2007 Spanish GP

They never had an uplate on the weekends anyway before.
 
That wouldn't surprise me - but we're talking about the up-late version, which must generate stuff-all ratings. But the reason I'm most pissed about this is that it comes after Ten promised us a better deal this year, and this is what we get.

Its hard to say, but I think Big Brother up late would still generate more viewers than the grand prix. Unfortunately the ratings figures on OzTAM only count the top 20 programs but the latest report shows that Big Brother is still popular with two programs placing 4th and 14th (Opening night and game on). Its fair to say those figures will likely dwindle in the coming weeks but they're still likely to surpass F1. The 2007 Australian Grand Prix appears not to have made the top 20 on the week it was broadcast.

We are getting a better deal from Ten. We're getting delayed qualifying sessions now...:rolleyes:
 
1:25am Sunday Morning for Quali!!
 
An interesting article about Vettel and Red Bull...for those who were talking about BMW and Vettel's future.

Red Bull boss says Vettel will return in '09

5/9/2007 10:10:40 AM

Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz says the team will consider hiring or promoting one of its younger drivers to partner one of their veterans in 2008.

However, the energy drink billionaire has ruled out an early return to the Red Bull stable for German Sebastian Vettel, whom rival BMW hope to elevate to full-time status possibly as early as next year.

"I am not bothered by that," Mateschitz tells the publication Motorsport Aktuell. "We have parked him for four years at BMW. We say he is our driver. BMW, however says, he is their driver. But there are contracts in place, and if we perform, he will be back with us in 2009."

As for next season, 36 year old David Coulthard would seem to be the odd-man out as his contract is for 2007, with a likely option. Aussie Mark Webber joined the team this year and is six years younger than Coulthard.

Mateschitz says both Toro Rosso drivers Scott Speed and Vitantonio Liuzzi are options but both still need to prove their worth if they wish to remain within the Red Bull organization beyond this season.

Mateschitz adds he would like to hire a "star" driver but will only do so when he feels the team is capable of winning consistently.

"A star driver longs for such a (winning) car and first we have to prove that we have the means to build such a car. Then you can start to talk with top drivers.

"We never daydreamed of having a top name such as Michael Schumacher in the car in 2007. He would have had to cut back his salary by 90 percent!

"At the point where we were, Mark Webber was ideal for us."

Despite failing to score a point through the first three races of the season, the Austrian believes they are already ahead of two-time world champions Renault and has set his sights on BMW-Sauber.

"The Red Bull Racing cars were lying seventh and eighth in the Bahrain race, so we have overtaken Renault, Williams and Toyota," he tells the motorsport publication. "But it would be foolish to talk about Ferrari or McLaren-Mercedes as possible opponents in the first proper year.

"BMW Sauber has made a solid step ahead, but I would say that they have to be our goal for this year. But as I stated one year ago: the real goal is to finish fifth in the constructors' championship this year. And according to the latest progress in Barcelona and a further evolution step in Canada I would say that this is entirely possible.

Mateschitz says problems related to calibrating the teams new wind tunnel pushed the team's development "in the wrong direction". However, he feels designer Adrian Newey and his staff have begun to reverse the problems and we should see a definite improvement in results going forward.

Source
 
Thats just pathetic.
 
or we should boycott watching it. give em the message with ratings.
Unfortunatly it doesn't work that way. They don't know what you're watching unless you're one of the few people who are monitored by OzTAM.

Pretty sure that Big Brother is a much higher earner for 10 than the coverage of some overseas car race.
Don't forget the money they make from all the suckers who call in for the Big Brother Uplate Phone-In Game Thingo. Potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars a week.


Channel Ten's F1 coverage is pretty poor but they wouldn't benefit from improving it. It doesn't have many fans, it doesn't make them much money and the few fans it does have are dedicated. They can stick it on late at night when the more popular shows have finished and we'll still watch it or at least record it. And I don't think there's much room for growth in the ratings so they don't feel any need to put it on earlier.
 
^ Exactly the point I was trying to make.

2310 for the grand prix on Sunday night. I'm not really fussed because I am one of these dedicated fans Austere mentions. I've said it before but its nice to sit back and relax on the Sunday night with the F1.

Coulthard is driving really well at the moment and I think he still has a couple of years left. Webber (as the article states) is on a longer term contract so is unlikely to go anytime soon. Still, I can see Red Bull's point in considering Vettel. Drivers these days seem able to step into a grand prix car and are almost immediately on the pace. What Red Bull would gain is an enthusiastic, young driver who'll give his all, is uncorrupted by F1 experience (it can work as a benefit and a hinderance), and best of all, is relatively cheap. Webber could be retained in order to give the partnership a balance of measured experience.

I hope Coulthard stays though. He's one of the few old hands left who's unafraid to deliver a decent soundbite to the press.
 
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^ Exactly the point I was trying to make.

2310 for the grand prix on Sunday night. I'm not really fussed because I am one of these dedicated fans Austere mentions. I've said it before but its nice to sit back and relax on the Sunday night with the F1.

Coulthard is driving really well at the moment and I think he still has a couple of years left. Webber (as the article states) is on a longer term contract so is unlikely to go anytime soon. Still, I can see Red Bull's point in considering Vettel. Drivers these days seem able to step into a grand prix car and are almost immediately on the pace. What Red Bull would gain is an enthusiastic, young driver who'll give his all, is uncorrupted by F1 experience (it can work as a benefit and a hinderance), and best of all, is relatively cheap. Webber could be retained in order to give the partnership a balance of measured experience.

I hope Coulthard stays though. He's one of the few old hands left who's unafraid to deliver a decent soundbite to the press.

There is alot of speculation now that Red Bull won't renew Coultard's contract at the end of this season and they will promote Liuzzi to Red Bull to gain more experience from Mark and the team.

If that were to occur...would they sign Bourdais at Toro Rosso, and what would they do with Scott Speed?
 
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Id actually put Scott Speed up to RBR and keep Liuzzi in STR so that he can build an Italian team around him with Bourdais there too. Speed can learn more from Webber than Liuzzi can. Coulthard to help Prodrive start their campaign??
 
I'd be keeping Coulthard and Webber in at Red Bull, while dumping Speed and Liuzzi in favour of Bourdais and Heidfeld/Vettel at Toro Rosso.

McLaren looking good in the first practice sessions at Barcelona...
 
Scott Speed would learn alot more at RBR then Liuzzi, but if he doesn't start doing something this season he may be gone altogether.

Resigning Coultard would be a bit of a gamble...one RBR might not be willing to take.
 
Prodrive, with McLaren chassis and engine would be interesting for DC to go to for 1 year perhaps??
 
^ even if you were DC's age?
 
Well it used to be that you could be older than DC and as long as you were still quick, or were very popular, you'd get a seat. Look at Mansell, he drove until he was in his 40's and Hill until he was 39. These days, you'd have to be Michael Schumacher or close to it to get a seat if you're close to 40.
 
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