As appropriate place to start as any today is to probably say a few things about the opening race of this year's F1 World Championship. So good to hear the evocative Fleetwood Mac intro again, as F1 finds itself back on the beeb after a 10 year association with ITV. Bringing Brundle over to help out with the commentary is certainly a great coup, and was pretty much a no-brainer; but I still find myself hankering for the old days of Walker and Hunt. It's never been quite the same since Hunt died in 1993 - his laconic style and upper-class diction were the perfect foil to Walker's arse-on-fire rantings. Quite a pair, the genuine odd couple of motorsport commentary; or any commentary for that matter. They're certainly up there in my Hall of Fame of comms box combos. Seems to be a trait of modern broadcasting that commentators can't perform alone anymore. I don't seem to remember Bill MacLaren or John Motson ever craving company up there in the gantry, but now every sport needs at least two in the box, plus at least a couple more dotted around touchlines and grandstands. BBC's Six Nations coverage employed more pundits, commentators and analysts than their US Election work. Having the experts on is ok, if they all make a contribution; but it needs to be a enlightening and interesting. The BBC doesn't owe these people a living, and some of them are certainly more justifiable than others.
So, to try and place Hunt & Walker in the pantheon of my personal commentary combos, and find them some esteemed company. Personally, I find the much-travelled cycling pair of Phil Liggitt & Paul Sherwen an outstanding partnership. It says much about these two that whichever channel has broadcast the Tour De France over the last decade and a half that they have ended up describing the action. They keep it simple without dumbing it down and are able to make each day of a 21 day event interesting. For those who are not in to stage-racing or cycling in general, they make an extremely complex event accessible.
Next up are Adrian Morehouse & Andy Jameson: the voices of BBC's swimming coverage - well certainly for the big meets. These two get a lot of airtime during the course of an Olympic games, and have the task of making a relatively niche sport interesting to those who are really just waiting for the athletics to start. Personally, I think they do a fabulous job. It's a fairly insular sport swimming, and it's difficult for people who haven't done the relentless hours of training to understand the unwavering commitment it requires (of course, to excel at any sport at elite level requires commitment, but swimming always seems particularly brutal). Well, Ade & Andy really epitomise the Public Service Broadcasting mantra of informing, educating and entertaining. They are supportive of British athletes without being bias; and make sure that you learn something new every time you tune in. Great pair.
They may not be everyone's cup of tea, but Stevo & Eddie on Sky's Rugby League coverage are a fantastic duo. And such grafters. Not only do they front the coverage in the studio, present the highlights and provide the half and full time analysis - but they do all the commentary for every televised game too. They're not afraid to have the odd disagreement, and they certainly don't shy away from occasional controversial opinions. Hugely entertaining, and they love their rugby league.
It's difficult to list many others because very few come in a regular, unchanging partnership. Tennis, cricket, rugby and football tend to have rotation policies employed by their respective employers. I suppose Gray & Tyler enjoy a relatively consistent run together on Sky for the footy, but theirs is no longer an exclusive relationship. So, let's say that the three pairs listed above are my current faves, with Hunt and Walker already enshrined in the Hall of Fame. No one is assured of joining them when their days are done, but they're well on the way.
Well, back to the point in hand, today's Grand Prix. Certainly an impressive opening to the season which had the right measure of incident and drama; with the added bonus of a British winner. Will the rest of the season be as eventful? We can only hope. It has to be said that Hamilton seemed to relish the chance to prove himself as a racer as opposed to merely a car pilot today. He was enjoying it immensely as he scythed through the field from 18th on the grid. With any luck 2009 will be a season for racers - until of course, Eccleston goes completely bonkers and decides to award the championship to the driver who rolls the highest score with a dice or something. You never know with Bernie, but one thing is for certain - he'll want the winner to be in a red car with a prancing horse on it (allegedly).
