The 2001 review video is exceptionally bad, especially given that the 2001 DVD review (which is very hard to find) is pretty good, and they both have the same material to work from.
The video has the same flaws that many others from this era have: the commentary is faintly ridiculous and there is to be too much time given over to ‘interest’ material about where the races are held.
On occasions, you feel like you’re watching the travel shopping channel.
The editing is obtrusive and amateurish. Heavy-handed use of incidental music compromises the quality of the production, and major incidents (like the Jacques Villeneuve-Ralf Schumacher crash in Melbourne) is spliced with endless before-and-after shots.
I doubt an accident that killed a driver, rather than ‘just’ a marshall, would be treated quite so frivolously.
For a contemporary review, this is insultingly bad. There weren’t even that many good races.
In its defence, there is some good footage of the battles further down the field as well as the action at the front.
Best bit: Juan Pablo Montoya’s move on Michael Schumacher at Interlagos – a star is born.
F1 Fanatic verdict
Reviews
- “Benetton: Rebels of Formula 1” book reviewed
- “EA WRC” – Codemasters’ first official World Rally Championship game reviewed
- ‘Charles Leclerc’ and ‘Lando Norris’ biographies reviewed
- “Tyrrell: The story of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation” reviewed
- “F1 Manager 23” reviewed – A successful upgrade package?
- ‘F1 23’ reviewed: Do new additions and return of story mode make it a must-buy?
- The F1 22 flaws EA Sports need to fix to make F1 23 a must-buy
- “Surviving to Drive” by Guenther Steiner reviewed
- “Formula 1 Technology – The Engineering Explained” book reviewed
- “Ferrari: 1960-65 – The Hallowed Years” book reviewed
Bob Richards
16th January 2014, 19:02
I’m currently watching this video, for only the second time and the first time in about 12 years. Half an hour in – and still only on race two – it feels like I’ve been watching for half my life, and I can only add my support to the review above.
The coverage of the accident in Australia is frankly disgusting. A lingering build-up with dramatic music to emphasize the seriousness of the crash could perhaps have been excused if the video were to omit the accident itself, but after the build-up we are shown the carnage in its full “glory” – I say “glory”, because the coverage seems to positively revel in the incident, with shots of the ambulance driving slowly away afterwards adding further insult.
Pat
3rd February 2018, 19:08
Are you serious? The 2001 season review is by far the best one I’ve seen. It’s one of the very few reviews that really tells the story of the season – unlike the reviews after 2004.