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Great blog as usual Jake. The red button forum was so fantastic! Now I'm expecing your coverage in Turkey. Love your blog always!

Great blog again Jake, but aren't you going to tell us who the "certain someone" was?

Another wonderful blog Jake, and another weekend of suberb coverage by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. What a wonderful forum after the race it was. I loved the Red Bull celebrations and did feel slightly envious of the F1 lifestyle when I was sat at home.

Nice to have the three muskateers in you, DC and EJ back together, great chemistry between you all as always to provide brilliant interaction to the viewers.

Shame about Jenson in Monaco, but you can't win 'em all, can you?

Roll on Turkey! =]

Doh! should have paid more attention to the end of the article, shouldn't I?

Great blog Jake, tell me.....Did EJ break his chair during the F1 Forum on Sunday....as we cut back to you guys DC was killing himself laughing about something! I think you've just encouraged me to save up and go next year.

Great blog and glad you told us who the "certain someone" was.. you are extremely lucky with F1 job.. I would pay ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ for it and here you are, getting paid, in the middle of all the action.. lucky lucky lucky you!!

I was amazed to hear all the pundits comments (specially DC and EI) regarding Alonso's letting Schumacher pass him because Fernando was sleeping on the wheel. Alonso had already contacted their team about overtaking Hamilton and the team orders were very clear: 'DON'T DO IT. IT"S NOT ALLOWED". So when Alonso saw Schumacher doing it he thought: "Good, now he will be penalized and lose points".
So tell your pundits to be more careful with their opinions and show more respect for one of the greatest pilots around. Alonso would never let anyone pass him like that!!!!

Jake - what was up with your blatant advertising & promotion of the Apple iPad this weekend?

The iPad screen content is hardly visible in the sort of strong sunlight that was present in Monaco. You had a clipboard as well as your normal phone during the forum so it wasn't entirely clear what benefit it was apart from a pure fashion accessory in breach of product placement rules.

Anyway I'm sure Apple will be elated at the free advertising given to the iPad to the many millions of viewers of the Grand Prix this weekend. Who knows, they may send a few freebies your way as a thank you.

Jake, great blog as ever, loving the coverage with DC and EJ.

Question: Please can you tell me what the identical silver bracelets you DC and EJ have been wearing, are? Is it some kind of smart FIA pass?

I think by tablet you mean iPad - the large apple symbol gives it away... also i want to know how the bbc have them for uk before general release...

Thanks for another great blog Jake, really enjoyed reading it. Monaco certainly does seem to be unique. All it needs now is the real possibility of overtaking and it really would have it all.
There's a reason why this is the race that most fans feel they must go to someday at least once in their lifetime...and what a weekend that must be (especially judging by your blog Jake!)
Wouldn't it be great to be having breakfast, presumably talking about F1 and have a driver stroll over and have a chat... it may not be all glamour but I'd take it...there really is something special about F1.
Roll on Silverstone...there is nothing quite like being trackside on race day.

Then Schmacher grabbed a sausage off your plate when you weren't looking, before having to return it when Alonso complained ;)

Top blog Jake. Really enjoyed the season thus far in spite of all the doom mogering after race 1.

Great coverage as always, keep it up.

Great insight to behind the scenes at Monaco. The intro for sunday was very impressive!! Credit due to the production team and yourselfs.

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Super blog Jake. 'LeeJClarke', don't think about going, just go !! I got back yesterday and i'm stil buzzing from going. It was just awesome !! Even better when it cost me nothing as the missus gave me the trip for my birtday !!

The real excitement of the Monaco Grand Prix was in the dying seconds of the race (unfortunately the commentary did not reflect this well at all).

I hope that Mercedes prevails in their appeal as I feel that Michael Schumacher is being robbed of a truely legitimate and opportunistic move that was so typical of the master

After the race, is there any way to access team radio transcripts? Interesting to hear what Alonso was told.

Another question, on the last lap, if there was no overtaking allowed after the safety car went in and green flags were shown, why were all the front runners gunning it for the finish on 'cold tyres' once past the safety car line at the risk of getting it into the barriers?

At 2:57pm on 18 May 2010, LeeJClarke wrote:
'I think you've just encouraged me to save up and go next year.'
Ditto!

Just seen that Mercedes are not going to appeal the ludicrous penalty on Shumacher. A sad sad day for F1

Hey Jake, I hope you got that I-pad free cos apple got some great screen time out of you ;)
Good job this weekend but a little disapointed that EJ wimped out of his own pool jump. I think it would have been the perfect time for a bundle (all for charidee ofcourse)
Can you get socks for the I-pad? cos I was waiting for you to drop that baby all weekend. i'm paranoid about my Iphone and that thing looks infinitely more breakable.

Great coverage and blog once again, Jake! Seeing the Red Bull guys and gals celebrating was tremendous and that alone made the Forum worth watching.

I think the only other place you can get as close- or even closer- to the cars and drivers is at the Goodwood Festival of Speed- if anybody reading this hasn't been, do give it a try, it's a superb event.

And can I suggest that you try and find this guy at some point, perhaps towards the end of the season?:-



He's a Brit who's following F1 around the globe, attending every race this year, and writing a blog about it as he goes. I think it would be great if you could get his impressions of the season at some point.


Finally,Joshua, don't understand why you're accusing Jake of advertising the I-Pad- he was just holding it and I can certainly see why it would be useful for the job he does.

Roll on Turkey!!

monaco is my favourite grand prix, it just has that something special what with all the glamour and the tight circuit. i was hoping hamilton might have had his first win but it wasn't to be :( bring on turkey!

Re: #22

I don't know whether you noticed but the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ blanks out other logos (e.g. the brand of monitor on the F1 forum) yet the iPad was being paraded about and the Apple logo was very (very very) noticeable on the back on several extended periods of time.

This race was always going to be the low point of the season...this curcuit should be taken out of the calender.Without four mandatory pit stops,a serious widening of the curcuit its always going to be a race of the top six cars whilst the rest are just in an expensive pocession.

No points earned here should be on the notice board...FIA get moving to change the rules ASAP...

This is not good enough another failure after failure....

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I see Lewis Hamilton is becoming quite the polite diplomat nowadays.

wack the Video of Alonso on utube!

Hi Jake, another excellent blog and superb converage from the Beeb. I noticed you've now changed to using an I-pad - what are they like? Also it was great to see you 3 back together again.

Monaco had the thrills and spills and Mark Webber drove brilliantly especially after 3 safety car incidents.

As for McLaren and Jenson button, someone should have paid more attention to his race rather than the scenery of Monaco!

Yes, Yes Jake I Was thinking couldn't we get to know more of lee, ted and the other lady , sorry forgot her name,?

Your usual excellent blog jake, taking us to the action. I think like Tom your producer I would be gob-smacked if MS turned to have a chat at breakfast as well (-:

This weekend was the 1st time I had listen to the 5 Live commentry instead of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ TV feed. I missed Martin B but Ant and David were superb they made the whole race so interesting. They were picking up things that I had seen at the same time and not a couple of mins later. I had no frustration of MB constantly being talked over and if one of them did cut in they did apologise to each other. I hope they know how good a team they have on 5 live.

See you in Turkey

Amanda

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i understand it not being a ferrari, but where the hell is the AMG SLS? a bloody G-Wagen would have been better...

hmmm, DC...DTM race car driver and soccer mom?

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unfortunately, i'm in the states and have to watch your coverage after the fact from a bit torrent, but...DC in a Nissan SUV? for the promo? (no point in giving credit for it being an Infinity...because IT'S AN SUV!) Mercedes couldn't scare up an AMG SLS for him? UTTERLY LAME...otherwise, great job as usual....

i would have rather seen him in a go-kart for pete's sake...

Great blog.

Another fantastic Blog.
The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ really has delved into what happens outside what we see on TV.
Anyway, your 'I-Pad' is the talk of the Town, maybe the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ should slap a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport Logo on it, apple must have been happy to see it so get that ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport Sticker on it for Turkey.
What has happened to the ClipBoard? Has it gone?
Still, great coverage from EJ and DC, stilla b it dodgy for Legard, can someone tell him to sound a bot interested, Martin sounded like he was falling asleep with Legard, he shouldnt shout, he should get warmed up for the exciting Bits.
Also Martin Brudnle's Gridwalk when he missed the Sugababes when they were right in front of him...classic Brundle!

superb blog as always!
i was wondering whether you'd say who the special breakfast guest was, when you went off topic, but there it was, right at the end! Quality

Great blog Jake really enjoy reading them. Gives a litle insight into the workings of the show and F1 brilliant. You must have made an impact in F1 for Michael Schumacher to wander over for a chat.

Well writen mate. This is my first comment on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ blogs. So well done for making me put the effort in! Absolutely loved it all weekend, as I have since Formula 1 got back on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. All you guys on the team are doing fantastic. Hopefully next year I'll get to see you out there at one of the races... preferably Monaco! Starting to save already. Looking forward to Turkey already.

Thanks again!

I always enjoy reading your blogs at the end of a GP weekend. It was cartainly a spectacular race. I do wonder who the mysterious benefactor was that lent you their boat for the weekend...
Great to see Mark win another race - he seems to be just as happy each time as when he first won last year.
Is most of your speel is scripted, or do you generally do things off the cuff?

@ #2 and # 6 - did you not read ther blog properly? the 'certain someone' was M. Schu!

Schu should not have been penalised like he was - this sort of move should be applauded not penalised! F1 rules = outdated & against spirit of sport in a lot of cases.

I thought the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ coverage was, yet again, excellent, capturing the special atmosphere that surrounds Monaco superbly. Despite being ill over the weekend it was great to be able to stay in and watch the quali and race, so thank you Jake and the team.

Also #24, do you work for Microsoft or something? I couldn't give a monkeys what Jake is using to read his notes from.

Great Blog as always Jake.
You, DC and EJ must spend some time together apart from in front of the cameras, as you are so at ease with each other, not to mention the banter, which is brilliant....
Keep up the good work.
Roll on Turkey....

Come on . Own up, Was it Eddie's boat ? , I know he has ( or atleast had ) a Sunseeker 37m , The Snapper , If i owned one i am damn sure i would take it to Monaco , So come on , tell . .

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Hi Jake! Have followed your blogs for more than a year now but never posted a comment. Simply had to register and do so this time for two reasons. Firstly, your blog was SO well written, neatly finishing where you started. Great piece of written English!! Secondly, my daughter and I were in Monaco for the Grand Prix at the weekend and it was a truly wonderful experience. It's the third Grand Prix we've attended and the very best so far! Next one....Belgium on August 29th, can't wait! Keep up the really good work.

Re #46: "Also #24, do you work for Microsoft or something? I couldn't give a monkeys what Jake is using to read his notes from."

Right... so anyone who questions an apparent breach of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Editorial Rules works for Microsoft? That sort of common sense seems about right for a monkey...

There are rules that must be adhered to. Just because they do a great job with the F1 coverage doesn't mean they can dispense with ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ rules regarding product placement or unnecessary brand promotion.

≠10 - u can import the ipad from apple's USA website.

≠40 - maybe it wasn't bought by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ f1 team so they couldn't slap a beeb sticker on there otherwise they would have like u rightly said they do it for other items.

i was slightly worried when i saw shots of the ipad on the side of pool and was thinking, "that will go in in a second" but thankfully it didn't.

that over with, now the race weekend. yet another fab showing from you and the F1 team (as always), Monaco is the icing on the cake in regards to race tracks, yes it maybe rather boring with the lack of overtaking but this is Monaco. I also noticed EJ's chair was broken, what happened there?

regarding MSC/ALO at the end, i can see both side of the story.

all i can say is - roll on Turkey

I thought you were never going to tell us your breakfast guest was!! Would love to sample the unique experience of Monaco in the future. As happens each year in the pub we gave already started discussing how we can go next year. No doubt thou we will be watching on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.

Jake,
Great blog as usual!

Just wanted to pop a message on here to thank MrPheobus for posting his comment (No.22).
I'm the guy who's blog he mentioned:

www.getjealous.com/alexjsnell

So far this trip has surpassed all my expectations, Monaco especially was such an amazing experience, and I'm only a third of the way in!

You probably won't remember but we met in Kuala Lumpur briefly (at EJ's gig in the Hard Rock Cafe), if you'd like to do a piece on me that would be fantastic!

p.s. I'm still waiting for that mention on twitter you promised! ;)

#51 Ok i'll put it in slightly less humourous/interesting terms.

I don't care about product placement.
Your arguement bores me.
I want to watch F1.
End.

#55 - if you "don't care" then leave the discussion alone. Don't push your apathy and non-interest for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ rules and ethics on others. Let them decide whether it is important to them.

Incidentally anyone who agrees that it was out of place can make a complaint here: /complaints/homepage/

The iPad stuck out like a sore thumb and as such was highly inappropriate in terms of brand promotion. Hopefully it was just a one-off for the glamour of Monaco but the idea for a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport sticker over the Apple logo is a good one (#40).

Great blog Jake, really enjoy reading your comments. Also well done to the whole ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ F1 team quality coverage once again.

Shame Eddie didn't take a dip in the Jacuzzi on the F1 forum though!

Only feedback I can give to improve the coverage is change the visuals on the opening credits back to real F1 footage like you did pre-96. The computer generated cars racing looks really naff. Also remove those poor tyre squealing sounds you overdub over 'The Chain'. A great song like that deserves to be heard in its original form!!

@ #56 If you are really that bothered about the Apple thing then get onto Points of View or something, but I really think you are going to struggle to find anyone on here who is as outraged as you!

Cheers.

What Jake says is of course completely true. I guess you have to be there. I watched the whole race with the feeling that nobody was going to be able to make a pass, and they didn't. It just wasn't exciting enough. Alonso making his way throught the field via pitstops was the most interesting part.

I don't watch F1 for the crashes, it's the battle for overtaking that I want to see. Maybe Monaco should be a kind of holiday or break for the F1 teams; give everybody a chance to get close to the teams and drivers, a carnival atmosphere... and a few parade laps for the cars. And if by chance it rains, then quickly line up on the grid and have a proper race!

I hope I wasn't one of the two drunkards stumbling round Rascasse! What a great weekend. You've summed up all of the high points that I discovered by visiting the circuit this weekend. The place lives and breathes Formula One. Walking round the circuit, touching the armcos, treading on the kerbs - nowhere can you get so close to the racing, and nowhere has is as synonmous with F1.

Much credit to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ team for being so approachable. Over the weekend we were laughing and joking with cameramen (taking shots of the Monaco "scenery" is a tough job) and had a great 10 minute chat with Jonathan before the race.

First visit to Monaco but definitely won't be the last.

I've yet to watch your coverage of the weekend on account of the fact that I was there in person! What a place! I've been to many GPs but never Monaco before and the thing that struck me most was how easy it was to get up close to everything! You were one of the first people I spied in the paddock on Wednesday and it went on from there. I even managed to congratulate Christian Horner after the race!

I will definitely be going again next year.

Oh yeah and the Michael story - very VERY jealous

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@ #24 I agree regarding the Ipad, however compared to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's utter and blatant advertising of the private company Twitter its rather trivial.

Hi Jake. We watched your show from a balcony at the Beau Rivage. It was a fantastic weekend for our first GP. To be honest though, I missed all of the informed comment. Fortunately we recorded it and have been comparing the photos of DC getting the slap on before the recording with the actual thing.
Can we send any attached pics.

yeah, really good blog. really makes you appreciate why people love going to Monaco so much. Unfortunately I couldnt make it this year and had to endure what was probably the most sterile and boring F1 race I had ever seen on TV. So really, apart from the priveliged few (in comparison to the millions watching on TV), the 2010 Monaco GP was a complete disaster. However I'm not surprised those that were there have chosen to ignore this fact. It seems that the general followers of F1 get completely overlooked whilst all the presenters and their famous TV pundits swan around with all the celebs knocking back the champers. Back in the real world, I was actually struggling to keep my eyes open while the cars paraded round in what seemed the longest F1 race of all time. You only have to check out the 90 second highlight version to see what I mean (a couple of crashes and Alonso overtaking a back-marker). I'm sure many die-hard F1 fans will disagree because of the history and tradition of the race but if this was the future of F1, new fans would be a rare commodity.

Are you telling me that there is product placement in F1 - I'm shocked !!!!

F1 is 99% about advertising and 1% about racing (but I do love that 1%)

I am disappointed about the penalty. If the safety car is needed it should be on the track (irrespective of the cosmetic impact on the finish). If it is not needed and the portion of the track between pit entry and finish is clear then the cars should race for the line.

It is appalling that the rules are so poorly written. What would happen if a leading car crashed or stopped on track in that final corner? No one would overtake and the race would never be completed. It is a simple solution: rather than say "Safety car in this lap" on the timesheet, send a message "Race will finish under safety car conditions" and keep Yellow flags/lights on track. But better to let them race for the line.

#65 - if a car goes off/crashes under safety car conditions they lose their place & others are allowed to pass.

Think back to Australia 2009, when Trulli went off track under SC conditions? Hamilton passed him legitimately and was entitled to keep the place, but the McLaren team wrongly told him he had to give the place back. That error from the team led to 'liegate'.

Mr Humphery'
I really do feel you should have stuck to childrens T.V. Some of the childish questions and comments you make,especially to the drivers make me cringe with embarrassment.Leave the job to Mr Coulthard and Brundle.

Hi Jake, was on holiday last week, had to watch race on French TV in Annecy - no contest with ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ. Enjoy your blogs but tell me - is it me or do you always seem to be eating or talking about food?

Totally agree with your comments Jake. My brother and I (after years of talking about it) went to Monaco (it was also our first F1 Grand Prix as well) and we both thought it was an experience of a lifetime. It wasn't just watching a race, it was an entire weekend from the Friday afternoon pitlane access to the race on Sunday, of being totally immersed in the whole atmosphere. For example we were standing having a beer on the circuit beside the Rascasse bar when Michael Schumacher appeared from nowhere on his electric bike and stopped to give autograph hunters a few minutes. The same night we were walking along the harbour when we noticed Eddie Jordan playing drums in a band on a yacht. I offered my complements to Eddie on his drumming but he ignored me! I suppose he must get bored with the aduation of his music fans though!
But apart from getting the cold shoulder from EJ - that was it - we felt more than just spectators - is was almost like being part of the event. Would recommend it to anyone - even non-F1 fans couldn't help but be massively entertained by the whole thing. The only problem is what F1 event to go to next that will not be overshadowed by Monaco!
Andrew Millar

I have to defend jakes commentry style. I'm a petrolhead at heart, but anything that opens up F1 to a wider audience is good in my book - I love the lighthearted approach, alongside the real nitty gritty provided by the rest of the team.

After Following a link to Sarah Holts' tweet of a photo of an "almost completed" McLaren HQ, i'd like to see a time-lapse of the Paddock being built.

As for the complaint regarding the use of twitter, I believe its a fantastic way for fans to interract in real time with the programme. Genuis !!

What's with the i-pad Jake - you look a bit silly like "oo look at me I got an i-pad" pointing at cars with it - and realising that with the mic in your other hand you cannot shake hands with Ross Braun!! get a man-bag if you need your i=pad with you

Do you think, doubling the width of the racing track would improve overtaking?

I think the track is way to bumpy for F1 cars to be able to use all the power through the fast corners

Nice iPad Jake !

Jake, in your fawning Ferrari article in the London Evening Standard last night you said Alonso "The most naturally gifted of drivers, world champion at 24".

Surely, Fangio, Gilles Villeneuve, Senna and Schmacher were/are more naturally gifted.

Lewis Hamilton was 23 when he became the youngest ever world champion.

Alonso has only been on the podium twice this year, only managed to qualify 12th today, when Massa managed 8th.

I think you need to question your Corsa Rosso tinted spectacles and give a little unbiassed ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ support for OUR own talent which include the current and previous world champions.

Jake, I really enjoyed the piece on Ferrari this lunchtime. But my better half, who is a singer has been ..... er singing it ever since and pestering me about the name of the music. Can you please let me know otherwise I'll get no peace at all.
Steve

Top blog as usuall jake, i love the "normal bloke in an abnormal job" type of thing you do so well :) and with DC and Loony tune EJ it's a great combo.
Shame so many people seem to only watch to pick holes but that's the price of fame i guess, the more jelousy you create the more famouse you must be ;)
When i do finaly get to a race (and it's thanks to your urging that i WILL finally do it) i'll be after your autograph first !

As can be seen here, many people do care about unnecessary product placement.

I want to watch F1 free from such needless advertising by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ.
Mr Humphries blatantly does not need the Apple accessory in question.

He gesticulates with it to rub the point in even further, does not use it and therefore it serves no practical purpose. How can he operate it when he holds the microphone in one hand and the iPad in the other!!!
If he really needs it he could easily use it whilst off camera, perhaps when a feature video is being run...

Also he says he uses it for his script & twitter updates... didnt think the product was multi tasking!

Without doubt, Apple is the real winner here!

what a race in turkey, the most thrilling grand prix for quite a while!
One thing i noticed was your very prominent product placement of the new ipad! surely if you`ve managed to present the previous grand prix without any form of notes or a pda you could have done without one for this race1

unashamed advertising and product placement of the Ipad by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ - Apple must be loving the free exposure!

Regarding the iPad, did you see Jake reading off the clip board whilst on TV? He is a presenter barring the blatent product placement you must see it as a usefull tool.

I am utterly flabbergasted and the sheer amount of petty people complaining about Jake's ipad. Did he spend multiple periods of time telling everyone to buy one and how amazing they are? No, he was simply moving with the times using something more useful than a humble clipboard to his broadcasting.

If your going to be influenced by a simple logo that gets flashed up on the screen you are incredibally weak minded.

Also the complaints about Twitter are ludicrous, whats the alternative? Remove one of the best and simple forms of communication between the team and viewers? Yeh, thats progress that is...

Keep up the good work Jake, these are the type of people who complain in their tens at adverts on tv.

Oh and for the record...i don't own an ipad...its an overpriced piece of tat...

For me the I pad is a highly useful piece of kit for remotely viewing PDF files. At are web host facility allows clients to view their scanned company documents from any location using a pc or even an I pad.

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Whats the fuss on his iPad? I mean they are smart. I did get some F1 racing recently and it does look good on the ipad when browsing through. Useful for the enthusiasts remote reading and all.

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