James Allen (Formula One commentator)
Encyclopedia
James Allen is a British
commentator who worked on ITV
's Formula One
coverage until it ceased at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
. Formerly a pupil at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
, and student of English and Modern Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
. Allen is currently the F1 track reporter for Australian networks Ten and One HD.
motor sports council.
career with the Brabham team in and in worked with future TV colleagues Mark Blundell
and Martin Brundle
. He was news editor at Autosport
magazine from 1992 to 1994 and in parallel worked as F1 pit lane reporter for American network ESPN
from to .
's move to IndyCar
in 1993, Allen was hired by ITV
in 1994 to help present coverage of the season. When ITV
gained the rights to broadcast the Formula One championship in , he joined the team as pit lane reporter.
With Murray Walker
unable to commentate at the 2000 French Grand Prix
, Allen took over as one of the main commentators alongside Martin Brundle
. Murray wound down his career the next year, missing five races, all of which Allen covered. ITV had considered trying a number of guest commentators to decide who would be best suited to replace Murray, but instead opted to keep Allen on board full-time. He took over permanently after the 2001 United States Grand Prix
and commentated on every subsequent Grand Prix while the sport was broadcast on ITV. The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
was Allen's 100th as a commentator. Allen currently writes a "James Allen's Analysis" for the ITV website.
. He has also written two books on Michael Schumacher: Quest for Redemption (also published as Driven to Extremes) and The Edge of Greatness.
He has been the F1 correspondent of the Financial Times
newspaper since 1999.
He has recently worked closely with F1 photographer Darren Heath
.
and has been asked to do so regularly according to his blog; as it has been seen to be inappropriate for Peter Windsor
(who usually is in this role) to carry on asking questions as he is to head USF1 next year (2010), with there being a need for the press conference to remain impartial.
, Allen picked up the Autosport
award for best moment of the year which recognised the pair's commentary in the closing moments of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
. The Brazil coverage also won a third consecutive BAFTA award for ITV.
. He has two sons, Enzo and Emerson. Emerson is named after double Formula One world champion and Indycar champion Emerson Fittipaldi
. He is also fluent in Italian and a massive fan of Ferrari.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
commentator who worked on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
coverage until it ceased at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on November 2, 2008, at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos, in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the 18th and final race of the 2008 Formula One season. The race, contested over 71 laps, was won by Ferrari driver Felipe Massa...
. Formerly a pupil at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside....
, and student of English and Modern Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. Allen is currently the F1 track reporter for Australian networks Ten and One HD.
Overview
Allen has worked in Formula One since 1990. His father Bill raced for Lotus at Le Mans in the early 1960s and was in the sport's administration, on the RACRoyal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
motor sports council.
Early career
Allen started his F1Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
career with the Brabham team in and in worked with future TV colleagues Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell
Mark Blundell is a Formula One, sports car, and CART racing driver. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC....
and Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
. He was news editor at Autosport
Autosport
Autosport is a weekly magazine covering motorsport, published in the United Kingdom every Thursday by Haymarket Consumer Media. It was first published on 25 August 1950 by Gregor Grant, immediately prior to the Silverstone International Trophy meeting of that year...
magazine from 1992 to 1994 and in parallel worked as F1 pit lane reporter for American network ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
from to .
ITV
With Nigel MansellNigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
's move to IndyCar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
in 1993, Allen was hired by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 1994 to help present coverage of the season. When ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
gained the rights to broadcast the Formula One championship in , he joined the team as pit lane reporter.
With Murray Walker
Murray Walker
Graeme Murray Walker, OBE is a former Formula One motorsport commentator...
unable to commentate at the 2000 French Grand Prix
2000 French Grand Prix
The 2000 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Magny-Cours on 2 July 2000. It was the ninth round of the 2000 Formula One season.- Report :...
, Allen took over as one of the main commentators alongside Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
. Murray wound down his career the next year, missing five races, all of which Allen covered. ITV had considered trying a number of guest commentators to decide who would be best suited to replace Murray, but instead opted to keep Allen on board full-time. He took over permanently after the 2001 United States Grand Prix
2001 United States Grand Prix
The 2001 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 30, 2001 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. This was the first international sport/race event held in USA after the September 11, 2001 attacks.__FORCETOC__...
and commentated on every subsequent Grand Prix while the sport was broadcast on ITV. The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
2007 Canadian Grand Prix
The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 June 2007, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. It was the sixth race of the 2007 Formula One season...
was Allen's 100th as a commentator. Allen currently writes a "James Allen's Analysis" for the ITV website.
Writing
Allen has written three books, the first of which was his ghost-written autobiography of Nigel MansellNigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
. He has also written two books on Michael Schumacher: Quest for Redemption (also published as Driven to Extremes) and The Edge of Greatness.
He has been the F1 correspondent of the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
newspaper since 1999.
He has recently worked closely with F1 photographer Darren Heath
Darren Heath
Darren Heath is a motorsport photographer specialising in Formula One motor racing, and is principal photographer for F1 Racing magazine....
.
Formula One Management
He was the Formula One Management World Feed interviewer for post-qualifying and post-race at the 2009 British Grand Prix2009 British Grand Prix
The 2009 Santander British Grand Prix was the eighth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on 21 June 2009 at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England. This was scheduled to be the last British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, before the event moved to Donington Park for the...
and has been asked to do so regularly according to his blog; as it has been seen to be inappropriate for Peter Windsor
Peter Windsor
Peter David Windsor is the former Sporting Director of the US F1 Team and a Formula One journalist reporter. He was brought up in Australia, but now has residences in London and Sydney....
(who usually is in this role) to carry on asking questions as he is to head USF1 next year (2010), with there being a need for the press conference to remain impartial.
Awards
Along with former co-commentator Martin BrundleMartin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
, Allen picked up the Autosport
Autosport
Autosport is a weekly magazine covering motorsport, published in the United Kingdom every Thursday by Haymarket Consumer Media. It was first published on 25 August 1950 by Gregor Grant, immediately prior to the Silverstone International Trophy meeting of that year...
award for best moment of the year which recognised the pair's commentary in the closing moments of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
2008 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on November 2, 2008, at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos, in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the 18th and final race of the 2008 Formula One season. The race, contested over 71 laps, was won by Ferrari driver Felipe Massa...
. The Brazil coverage also won a third consecutive BAFTA award for ITV.
Personal life
Allen is married to Pip and lives in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He has two sons, Enzo and Emerson. Emerson is named after double Formula One world champion and Indycar champion Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
. He is also fluent in Italian and a massive fan of Ferrari.
External links
- Official Website
- James Allen biography at itv.comItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...