On the MotoGP highlights on ITV4, what is faded out to the left of the MogoGP graphic on the bottom right corner?

As for the sponsorship, I hope for Sauber's sake its them.

It's the hashtag for the race (#FrenchGP). No idea why ITV have blurred it out though.

As it would link to tweets on the BT Sport feed?

It's a Dorna graphic on the world feed, not a BT Sport one, so I don't understand why that would be the reason. Also, BT Sport produce the ITV highlights programme, so even if that were the reason, it seems counter-intuitive.

But taking your idea more generally - perhaps it's an attempt to avoid the use of Twitter spoiling the result for the viewers?

As far as I know, Johnnie Walker is still involved with McLaren as well as Chandon. They are both Diageo brands and are both listed on the partners section of McLaren's website.

Google only brings up links from last year that mention Johnnie Walker are the ones about Aston Martin tying with Force India with Johnnie Walker coming on board. We now know that a deal was never done and AM partnered with Red Bull instead.

A quick google brings up a lot on connections between Force India, United Breweries and Heineken though, so it would be easy to get your wires crossed.
It all gets very complicated and not really a topic for here.

I stay off Twitter until I am up to date watching the MotoGP coverage.

James Allen saying that Sky are going completely fibre-optic for transmission using TATA's connectivity instead of satellite links and hinting of some "over-the-top" interactive services using that bandwidth.

I don't see how tbh. That's only internal transmission from the circuit to Sky's base in the UK, at that point it'll go via satellite to viewers homes as per normal... The only advantage of this is that means the 45 delay I get when watching live via Now TV could be reduced...

This only lighten's Sky's workload internally, I don't see what relevance this has to the viewer at home, aside from reducing delays...

Yes this isn't about using fibre to people's homes. It's about the connectivity from circuit to base.

You may well find the delay via NowTV is the same across all Sky channels, ie nothing specifically to do with this.

So if it doesn't get round that, what benefits does it actually have to the viewer at home?

how long till we see CGI liveries?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiUshfRWgAA3bnV.jpg
Jp

Was that not been talked about at some point back in the F1 Digital+ days?


A bit too much cutting away to the pit lane from Sky in FP1 for my liking.

There was one occasion in particular that was rather unhelpful as FOM were showing some replays of smoke coming out of Perez's car & Sky cut to a split-screen just as the replay was getting to the point where we may have been able to see where the smoke was coming from. The smaller split-screen window made it really hard to get a good view of it.

Then later on they seemed to spend an age full-screen looking into the McLaren garage, Initially to look at the front wing updates but then we just seemed to be looking at the back of Ron's head as he spoke to there aero guy.



Non-F1 coverage related but I notice that MotorsTV have picked up highlights of the Japanese Super Formula series (Was formerly known as Formula Nippon), There been shown at 8pm tonight.

An obvious statement given the old system has been thrown out, but for completeness: the few GP2 cars running on-board cameras are using the new cameras.

A strange observation to make: the second cars (the ones with yellow T-cams) which are running dummy units have them painted in a variety ways. Seems to be up to the teams to satisfy the regulations for the dummys than FOM providing consistent colouring (not a problem in F1 as every car runs an active T-cam).

Still no sign of Herbert this weekend. I wonder if he's been told to stay away from Spain this year after those Fernando comments?

FOM seem to be doing a good job of showing elevation changes at Catalunya this weekend. Some years I'd have sworn it was entirely flat.

Good to have Damon and Ant around this weekend, it's a welcome change.

Susie Wolff & Alain Prost join the regulars on C4.

Probably said this at the last C4 live race, but they are such a breath of fresh air compared to Sky and their incessant bollocks theories.

It's probably because it's the first race of the early European leg of the season, but we've seen a lot of former drivers at the circuit today. Besides DC, Prost, Ant & Hill, Hakkinen, Berger, Rosberg Sr. & Alesi have all been spotted by the cameras. I guess it can be difficult getting this sport out of your blood.

Probably going to see a lot more of Jean Alesi through the season as his son Giuliano is racing in GP3 this year.
http://cdn-9.motorsport.com/static/i...jean-alesi.jpg

It still amazes me that Jean only won 1 F1 race

Yes and annoyingly it was the first race I ever missed since I started following F1!! I also managed to miss Button's maiden victory too...

FOM still struggling to get a reliable signal from these HD onboards. Indycar and other series seem to manage ok. Wonder if these hybrid engines are creating a very electrically noisy environment or something.

And he's only 16! I feel so old.

Cracking quali session. Very entertaining. No complaints from my end towards FOM for a change either.

GP2 has just answered that already, the onboards have the same issues on those cars too.

Seems the fourth cars in GP3 get green T-cams. Thankfully, it's noticeably different from the yellow on the second cars (at least in good conditions - may be harder to tell in the rain).

You couldn't by any chance miss tomorrow's race as well?