F1 Fanatic – The Formula 1 Blog

The 2001 review video is exceptionally bad, especially given that the 2001 DVD review (which is very hard to find) is pretty good, and they both have the same material to work from.

The video has the same flaws that many others from this era have: the commentary is faintly ridiculous and there is to be too much time given over to ‘interest’ material about where the races are held.

On occasions, you feel like you’re watching the travel shopping channel.

The editing is obtrusive and amateurish. Heavy-handed use of incidental music compromises the quality of the production, and major incidents (like the Jacques Villeneuve-Ralf Schumacher crash in Melbourne) is spliced with endless before-and-after shots.

I doubt an accident that killed a driver, rather than ‘just’ a marshall, would be treated quite so frivolously.

For a contemporary review, this is insultingly bad. There weren’t even that many good races.

In its defence, there is some good footage of the battles further down the field as well as the action at the front.

Best bit: Juan Pablo Montoya’s move on Michael Schumacher at Interlagos – a star is born.

F1 Fanatic verdict

Reviews

• "Grand Prix Heroes" DVDs reviewed
• "Team Lotus: My view from the pit wall" by Peter Warr - review
• "The Limit: Life and death in Formula 1's most dangerous era" - review
• "He's done it again" - official 2011 F1 season DVD reviewed
• F1 2011: The F1 Fanatic review
• F1 2011: Checklist
• Red Bull Racing RB6 F1 car Haynes Manual reviewed
• The Making of Senna part 9: The response in Brazil
• The Making of Senna part 8: The Death of Ayrton Senna
• The Making of Senna part 7: Imola 1994