My opinion - for what it's worth ...
1. We should all be very grateful that Legard is gone. He never really had the authority to make it work as the lead commentator, especially sitting next to Brundle who not only showed-up the weaknesses in Legard’s ability to ask the right questions and to ‘read’ the race, but also obviously did not have any warmth towards. Painful to listern to sometimes. On one level you want is to at least have the impression as a viewer that you are listening to two mates enjoying watching the race TOGETHER as much as you are. Great example of this is Cox and Parrish on MotoGP.
2. I am pleased that Martin B is sticking around, love the grid walks (even when is goes a bit wrong) and I like the way he has mellowed in his tone and style. He will have to up to tempo quite a bit to lead and create room for DC to do what we has doing.
3. As for DC, hmmmmm. He has got the credibility in terms of paddock experience and is a good foil to that loveable numpty Eddie Jordan, but I can’t see him holding up for 2 hours in the booth. He had a terrible habit of doing the ‘Catchphase’ TV show thing of just ‘say what you see’ which is no use at all. Oh well, done deal. Lets wait and see. The mates factor I alluded to might just win the day.
By the way … I have most of the races from the last 20 years on DVD and I listen to them frequently (like the radio in the background) while I am doing other things on the PC (like making stuff for GP3). By far and away the most pleasant to listen to are Walker and Hunt, happy childhood memoires and just the right blend of fireworks and chocolate toned public school.
In response to Murrays Mistakes … it’s a bit of a myth really (bar proper Murrayisums). Quite rarely did he make out and out mistakes, more often than not he would make enthusiastic predictions that were wrong or have slips of the tongue form going at it so fast, like saying Nigel Senna or whatever (not a real example!). Actual mix-ups have to be view in the light of the conditions Murrray commentated in. If at the circuit, in a cramped booth with no aircon, not always a very good view of the track and often using a tiny black and white TV to monitor to see the rest of the circuit. Often MW wasn't even in the right country and the commentary was added to the pictures in London on the Sunday night.
Finally … don’t get me started on Mark Blundell. I have to fast forward most of the race build-up for 2007 races because of his dippy comments and continuous repetition of the cliché of the day ‘spa weather is predictably unpredictable etc’. But pet hate, I hope this doesn’t make me a snob, is Mark’s use of the word ‘done’ when he means ‘did’ or ‘had’ – I am from the same place as ‘im and I can talk more proper! The boy Blundell done well baaaad.