"Garry" - voice from the pits on BBC

[ljakse]

Can someone please tell me who is this guy Garry who is "reporting" from the pits for BBC??
I've never seen him on the screen, and it doesn't matter, but I'm wondering if some of the teams will hire him pure on his prediction/tactical abilities.

I mean, he is amazingly good at predicting things, and this weekend he was right at it again. For qualifying, his predicitions of times needed to go to next round are usually acurate within a tenth of a second (??!!), and during the race, his observations are just as acurate, and he doesn't have any telemetry data in front of him!

I'm simply amazed.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Gary Anderson, ex-designer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_An...8motorsport%29

Selby

[Knowlesy]

The man is fantastic at what he does.

[ECW Dan Selby]

I struggled with the accent at first, but he's fantastic. Love hearing his stuff!

Seems alot more composed than Ted.

Selby

[Knowlesy]

Ted is the media studies goon that struck gold.

In fairness he has improved but then so did James Allen.

[Peter Mallett]

I think he had trouble with the sound system initially. They seem to have that cured and yes, he is very good at what he does.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Ted is the media studies goon that struck gold.

In fairness he has improved but then so did James Allen.

Definitely! I like Ted, don't get me wrong. He's improved so, so much.

But you've got the genuine experience based knowledge from Anderson that'll always be difficult to compete with.

Selby

[nicanary]

As an Englishman living in Norn Irn (as pronounced here), I can vouch for the fact that all Ulstermen sound as if they've had 25 Bushmills and a bottle of Paracodol. You get used to it.

[Peat]

I feel sorry for Gary when he is 'forced' to shove a microphone in his peers' faces after the races. Demeaning to him and them.

[Peter Mallett]

Surely no different to DC or Brundle et al?

[bella]

everyone understands why he does it. it's an awkward thing to learn to do if you're not a natural media type with questions at your fingertips. i think people underestimate the difficulty of live and unscripted interviews.

[ljakse]

Originally Posted by bella

everyone understands why he does it. it's an awkward thing to learn to do if you're not a natural media type with questions at your fingertips. i think people underestimate the difficulty of live and unscripted interviews.

There was a funny whatever-you-call-it with Jenson and Lewis being 'reporter' and 'director' respectively, on BBC before the race, and it proved just that.

Back to Gary - OK, I understand he has experience and knowledge, but he seems to be better at prediciting things than many people that actualy work in the teams, and they, besides experience and knowledge, have all the live data at all times...
Maybe that's what's confusing them

[Paradise City]

That he gets stuck in with the interviews with the rest of the team is part of the charm of the BBC approach, IMO. And of course there's the pen and pad while all the Sky guys are fiddling around with their glossy gizmos. What's not to like?

[steve_r]

The man is amazing. His Q2 and Q1 qualifying time predictions were spot on, which were very impressive - why has no-one ever thought of predicting the times required before?

It's the one good thing to have come out of sky coming in - they have taken Ted K off the BBC's hands and the BBC have gone and replaced him with a genius with a proper technical understanding of the whole show.

[bravo]

It looks like it's easier, and more successful to teach an ex-designer some media skills, than it is to teach a journalist the intricacies of F1 racing.

The info on expected 'safe' times was spot on. When drivers posted times outside that Gary suggested, I thought "he's going to drop", and he did!

[fourWheelDrift]

Originally Posted by steve_r

The man is amazing. His Q2 and Q1 qualifying time predictions were spot on, which were very impressive - why has no-one ever thought of predicting the times required before?

Agreed, and he also designed the best looking F1 car since they grew wings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_191.

[wheelsportaddict]

Gary Anderson has been a superb addition to the BBC team and a far better member of the team than TK. His technical knowledge really gives him an advantage when he explains stuff to the commentary team.

I think that helps with his predictions as well. Another point I would make is that GA is known by many members of the pit lane and maybe some team members are willing to tell him a little bit more than TK would be able to.

[ljakse]

Originally Posted by steve_r

The man is amazing. His Q2 and Q1 qualifying time predictions were spot on, which were very impressive - why has no-one ever thought of predicting the times required before?

And this was at least second time - he did it last time too (I'm not sure what was the last race I watched on BBC), and that is what actually made me taking notice of his predictions, and I was truly amazed when he got them right again...

[Flavio Galtieri]

Originally Posted by wheelsportaddict

Gary Anderson has been a superb addition to the BBC team and a far better member of the team than TK. His technical knowledge really gives him an advantage when he explains stuff to the commentary team.

I think that helps with his predictions as well. Another point I would make is that GA is known by many members of the pit lane and maybe some team members are willing to tell him a little bit more than TK would be able to.

He really has made a difference in my opinion. His technical insight is unmatched anywhere else on motor sport TV and I find his approach eloquent and refreshing, he really does know his subject.

Add to him Coulthard, multiple GP winner only a few years ago, Jordan, a GP winning team owner, and the SKY team really do look like the "B" team to me.

But that's a different thread.....opps

[miatanut]

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

Agreed, and he also designed the best looking F1 car since they grew wings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_191.

Exactly how I've described that car to people!

It's true.

[TWRv12]

Lucky that he escaped from Sultana

[TrapezeArtist]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Ted is the media studies goon that struck gold.

In fairness he has improved but then so did James Allen.

I love GA's stuff, especially when his notepad and felt-tip pen run rings around the Sky CGI. This is a man who walks the walk, even if I can't always understand the talk (but that's part of the charm too: he is so non-meeja).

[petecossie]

Think GA is one of the best things to come out of BBC/Sky deal. Since I don't have Sky, I've only managed to watch one race so far on some else's TV. Still prefer BBC, especially with GA's very insightful comments. Thing is because he has been in the F1 business for so long his knowledge is so vast on the intricacies of the car's workings, when he makes a comment it is all coming naturally he does have to think about it. Mind being of the older generation like myself, he still needs to have his pad and pen, which is a nice touch. It's just like me at work!!
No disprect to Ted, his background was media, it is just so refreshing to have someone in the pits that really knows what he is talking about.

[BSchneiderFan]

I agree with all the positive feedback about Gary Anderson. He's knowledgeable, experienced and bull****-free. Plus, my other half, who's from County Down, loves his "country accent". At Monaco, particularly, I liked: "Gary, how wet is it where you are?" GA: "Wet enough." Apparently anyone from Norn Irn would know exactly what he meant.

[Peat]

Just got around to watching the BBC Forum. Have to say, he's a bit of a star, isn't he. No need for fancy visual gimmicks to explain what he needs to. Very impressed.