ITV4 has been covering the Isle of Man TT for a good few years now, and a grand old job it’s done. Indeed, I said the channel deserved a medal in 2009. But little has changed since then, so it’s about time for some mild criticism.

Time for more timing

The coverage has always done – and continues to do – a fantastic job of conveying the madness of racing motorbikes around the island’s roads at frightening speeds, averaging up to 130mph or so. But it’s never really got to grips with how to tell the story of the races.

With the TT races being time trials, and riders setting off individually at intervals, it’s tough to convey who’s fighting who for position on adjusted time. But rallying manages, doesn’t it?

We just need more timing data on screen. All we get at the moment is a frustratingly brief look at the top six at the end of each lap, and very occasional split times. It’s got to the point now that it’s even hobbling the commentators, who at times can’t even say who’s leading the race due to a lack of data.

It might be more fundamental than that, though: the highlights need to be built a little more around the race, rather than showing off fancy camera work. That way more timing data should almost come naturally.

Not that I want less fancy camera work, just for it to be used a bit more as a means to tell the story of the race, and not as an end in itself.

Less slow motion, more on-board

After all, the stunning footage is what makes the coverage so enjoyable.

It was the first place I remember seeing high motion cameras being used to produce the astonishing slow motion shots that we now see in a lot of motorsport coverage. I wouldn’t want to lose those great slow motion shots, but it’s no longer special enough to virtually build the coverage around.

What is special about the TT is riders speeding past walls and hedges at staggeringly close proximity. On-board cameras convey that better than anything, so that’s I’d like to see more of. The technology is getting better and smaller too, so there are loads of options – gyro cams, helmet cams, and more places on the bike to put cameras.

What has improved

I don’t want to be negative though. There have been improvements over the years: what was initially a curious commentary combination in Steve Parrish and James Whitham, for example, is now completely natural.

And this year’s coverage is still essential viewing. It’s just that it could be even better.

Photo Credit
Automotive Rhythms – Flickr – Some rights reserved