When we finished our podcast yesterday every member of the team agreed that it was the best yet. We weren’t surprised though because chatting to Murray Walker for an hour was never going to be dull.

We hope you enjoy it and – as always – let us know your thoughts.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

Imagine if James Hunt was still around today, I mused to Martin Brundle at Daytona a few weeks ago. “Well, if he was I’d be out of a job!”, the BBC’s new lead commentator fired back.

The truth would probably be somewhat different. Hunt, who died of a heart attack at the age of just 45, would have struggled to hold on to a high-profile media role in the modern world. Richard Keys and Andy Gray would have had nothing on Master James! Had he lived, he’d have said something outrageous long ago and would probably have been handed his cards after a short and very nasty tabloid campaign against him. After this, I like to think he would have settled down into his new role as an outspoken, politically incorrect star columnist here at Motor Sport… and how refreshingly outspoken and irreverent those columns would have been. Such a shame he was taken from us all so early.

Hunt was a brilliant, instinctive broadcaster during his time sharing a mike with the long-suffering Murray Walker from 1980-93, in much the same way that he was a brilliant, instinctive racing driver. He shot from the hip and carried lasting prejudices (yes, poor Riccardo Patrese), and that attitude would not have sat well in this sensitive age. Can you imagine the froth that would have been generated on the web forums if Hunt was broadcasting today? They’d have loved him and lynched him.

For me, Hunt was all the greater because of his imperfections (He once turned me down for an autograph at a Brands Hatch Grand Prix because he was late for the celebrity race. Somehow, I didn’t mind  – because it was him. Even as a kid I was aware of his reputation for timing, so found the polite but firm ‘no’ and the mad rush he was in very amusing).

He took his racing intensely seriously, to the extreme of vomiting before the starts and so on, because he knew only too well how dangerous was his chosen vocation. But at the same time he refused to take life seriously away from the races – which is exactly why he agreed to pose for Patrick Lichfield’s cheeky photoshoot that adorns the cover of the April issue.

Nubile young ladies on the cover of Motor Sport? Sacrilege! Mr Tee (Motor Sport’s former proprietor) must be spinning… But if there is an image that sums up the man our writer Eoin Young struggled so hard to like, it’s this one. All that’s missing is a bottle of something strong and a fag in his mouth. Like James, we don’t like to take life too seriously here at Motor Sport, and we couldn’t resist. Especially as it highlights once again how different our world is today compared to the 1970s. Can you imagine Jenson Button taking part in such a photo shoot? (I can actually – but I don’t think McLaren, Vodafone etc would like it much! Imagine the airbrushing…)

Eoin was James’s original – and very reluctant – biographer. His personal impressions of a man who he came to know well, and eventually like a great deal, are fascinating. For those of us who only knew him as an image in photographs or as a voice on television, they are truly revealing. Incidentally, Eoin lives back in New Zealand these days and we were alarmed to hear this week of the dreadful earthquake that has devastated Christchurch. We were relieved to hear that Eoin was unhurt, although he has suffered damage to his property. From everyone at the magazine, and I’m sure all of you who read it, we send you our best wishes, Eoin.

James Hunt pops up again elsewhere in the April issue, his serious racing side highlighted within Rob Widdows’ entertaining Dispatches column on an eye-opening trip to Monaco with Hesketh Racing, and also within this month’s riveting Lunch with Murray Walker. Now, you won’t be surprised to read that Murray was typically eloquent when Simon Taylor met up with him recently. But even for Murray, this one is special. Despite suffering from a heavy bout of ’flu, he saved his best form for Motor Sport. I’ve never read a more frank and insightful piece on a man who is always a great interview.

We also look ahead to the forthcoming F1 season, with a bumper preview featuring Nigel Roebuck in discussion with Sir Jackie Stewart, a definitive explanation of the new rules – including those gimmicky moveable rear wings – and a study of the overtaking debate by former Renault technical boss Pat Symonds. Since we went to press, the Bahrain GP has been cancelled, of course, so we’re down to ‘only’ 19 races beginning in Australia on March 27. Within our issue, Jackie Stewart has some strong words on the circuits that F1 visits today and the changes that he believes are needed to inject a greater challenge into the sport. We quite agree.

You can also read our verdict on the new McLaren MP4-12C road car, find out more about Mini’s return to world rallying and catch up with comeback kings Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell during their impressive return to the cockpit at the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours.

Before I close, I should mention that our founder editor Bill Boddy celebrated his birthday this week. On February 22 WB turned 98 years old. His stories continue to file into our inbox for each issue and the magazine simply would not be the same without him. Happy birthday, WB, from all the team at Motor Sport.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

Craig Lowndes, the three-time Australian V8 Supercar Champion and four-time Bathurst winner, is the latest star to be recruited by Roary the Racing Car.

The popular children’s television show is narrated by Sir Stirling Moss and also features the voices of Murray Walker and Peter Kay, but the producers were keen on finding an Aussie to voice its new character, Conrod.

“I was approached by the Roary team at the Australian Grand Prix this time last year,” says Lowndes. “At that point they had a concept that they wanted to introduce an Australian character and [bring] Conrod into the episodes, but they were looking for someone to voice it.

“I was lucky to have some good results [in the V8 Supercar race] at last year’s Australian GP, which at least made them aware of who I was. I’ve never done anything like this before; we’ve done some stuff here on TV commercials for sponsors, we’ve done some radio recordings for sponsors, but this was new to me.”

Added Lowndes: “When we recorded the three episodes they hadn’t actually finalised the drawings of the cartoon character, but I suppose I didn’t make it too easy for them because I was still with the Ford team when we did the recordings, but this year I’m campaigning the Holden car. They’ve made some modifications to the car in the cartoon and made it more neutral, rather than just a Ford or a Holden.”

Having finished the three episodes Lowndes is now fully focused on the V8 Supercar Championship and winning another title. “At the moment we’re in a mad rush trying to build cars as our season starts soon,” he says. “We’ve got to have our cars on a plane heading to Abu Dhabi on February 14, ready for our first championship race.”

From the recording studio to the cockpit of a V8 Holden. Talk about different ends of the spectrum…

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

When it was announced at the Malaysian Grand Prix last year that the BBC would be taking over the UK broadcasting rights for Formula 1 in 2009, there was an overwhelmingly positive response from both the public and paddock insiders. After 12 years of hard work, that reaction must have hurt the ITV team deeply, but the general belief was that not only would it mean an end to those pesky ad breaks, the BBC would also do a better job – and this week the Beeb revealed exactly why that perception looks certain to become reality.

In a press conference in White City this week, the broadcaster welcomed the media to meet its F1 team and explained how it plans to offer a new level of service that will revolutionise the way most of us watch Grands Prix.

Senior producer Mark Wilkin, who has editorial control of GP coverage across all BBC media, revealed that 200 hours of F1 will be broadcast this year. Qualifying and the races will be live on BBC1 (repeated later in the day for those with an early start), plus there will be a one-hour highlights package shown on BBC3 at 7pm on the evening of all races except for Brazil. So far, so ITV.

But it is the BBC’s ‘Red Button’ option that has really opened up the opportunities to give a greater depth of coverage.

All practice sessions, including those on Friday, will be shown live via the Red Button service, with commentary coming from Radio 5 Live. On race day you will be able to choose from the TV commentary or the radio equivalent, while split-screen options including on-car footage and a leaderboard will also be available.

An hour of analysis will be shown via the Red Button after the main network coverage of the race ends, all of which will be backed up by a wide-ranging service on the BBC’s hugely popular website.

Online, we can look forward to live video streaming of all on-track action, leaderboards, live text commentary and various interactive options. Extra coverage will include an ‘F1 mole’ diary-type blog and features with commentary legend Murray Walker, who is returning to his spiritual home this year to bolster the BBC’s line-up.

And if you miss a weekend’s action, the BBC’s popular iPlayer option will allow you to catch up for seven days after the race.

Wilkin explained that the BBC must “de-mystify F1” for its mass audience, but with so much coverage on offer the die-hard fans who read magazines such as Motor Sport should also be satisfied.

The broadcasting team, who all attended the press conference, has been known for months now. But here’s a rundown once again: the main commentators will be Jonathan Legard and Martin Brundle, news from the pit and paddock will come from Lee McKenzie and Ted Kravitz, and anchorman Jake Humphrey will have the job of marshalling outspoken pundits David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan. Additionally, out-of-work driver Anthony Davidson will join David Croft in the 5 Live commentary box.

Oh yes, and they will be using Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain as the theme tune – and it won’t be re-mixed or ruined in any way!

But some of the biggest questions remain unanswered. For example, how will we be informed when the drivers are using their KERS power boost and trimming their wings each lap, new innovations in 2009 to improve the racing spectacle? Legard and Brundle admitted they’re asking themselves exactly the same questions.

Perhaps they’ll get their answer from the Formula One Teams Association, which has been discussing ways to make the sport more accessible. Expect details of how F1 could finally do itself a favour this year and open up to the fans in a FOTA press conference scheduled for March 5 in Geneva. It should be great news for all of us.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

All we seem to hear about, as we head into winter, is recession, downturn, crisis and imminent Armageddon. Come on, there must be some good news. Well, there is, and here it is.

Martin Brundle has joined the British Broadcasting Corporation’s team that will cover Grand Prix racing for the next five years. Alright, this is not exactly new news, but it is most certainly good news. Brundle is one of the many reasons for watching Grand Prix racing on the television.

And there’s more. The BBC team will also include David Coulthard, Eddie Jordan and… yes, good old Murray Walker. All three, in their very different ways, will bring insight, controversy and humour to the coverage next season. DC and EJ will be on board as expert observers while Muddly Talker will communicate with the audience via the worldwide web, answering questions and no doubt venting a few opinions.

There have long been whispers that Martin Brundle had become disillusioned with all the politics and shenanigans that infest the modern F1 paddock. Maybe he had, and certainly his relationship with the FIA has, on occasion, become a little frosty. But good sense has prevailed and the man who stepped from the cockpit into the commentary box will continue to entertain us with his no-nonsense approach to the business of motor racing on TV. Let’s hope he starts the new season in the pithiest possible form with all the humour, honesty and expertise that we know he can throw at us on a Sunday afternoon. We don’t yet know if there will be the right chemistry with race commentator Jonathan Legard but Brundle must be allowed the space to do his thing. His grid walks for the ITV coverage were a joy to watch – it is much more difficult than it looks to ‘door-step’ folk on the grid just minutes before the start of a race.

David Coulthard will, I believe, surprise many people with his broadcasting skills. His easy manner, quick wit and intelligence, not to mention his very recent experience in the car, will add a new dimension. As for EJ, well, the only surprise will come if he is not his usual self – that is over the top, controversial and straight down the line. And, if I’m not very much mistaken, the amazing Murray Walker will be well worth reading as he taps into the BBC F1 website. The man is so damn enthusiastic and energetic at a time of life when most of us might be lifting off just a little.

So, yes, you can probably tell that I like the look of the new team. I am qualified, I think, to pre-judge this new era, having spent 25 years of my life in the business of making TV programmes. ITV did a good job, brought some new ideas, and the advertising breaks allowed time to make a cup of tea, fetch a beer, or whatever. The BBC will have to work hard to bring a new dimension. Steve Rider, a consummate professional in front of camera, thinks the Beeb will do a very good job. He should know, having worked for the Corporation for many, many years.

And finally, as they say, let’s have more pits-to-car radio, more insight into those all-important tactics and more of that new helmet camera that we saw in Brazil this year. The trick, with sport on TV, is to take the viewers inside the fence, lead them right in there, amongst the noise, the brake dust, the muck and bullets. You can’t beat being there but it’s the next best thing.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine

My Editor has asked me to approach my weekly blog in a different way. He’s the Boss, so I will. He wants me to be more controversial, nothing too extreme you understand, but just a bit more opinionated, perhaps. Also, he would like me to keep it shorter. So here goes.

My background is in commercial television so I am at least a little qualified to have a view on the news that the BBC is to renew its association with Grand Prix racing from 2009. On first hearing the news – I was not in bed at the time like my friend Murray Walker – I was not so very surprised. Not because I thought ITV was doing a bad job but because I knew the BBC was keen to get its hands on a major international sport at a time when almost all other sport seems to be slipping from its grasp. I was aware too, that ITV was determined to capture as much top line football as it could afford in the knowledge that the big European games are very popular with both advertisers and viewers alike. So, the news that the BBC had done a deal with Mr Ecclestone and that ITV had beaten its rivals to the best of the European football pretty much confirmed the rumours that have been swirling around in recent months.

I look forward, as most people do, to watching a Grand Prix without the tiresome interruption of mortgage and mobile phone advertising. I am not, however, convinced that the BBC, as it is today, will do a better job of the actual race coverage than ITV is already doing. I say this because – apart from their irritating obsession with Lewis Hamilton – I think ITV has done a generally excellent job of televising Grand Prix racing to the general public. Of course the real racing aficionado will never be entirely happy because he or she probably knows as much about the sport as those who front the programmes. The coverage is not primarily created for us real, long-time enthusiasts – it is designed to appeal to a far wider audience and this, I believe, it has succeeded in doing.

I simply wonder if the mooted ‘Top Gear’ approach to Grand Prix racing will work. The Clarkson/May/Hammond take on life does work for ‘Top Gear’ and its loyal audience. But the complex business of GP racing requires, in my view, a more studied approach. We get this on ITV from both Martin Brundle in the commentary box and Ted Kravitz (above) in the pits. Martin knows his stuff and delivers it in pithy and humorous style while Kravitz gives us the facts and figures we need. When he doesn’t know something, he finds the answer. Commentators are always in the firing line and I know from experience just how hard this job can be. James Allen may not have the populist appeal of Murray Walker but that is not the point any more. He, like us, is an enthusiast and his partnership with Martin Brundle may well be a safer bet than the rather more tabloid approach of Messrs Clarkson and Hammond, should that come to pass. Call me contrary, but I also think Louise Goodman does a great job behind the scenes. Tell me when she last missed getting hold of a driver just retired from a race.

I prefer Steve Rider on my football coverage but whatever he does in front of a camera, he’s totally professional. If I had to knock the ITV F1 show, I would only ask for less news on Hamilton and more news about the other 21 cars and drivers. Yes, I know Lewis is a remarkable new discovery – and a refreshingly raunchy racer – but even Manchester United is so much more than Cristiano Ronaldo.

But it’s a done deal, a deal that Mr Ecclestone finds to his liking. Let’s just hope the BBC brings something really special to the party apart from the largely unwanted “added value” of podcasts, mobile phone updates and Internet streaming. Most of us watch on telly. And I do know that throwing the ‘Top Gear’ format at Grand Prix motor racing will not be the answer.

Motor Sport Magazine - The original motor racing magazine