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After weeks of criticism over Formula 1’s television coverage, Dean Locke, the man behind the global feed, finally spoke out. Fans complained about missed overtakes, sudden celebrity shots, and confusing camera switches. Locke defended his choices but admitted that some situations “are more complex than they look.” How much power does the broadcast director really have, and what can actually be improved?
The hierarchy behind the screen
Few fans realise how tightly controlled F1’s broadcast structure is. From the television compound at each circuit, Locke and his team of more than thirty people run the World Feed—the signal used by every global broadcaster. They decide which cameras go live, when replays are shown, and when to cut to team radios or graphics.
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Still, the director is not fully autonomous. Each weekend, Formula One Management (FOM) issues guidelines on which battles should get priority. “Action remains the key,” Locke told Motorsport Broadcasting. “But there’s only one pair of eyes and fifty possible angles.”
That means when several duels unfold at once—as in Brazil’s Sprint—some inevitably stay off-screen.
The criticism: missed battles and celebrity cuts
The coverage drew the heaviest criticism after the races in Mexico and Brazil. Fans argued that key moments, including Verstappen’s overtakes and the Norris-Piastri fight, were cut away to celebrity shots or pit-wall reactions.
Locke denied that FOM enforces any “celebrity agenda.” “We’re told to show the sport, not the VIPs,” he said. Yet he admitted that balancing sport and entertainment remains difficult. “Sometimes you need context; the challenge is keeping the right rhythm, especially live.”
Dutch viewers also noticed that some Verstappen radio messages aired with a delay. That is because the feed receives all team radios separately and filters them by relevance and language. The timing choice rests with FOM, not the national broadcasters.
What can realistically change
Insiders confirm there is room for modernization, especially during Sprint weekends. With multiple short sessions, simultaneous on-track action overwhelms even the best director.
Locke and FOM are testing AI-assisted highlights, using software to predict where an overtake might occur based on speed deltas and sector data. Cameras could then anticipate, not react.
Another improvement in development is better integration between radio feeds and live timing, helping commentators worldwide add context faster. “Every second saved in the control room,” said one technician, “is a moment the audience gets to see instead of miss.”
What viewers will notice
For fans, particularly in the Netherlands, these upgrades could mean fewer missed battles and more consistent coverage of Verstappen and McLaren without losing the human side of the show. Locke said he understands that expectation. “Max is often at the centre of the action. We know millions want to follow him closely. We try to deliver that as best we can.”
Whether that will silence the critics remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the way Formula 1 tells its story is evolving almost as fast as the cars themselves.
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