fan

Sky- Ivan Hilario Pacheco: BBC with Jake Humphery, otherwise Sky

BBC- Stephen Dunn: Only get BBC here in Canada, so can't really comment but I love the old school feel of BBC

Sky- MobiFilms: BBC got me into f1 but sky has raised the level quite significantly

Sky- Someone28: I am lucky that I have friends in the UK that stream SKYF1to me in Canada. While BBC was funny in the past, SKY has taken it to the next level

Sky- Daveonarave: My opinion completely matches yours. DC is awesome on BBC but Suzi Perry, as you say was better elsewhere and whilst Eddie would be a good crack down the pub or at a dinner party, he so often blags his way through the punditry, shame cos its good to get an ex f1 team bosses perspective as well as an ex driver, oh well guess it doesn't change the race outcome! ;-)

Sky- WVXYZZZZZZZZZZZ: Sky. Also think of the Skypad and the BBC's lame attempts to explain things

Sky- Anthonywilliamhughes: Sky F1 for me. It is down to the quality of the line up. Sky have and with david Croft being one of the best sports commentators, the BBC have DC who just drones on and Ben Edwards who just doesn't seem to be as excited as when he was doing BTCC. Sky F1 might be a pay to view channel, but the quality of the coverage, presenting teams, pundits and other aspects shows why for me sky is worth it and why I always go for Sky over BBC

Google + 

BBC- Orviaa91: BBC all the way. Sad that they don;t have all the races...

BBC- Kenneth Mahar: Here in Canada we have to watch TSN which uses the BBC feed. We don't have a choice but I do enjoy it

BBC- Colin Ivanov: At the British Grand Prix, the BBC sent Gary Anderson and a crew to look out at the curbs that were puncturing the tyres, while Sky asked Geri Halliwell her opinion... Sky F1 is aimed at children

Doesn't like Sky- CC Gonzalez: I detest Simon Lazenby, his jokes about road car victims at the Monaco GP shows what level he channel is aimed at, TV at it's worst

Either- Jason Fink: So long as I see the races, i do not really care who broadcasts it

Facebook

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  Christopher Brown sky because every race is live and the coverage is great

  Friday at 13:13 · Edited · Like
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  Anthony Hughes I'd have to say Sky, Great coverage, top commentary team, David Croft is a great commentator, and the BBC is a bit dull and is weaker in line up.

  Friday at 14:12 · Like
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  Sayamanta Ach well here we are getting only star sports , and they dont show that much of coverage!

  Friday at 15:09 · Like
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  Francisco Araújo In Brazil F1 is transmitted by TV Globo... The coverage suffers from the "people are only going to watch if there's a chance a brazilian wins" mentality of the network. Lately it feels like all that matters is what could happen to benefit Massa on each race and when he's going to renew his contract with Ferrari. Brazilian pilots and their families tend to be very close with the tv folks and that shows, creating some very cheesy, embarrassing moments. The narrator is very annoying, he can get very enthusiastic but often says the stupidest things and tries to force his opinion on the more knowledgeable commentators (former drivers Luciano Burti or Rubens Barrichello).

International Coverages

View on another Int'l Coverage- Job Salazar: I don't have Cable or dish... I use regular TV and I been seeing formula one races on a spanish TV Station called UniMas By Unison network and they are all covering all the F1 racing events, only difference is in Spanish... but still very good coverage

Australian Sky- realstreetninja: Australian, the same Sky coverage as Mark through One HD. We have a couple of blokes pre and post race that seem to be more into motobikes than F1 but they know enough to get by, with special comments from Alan Jones, they also see out and welcome back the coverage when they go into the frequent ad breaks. i don't really like the Ads because it interrupts the coverage. I'd rather just pay to see it without, I also don't like them talking over the better Sky Commentary

Australian Sky- Marksphysics Formula One: From Australia here they broadcast the sky coverage through one hd, can't complain as it's free for us.

Hates NBC- Mista Fiftyone: Here in America we have NBC sports and it f****ing sucks!

Hates NBC- Ryan Cornelius: I second that (comment in reply to Mista Fiftyone)

Keep a watch out for a BBC Vs Sky F1 Pole of the day at F1_Fans_Updates on Twitter next week and cast your vote by tweeting! We want to know your views