Sidepodcast - All for F1 and F1 for all

Thursday Thoughts - What innovations would you like to see in F1 content delivery? - How fans watch the internet is changing, but is it fast enough?

Published by Christine

This week's Thursday Thoughts comes courtesy of Pat over at Too Much Racing. He posed this thought-provoking question, based on the recent talk of F1 and the media.

What innovations would you like to see in F1 content delivery?

This is an interesting question for us at Sidepodcast Towers, as we solely consume F1 via the internet. What happens on the TV, on the radio, on Red Buttons and things like that is important... just not to us.

The BBC has made great strides in making the consumption of F1 online possible, with all the sessions available live or as a replay (with the exception of FP3, oddly). There are plenty of niggles with the technology, and particularly with the way content is managed on their website, but ultimately, it is possible to keep up with the sport using a broadband connection alone. Never missing a minute of sporting action, while not owning a television, feels quite innovative.

The talk in Monaco this week has been about making F1 more of a presence on the internet, and the way to do this? Get Bernie to give up his manic control of broadcasting rights. For us to make videos, we need footage, and right now we'd have to pay Bernie millions of dollars for race footage.

With talk of the single launch concept, the situation gets worse. A considerable amount of rights-free video footage that comes from teams emerges pre-season. This alternate footage sidesteps Bernie's restrictions by recording content as far away from a Grand Prix as is possible. With a combined launch, less coverage, and a strong desire to cut costs, there may be no alternate video available at all next year.

Content innovation cannot happen until the current restrictions become more relaxed.

Formula 1 is already struggling to keep up with alternate categories of motor sport in so many areas. Everything about the delivery of the sport is antiquated, and needs someone at the top to start pushing teams for more. That person isn't going to be Bernie.