ITV F1 wins BAFTA award for race coverage that viewers complained about

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ITV has won a BAFTA award for covering the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix – a broadcast that so many viewers complained about it was forced to issue an apology.

Lewis Hamilton won his maiden Grand Prix victory in the race which also saw Robert Kubica’s massive crash. Despite it being one of the most action-packed races of the year ITV gave scarcely any coverage after the chequered flag fell.

So many viewers complained ITV made an apology. How on earth can the British Academy of Film and Television Arts judges think coverage so poor should be worthy of an award?

Not surprisingly ITV’s F1 website makes no mention of the apology in its news story about the award.

Guess which other Grand Prix ITV won the same award for previously? Yep, the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, which was Jenson Button’s first victory. So let me get this straight – a British driver wins an F1 race for the first time and ITV get an award even if their coverage is so bad viewers complain about it en masse?

Still at least the BBC have the coverage for next year. F1 broadcast without adverts – now that deserves an award.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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14 comments on “ITV F1 wins BAFTA award for race coverage that viewers complained about”

  1. Why wasn’t the Brazilian GP nominated rather than the Canadian GP?

  2. Probably because Hamilton didn’t win it!

  3. And DoctorVee has now found the original story on the ITV website where the printed the apology has been deleted! Shameless…

  4. Michael Counsell
    21st April 2008, 0:41

    They should have nominated the Brazilian Grand Prix but maybe the award is for the significance of the event rather than the coverage.

    Hopefully next year BBC will bring a fresh new approach to F1 and maybe show GP2 live on BBCi…

  5. "They should have nominated the Brazilian Grand Prix but maybe the award is for the significance of the event rather than the coverage."
    I think you’re right, in which case, I’m stunned.  You get an award because you achieved excellence, not necessarily because the guy you were covering did.

    "Hopefully next year BBC will bring a fresh new approach to F1 and maybe show GP2 live on BBCi…"
    Too bad I won’t see it if they did do that.  But methinks they WILL do that, which will make it tons better than ITV’s GP2 coverage.

  6. This reminds me of 2005, when ITV nearly got the BAFTA for the United States Grand Prix despite it being a 90-minute rant on the theme, "Why F1 People Should Pull Their Fingers Out And Actually Solve Problems Instead Of Saying ‘The Answer’s No – What’s The Question?’".

  7. I guess it was Hamilton’s fault that ITV won that award

  8. James B "Why wasn’t the Brazilian GP nominated rather than the Canadian GP?"

    Keith Collantine "Probably because Hamilton didn’t win it!"

    LOLLLLLLL….. you said it mate… but it is quite ironic… isn’t it?

  9. F1 with no adverts  great.  But lets hope the BBC will cover practice, prerace and post race. Coverage when previously done by BBC was very limited and very often to barely the race!!!

  10. I hear that the Beeb want to start with a fresh F1 line-up for next year. That’s a disaster for Martin Brundle fans…

  11. Ridiculous…….no other words can describe it……travesty LOL
    Did love the comment made by Mr Norton str8 after…..if anyone wanted to know how it feels to win a BAFTA just follow the next crowd up!
    Brundle, Allen, Blundell and Ryder…..Joke!

  12. In a year when bafta presented an award to a harry hill(so called comedian??) – the award to itv fits in – another bunch of lovies kissing each other – at least little bernie gave itv the kiss off!!

  13. "F1 with no adverts  great.  But lets hope the BBC will cover practice, prerace and post race. Coverage when previously done by BBC was very limited and very often to barely the race!" – david 5

    Exactly my point, I remember the old BBC F1 programs and even the "scarcely any coverage" ITV gave post race Canada ’07 put that to shame. Lets hope that the lack of 3.5 minute ad-breaks every half hour will make up for the BBC’s budget constraints!

    I suspect the BBC will never win a BAFTA for it’s future F1 coverage, British winner or not.

  14. This patriottism is going too far.

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