We’ve all moaned and complained, cursed the ad breaks and laughed uproariously at the unintended bloopers.
Our favourite one of those was definitely James Allen’s meant-to-be metaphorical “Jenson Button’s on fire!” at (we think) the 2006 Australian Grand Prix – which very swiftly became literal after the speeding Brit’s car went up in flames. Murray Walker himself would have been proud of that one.
(There was another one, involving Prince Albert of Monaco and the BBC’s sport quotes of the week feature, but that really is rude and perhaps best not repeated.)
But the Brits on Pole team has thoroughly enjoyed the last 12 years of Formula One coverage from ITV – and we’d like to say thank you to Martin Brundle, Mark Blundell, James Allen, Louise Goodman, Ted Kravitz, Steve Rider and everyone else who’s worked on the programme during this time.
Thanks for keeping us entertained through all those Sunday afternoons – whether the racing was gripping, processional, frustrating, heatbreaking or triumphant.
And, of course, during all those times when David Coulthard forgot himself on air, and started either making unduly personal remarks about Lou Goodman or indulging in good old-fashioned cussing.
Jim Rosenthal’s face after he said “bollocks” during a live interview, round about the time your mum would be serving up the roast, was a particular classic.
It’s easy to lounge on the sofa and moan – but it’s Brundle and Allen that have had to sit in the commentary box and deliver week after week. While many of us might have thought we could have done better – we never actually had to try, did we?
Thanks to Lewis Hamilton’s last-gasp championship victory, the programme was able to go out on a high. Accompanying this post is the great farewell video the team produced, including the spectacle of Sebastian Vettel playing air guitar and Ted Kravitz with a duct tape moustache.
Great job, guys – thanks for everything.