Sky Announce Full 2012 Line-Up

Sky have today announced their complete line-up of presenters, commentators and pit-lane reporters in preparation for their inaugural season covering Formula 1 in the UK. This comes after it was agreed earlier in the year that Sky and the BBC would share the rights to broadcast F1 in 2012 with Sky showing every track event throughout the season live with the BBC showing ten races live and the rest as a highlights show later in the day.

It was announced a few weeks back that Sky would be launching a standalone Formula 1 channel in the UK named Sky Sports F1 HD and that Martin Brundle would be joining the team from the BBC to commentate on next years proceedings. 

Today, however, Sky confirmed that David Croft would be joining the new team from BBC Radio 5 Live along with fellow commentator and ex-F1 driver Anthony Davidson to partner the already confirmed Martin Brundle. Davidson will commentate on the weekends Practice Sessions along with ‘Crofty’ recreating the famous commentary team that the BBC have used for the last three years on their Red Button Service.

  

It has also been announced that Sky have also acquired two more ex-BBC F1 staff in Natalie Pinkham and Ted Kravitz, who will continue their roles as pit-lane reporters with Sky. Ted Kravitz has also been announced as the co-presenter of the weekly magazine show which will be fronted by current Sky Sports News presenter Georgie Thompson. The presenter of the weekends F1 show will be Simon Lazenby, who has had experience in presenting Sky Sports Rugby coverage in the past.

  

Also announced as part of the new Sky Sports F1 HD team is the ex-BBC and ITV F1 presenter, Steve Rider, who has had experience presenting Formula 1 as part of the BBC’s Grandstand show in the 1990s and with ITV in the 2000s. His role within Sky will be to stage a series of interviews with some of Formula 1’s legends both past and present.

It is undeniable that Sky now have the most experienced team covering Formula 1 that has existed in the past. With three of the best commentators in the sport, two of the best pit-lane reporters and a superb presentation team, the new Sky Sports F1 HD channel looks well set for an impressive inaugural season!

Martin Brundle Off To Sky Sports For 2012?

Next year the broadcasting of Formula 1 in the United kingdom changes as the BBC will co-broadcast F1 alongside major sporting TV company Sky Sports. Sky have almost monopolized sport over the last decade as popular sports such as Football, Cricket and Golf have made Sky their new home and as of 2012, Formula 1 will be added to the growing list of sports covered by the company.

The BBC will still broadcast F1 next year as they plan to show 10 races live and the other 10 in a delayed highlights format that has yet to be announced whereas Sky Sports will show all 20 races live next year including all three Practice Sessions and Qualifying.

The highlight of this slightly controversial decision has now switched to who Sky Sports will sign up as their presenters, commentators and pit lane reporters. It has been highly speculated over the last few months that former ITV and current BBC commentator, Martin Brundle, is in talks with both companies over his future with the sport. He has tweeted saying that he has received offers from both companies and that he will be taking the weekend to decide on his future.

If Martin Brundle does join Sky Sports, how will that affect the BBC F1 Team, who have produced some of the best F1 coverage the sport has ever seen in their long and colorful years covering the sport, their first race coverage being the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix which was won by local hero Gilles Villeneuve and featured commentary from Murray Walker before being joined a year later by former World Champion James Hunt. Will the BBC take the offer of using Sky’s commentary, an opportunity that must be offered to them as part of the deal with Sky or will they continue with their own commentary minus probably the only true heir to Murray Walker’s throne in Martin Brundle? If this decision is taken it is understood that David Coulthard will be joined by Speed TV’s Australian commentator Leigh Diffey. If Martin Brundle does join Sky it is believed he will be joined by current colleague and BBC Radio 5 Live commentator David Croft who is renowned for his colorful and sometimes explosive commentating style. 

It is also understood that Sky are keen to have ex ITV and current BBC pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz and current ITV Sports presenter (and ex BBC and ITV F1 presenter) Steve Rider on their team, meaning that if this does become a reality that the BBC F1 Team will also be a pit lane reporter down, leaving only Lee McKenzie and Natalie Pinkham remaining.

Of course there are two races remaining in 2011, and there is a whole winter off season in which these various contracts will be flying ever other way before Sky can reveal their 2012 F1 Team Line-Up.