Source:REUTERS/FAZRY ISMAIL
[Saba Sports News] Recently, Williams driver Carlos Sainz criticized FOM’s camera allocation during the Singapore Grand Prix, stating that the television broadcast exaggerated its focus on celebrities and drivers’ partners at the expense of key on-track action. Lately, many fans and commentators have complained on social media that FOM missed several intense on-track battles during the broadcast, frequently cutting instead to shots of drivers’ girlfriends or celebrity guests. During the recent Singapore Grand Prix, the late-race battle between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso was not fully shown, and several of Sainz’s own pursuits and overtakes were also absent from the broadcast, sparking discussion. After the race, Sainz told media that while showing reactions from friends and family can add an emotional element to the broadcast, FOM has perhaps gone overboard in this regard: “It seems to have become a trend. Maybe in the past they found that viewers liked seeing our girlfriends, celebrities’ reactions on camera, and things like that, so they continued with it. I understand if it makes sense during an intense overtake or a tense moment – the production team sees that this method works and continues using it.” However, Sainz emphasized that the entertainment value of the race should not come at the cost of the core competition.