It is a bit of a quiet week F1 Broadcasting wise with the week and a half gap between test one and two. With that in mind, I thought I would throw the opinions over to you.
Earlier today, the 5 Live F1 account tweeted “Putting the BBC 5 Live F1 team together for 2013. Finishing touches. Full line-up in place by March 6th.”
So my question to you is: Who do you want to be the new 5 Live F1 commentator?
The poll includes a few current generation drivers’ who have been in the commentary box at various times such as Bruno Senna, Jerome d’Ambrosio and the ultimate F1 dictionary man Karun Chandhok. Also included in the list are Formula 1 legends who have been part of the 5 Live team in the past at various stages – Sir Jackie Stewart and John Watson. The final few are those who have not yet found a drive for 2013, they are Heikki Kovalainen and Kamui Kobayashi.
My personal preference is John Watson for the role due to his vast amount of commentary experience in the past spanning multiple decades. He is also, in my opinion, easy to listen to and good for discussion based conversations which 5 Live’s practice coverage is famous for.
That’s my opinion. Who do you think should be the new 5 Live F1 co-commentator? Have your say in the comments below. I’ll announce the results on the same day as the new commentator is announced, whether it is March 6th or before.
Motorsport Broadcasting 
Gotta be Karun. He’s witty and has incredible knowledge of the sport. Watson would be a fine choice also, but I feel he’s become ever-so-slightly over-used by broadcasters of late.
gotta be either Karun or wattie… I assume James Allan is still lead commentator
its got to be wattie!!!
I have to ask because of your username – anyone can use whatever username they like so thought I would ask – you’re not by any chance Allard Kalff of Eurosport fame from the early 1990’s?
Just found this and at the risk of going against the grain, I have voted for Mark Priestley. We listened to him on 5Live for the British GP and thought the insight from a former F1 mechanic was great. Plus he worked for McLaren and I’m a big fan.
Ex drivers are good sometimes, but we rarely get to hear about behind the scenes stuff like Mark can share. I’d love to hear him again. Of the others I’d also quite like to hear Heikki Kovalienen. Interesting site by the way.
Initially I thought, OMG! what a great ‘lineup’ – hard to pick just one…but then I decided it would have to be John Watson (hand on heart, this was before I had seen your “personal preference”). Now that I’ve read your reasons for your preference, I most definitely second that motion!
While knowledge, experience and personality are important it is also important that radio commentators can speak clearly and concisely. 5 Live had a few people in the box last year who were either struggling for the words because English wasn’t their native tongue, or had a habit of adding redundant words to sentences, like, you know. That said, 5 Live’s core team was excellent last year, and it’s not necessarily a bad move to mix the co-commentary up a bit.
Another vote for Wattie
Off topic, but it was announced today that F1 has switched to all pay-TV in France with Canal+ for the next three years – http://advanced-television.com/2013/02/14/canal-wins-french-f1-rights/
Indeed, am just starting writing a blog post on that subject as a whole actually, should be up in an hour or so…
i would go for wattie or chandhok mabey they could share the role and also will ben edwards be doing practise 1 again this year really liked him and wattie back together at end of last year. also ive just found this site its amazing and its so insighhfull and unbiased, i wish id found it a year ago. keep up the good work 🙂
Karun would make a great presenter on either TV or radio he has the gift of the gab and is a self confessed F1 nerd
Wattie and Chandhok!