A Hollywood composer has confirmed he is working on a new theme tune commissioned by Formula One.
Brian Tyler, whose film music credits include the Avengers: Age of Ultron and instalments of the Fast and Furious franchise, revealed on Twitter he has been “chosen to compose the Formula 1 theme”.
“This is a life long dream come true as I am a massive Formula 1 fan,” he added.
A Formula One Management spokesperson to RaceFans they are developing new music to enhance the presentation of the sport.
“Within the context of looking at ways to bring fans closer to Formula 1, we are exploring all avenues to refresh the look and feel of the show,” they said. “Music is a key component of the emotion of sport and we are engaging with top international talent in order to develop a new signature tune for F1.”
“This is a process in development and we will make a formal announcement at the right time.”
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Philip (@philipgb)
3rd March 2018, 19:04
I don’t like the new logo, but it does nothing to detract from the experience of an F1 weekend. But this is the worst idea to hit F1 yet. The Chain is so iconically F1 I can’t believe they’re entertaining any ideas about a new sound track.
Hearing those opening notes gives me goosebumps and puts me in just the right nervous/excited mood ready for a weekend of F1.
I can only hope that everyone feels like I do about this and there’s enough backlash for them to put this stupid idea to bed.
Dan Rooke (@geekzilla9000)
3rd March 2018, 19:09
I don’t think it replaces The Chain, I may be wrong but…
I think they mean the music played when the F1 logo appears. I’m sure The Chain is the music used by UK TV programmes because the music is so synonymous with the sport, I don’t think it’s the official F1 music.
As I say, I may well be wrong, and I’m happy to be proven wrong on this, I’m no expert on the musical rights to F1!
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
3rd March 2018, 19:17
Yes some of us on the planet f1 forum have worked out that is isn’t replacing the start tune and replacing “Just Drive” or “The Chain”. I think it is the part when the pre race coverage hand over to the commentators just before the race when you see the f1 logo. So I think it is just this bit that they are replacing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BJx_ll01fU&feature=youtu.be
I just hope that when Channel 4 are not live any more in 2019 that Sky will start using “The Chain” as their start tune as it is way better than what they use. F1 will be broken without the chain connecting it together! Maybe Channel 4, or some other Channel will continue using it if they do a highlights deal in 2019. I hope some Channel on freeview will do this!
Brakius (@brakius)
3rd March 2018, 19:57
I hope you’re right. Was nobody paying attention when Indy Car decided to let Gene Simmons create their new music? I love racing, I love music, and I enjoy KISS, but that was absolutely horrendous.
SpaFrancorchamps (@spafrancorchamps)
4th March 2018, 10:30
I once watched an F1 race in Maranello. They played AC/DC Thunderstruck during formation lap on Sky Italia. Not sure if they do it every race, but it was really cool.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
4th March 2018, 20:39
@thegianthogweed “Just Drive” makes me want to gorge my ears out with a rusty spoon. “The Chain” is music for dinosaurs.
It’s about time they got someone under the age of 70 to put together the music for F1.
mrvco
4th March 2018, 21:13
I find Sky’s current intro dull and repetitive. Fast Forward Time!
anon
3rd March 2018, 19:59
@philipgb, they’re not talking about replacing whatever music piece that the broadcasters themselves choose as an intro piece, but are instead talking about a specific theme that, as Ben Rowe notes, would be specifically for the pre-race intermission before the broadcasters begin their work.
Equally, whilst you refer to “The Chain” as being “iconically F1”, that really only applies to viewers in the UK, and mainly those who grew up with the sport in the 1980’s and early 1990’s when the theme tune was used. For most people around the world, the music that might be iconic to them might be very different (for example, in Brazil I understand that there was a custom theme tune used by the local broadcasters in the 1980’s, when Senna was at the peak of his success, that would be considered far more iconic to the average Brazilian F1 fan than “The Chain”).
Joao (@johnmilk)
3rd March 2018, 20:21
Exactly, in Portugal for example we have the soothing voice of Tiago Monteiro when his weekends are free, otherwise we get Pedro Lamy.
fast
3rd March 2018, 20:04
corporate sinfulness knows no boundaries.
Spawinte (@spawinte)
3rd March 2018, 20:47
The Chain is only a UK thing as far as F1 goes.
I think this music is meant to accompany global FOM feed stuff like the short sting that marks the beginning of the race broadcast. You’ll probably also hear it as a backing track for pre race grid summaries, post race highlights and online content, youtube/facebook etc..
Sky will probably carry on with their own music and graphics so UK viewers won’t hear it much unless FOM insist that broadcasters use it.
KaIIe (@kaiie)
3rd March 2018, 19:54
I do hope he manages to produce something equally exciting as the old guitar thingy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgiBkydMW8k), and not something bland like the new-ish music that accompanies the podium celebrations.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
3rd March 2018, 22:21
@kaiie Something like he did with Slash? > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-n3wKKAtjM
discotheque (@discotheque)
4th March 2018, 8:48
If you mean that podium celebration piece of music while they are spraying the champagne – it is The March of The Toreadors from Bizet’s Carmen – written in 1874…so hardly new-ish and to my mind certainly not bland…
Lewisham Milton
3rd March 2018, 20:07
Oh boy.
This is the nois…sorry, music, that you’ll hear during the race (like Formula E), over the replays of the start that you see instead of laps 3 to 6, and throughout the highlights reel that they’ll play every 20 minutes. It’s the sound of your intelligence being insulted.
Josh (@canadianjosh)
3rd March 2018, 20:26
Please tell me this is not replacing the champagne theme song when they start celebrating.
Josh (@canadianjosh)
3rd March 2018, 20:29
Ok nvm, I’ve learned it’s not!
Imre (@f1mre)
3rd March 2018, 20:29
I really hope that they don’t change that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmuFOuh3QHs
Josh (@canadianjosh)
3rd March 2018, 21:36
Me aswell, since 07, with every regulation change to the car plus the new hybrid sound, oh and the horrible high degrade Pirelli tyre idea, plus the crap halo, that celebration song hasn’t changed except for Brazil, it’s a beautiful tune which doesn’t need changing.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
3rd March 2018, 22:49
@f1mre I put my headphone on and run both
[3D Binaural Audio] Formula 1 (F1) 2018 Testing at Circuit de Catalunya
and
Brian Tyler Conducts Thor: The Dark World (Live in London)
it was glorious!
Daniel Martinez (@danielito)
3rd March 2018, 23:53
I did it, it is exactly as you say, glorious!
B194 (@b194)
4th March 2018, 12:53
Perfect. I think the signature tune is complete.
F1 Alleycat (@f1alleycat)
19th March 2018, 23:47
@ruliemaulana Wow, that’s an epic combination! Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Nice one. 👍
John H (@john-h)
3rd March 2018, 22:05
I have to be honest, this worries me. F1 is not Hollywood. Hmmm… oh dear.
Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
3rd March 2018, 22:14
Agree. ‘Murican marketing muscle flexes its fluff cards.
Next up – Liberty introduces in-car Snapchat hookups. Most millennials don’t much care for racing – but can’t get enough celebrity snaps. WINNING!
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
3rd March 2018, 22:15
Never thought I’d said something nice about Liberty but this is a proper choice. They didn’t need an epic score movie like the music of John Williams or Hans Zimmer but they get Brian Tyler that known to create a good theme for action movies and games. I just hope he doesn’t do like Fast & Furious which I think a bit bland but more like Iron Man 3 one. I didn’t expect a classic album like Highlander but a full range theme like he did in Assassin’s Creed.
It’s good if F1 had one anthem for fans to connect. If F1 could create the same excitement when your favourite TV show starts its intro music and had nice beat when you go to the on-board mode in F1-TV it all would be great.
John H (@john-h)
4th March 2018, 19:45
“…nice beat when you go to the on-board mode”.
Please tell me you’re joking? There is no place for music during a race.
dragoll (@dragoll)
3rd March 2018, 22:25
As long as we steer clear of Michael Bay :D
JohnnyUK (@johnnyuk)
5th March 2018, 16:22
You mean you don’t want cheesy dialog, a 30 minute fight sequence and a huge explosion? That would be appealing to the American audience. ;)
Tristan
3rd March 2018, 23:47
Cool, doesn’t everyone always bring up their favourite periods old logo/sound pieces and how iconic that was for them growing up watching F1?
I’m surprised (although not) to see everyone here complaining about how it might be replacing that for them, while denying the current generation of hopefully new fans something to get excited and relate to with regards to F1 that they can remember loving in 20-30 years time for them.
Why is everyone so against new things? I’m excited to hear it :) Hope he comes up with something good.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
4th March 2018, 3:22
Very nice sentiment and comment 🖒
John H (@john-h)
4th March 2018, 19:46
Because it completely patronises young fans.
PK
4th March 2018, 0:24
This would be appropriate….
https://youtu.be/zjedLeVGcfE
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
4th March 2018, 3:52
Yes, they have to change the music. I fear I’ll either cringe or laugh when I see the new logo come swooping in with the old sound track. The old logo and sound track gave you a feeling of anticipating the drama ahead. I don’t understand why Liberty Media left it so late to try and sort this out, but they have.
Oconom
4th March 2018, 8:13
I have a vision of huge helicopters, with giant speakers mounted in the front, flying low over the starting grid short before the race, pumping out the new theme song, while in the back Charlie is smoking a huge cigar a n declaring: “I love the smell of rubber in the morning.”
Martijn (@)
4th March 2018, 12:35
Very cool for Brian Tyler, given he’s a fanboy..
Gary
4th March 2018, 14:03
How about bringing back the music of normally-aspirated V8-12 engines instead.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
4th March 2018, 16:23
FYI this isn’t just about the 5 minute sting/intro.
This is music that will be used on the OTT service as well as the world feed.
I don’t know if it’s still the case but I was told back in December that they planned to have music played on the world feed as cars are sitting on the grid & the lights come on (Like Formula E) & that they also plan to have music used during replays (Again Like Formula E).
There are also plans to play highlights packages on the world feed while the race is going on similar to what you see in the WEC. In WEC they tend to be after every hour, I gather Liberty are looking at playing them in at 30/60 minutes with the potential at 90 minutes depending on race length for F1.
https://youtu.be/CkryUxPZr80?t=1h35m31s
DavidDesu
4th March 2018, 17:09
I just really hope this isn’t made to appeal to the American audience and just be some lame rock music. Hopefully it’s something cool to go with the new logo that I’ve really grown to love. I’m definitely curious to see what they do.
I must admit though I’ve seen their YouTube pre season testing videos and the fonts they’ve picked for driver names and times just looks a bit crap. Trying to hard to look futuristic and not overly readable. I wonder what their on screen graphics will be like. I really hope it’s functional and clean.
GT Racer (@gt-racer)
4th March 2018, 23:22
The font used in all the youtube/social media video’s is the same that will be used across all tv graphics.
They have actually also already shown the new TV graphics on the social media videos.
https://twitter.com/F1/status/969901023459344386
https://twitter.com/F1/status/969630768866586624
You also get a look at the new positions tower & lap counter in some of the stuff advertising the streaming service.
https://www.racefans.net/2018/02/27/formula-one-launches-f1-tv-streaming-service/
The graphics set will be broadly similar to what everyone is used to but I gather some of them will be simplified in order to appeal to new/more casual viewers with more of the on-screen descriptions of various aspects of them that were introduced last year.
I was told in December that practically all of the broadcasters raised concerns about the new font & certainly feedback on social media from fans has been negative about the style…. However the people Liberty have brought in believe the font styling will look ‘cool & futuristic’ to younger viewers which is who there going for so they have stuck with it.
The one thing i’ve been told over & over from a lot of different people is that the overall style & presentation of the TV broadcast’s this year is going to be extremely divisive in the same way the new logo is & more than a few who have told me this aren’t sure it’s going to be a good thing overall.
Sonics (@sonicslv)
5th March 2018, 3:56
@gt-racer I’m not sure what’s so bad from the new font tbh. It’s different for sure but as long as it’s easily readable without needing to take your focus out of the action I don’t mind at all. I’m not sure if it still easily readable on SDTV (lots of people around the world don’t get HDTV feed yet), but I try to look at it from my monitor in a distance from resized 480p-ish image size and I think it will be fine. Of course I’d like to hear if there’s a valid complain for why the new style is bad. Maybe from people who have problem with their sight instead of just hating the style?
Secondly, if this move is aimed to get new young viewers into the sport, this is a much better change than giant rotating DJ table on the podium or *gasp* FanBoost.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
5th March 2018, 12:47
@sonicslv When the new font is all in upper case I think it’s fine, However for some reason I find it difficult to read in lower case, The a’s especially.
Here for instance, I can read Max’s name fine but the Red Bull Racing underneath that is in lower case I find harder, Again especially the a.
https://twitter.com/F1/status/969901023459344386
Sonics (@sonicslv)
5th March 2018, 14:10
@stefmeister I can see that. I, myself found the lowercase ‘a’ and upper-case ‘M’ as the most awkward letter, but I think we’ll getting used to it before European rounds. Thankfully during the race usually we only need 3 capital letter of drivers name and numbers, and race control is broadcasted with capital letters.
Sergio B. Perez (@sergio-perez)
5th March 2018, 8:46
@gt-racer thanks for the great info in the world of Formula 1 broadcast. Love to read your posts.
I enjoyed the brief 10 second jingle with the old F1 logo that always preceded the “lets get serious” start of the broadcast in Formula 1.
Its very, very difficult to create something memorable without it being cheesy. Top film composers get paid the big bucks because of this. Hopefully he delivers.
Big fan of Hans Zimmer work on Rush. But the best Racing Soundtrack has for me to go to Antonio Pinto for his work on “Senna”. Brilliant. Emotional, subdued, yet, Epic. Its not that in your face, which is what F1 should be. It doesn’t need to “hard Sell”itself . Its an aspect I actually dislike of Formula E. The added “emotional techno” music just doesn’t work for me. I can understand the reasoning and the choice of the music genre, but it needed a proper composer that could understand the emotion and stakes of competitive high end motorsports, the human drama of sports, to compose it.
Antonio Pinto and Hans Zimmer got it right by being able to put in music the human emotion of Formula 1. Its this factor that will do or break this new soundtrack.
Here’s some great music from the Senna movie by Antonio Pinto:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAyjeRmDe3c&index=2&list=PL6FB1EDA6F0685D02
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MzQC43s01c&list=PL6FB1EDA6F0685D02&index=9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAhJwOx8FjY&index=8&list=PL6FB1EDA6F0685D02
And of Course Zimmer’s iconic 1976:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmjyiJp5q_s
mrfill
4th March 2018, 19:32
Well, if its anything like the FE music (much timpani with reverb, fuzz guitar with reverb, more timpani, more reverb, loud enough to drown out any speech) it’ll sound like every Discovery programme.
JohnnyUK (@johnnyuk)
5th March 2018, 9:56
I nearly choked on my coffee when after reading the headline I said to myself, “Expect it to sound like another bloody Avengers movie then.” And then I read the article. Oh dear.
stevostr
5th March 2018, 10:45
I personally loved the ITV coverage theme of 06/07 Lift me up by Moby… it just worked
paul1923 (@paul1923)
5th March 2018, 19:56
I like the new logo. But I have one problem with it.
Wouldn’t it be more “F1” if the line through the F followed a racing line? There should be an apex there! :)
Who drives in the centre of the road around a corner?