Formula One Season Review 2008 [DVD]

F1 reviews have gradually got better and better each year after trying to cram everything into two hours. This is the longest review yet just short of 4 hours and spread over 2 discs and its definately needed and deserved.

Each race has about 10 minutes given to it, a driver takes you around their qualifying lap and there's some short montages and five extra features such as a look around Force India, interviews with Ross Brawn and Sebastien Bourdais.

Its narrated once again by Ben Edwards who does his usual excellent job and for once its nice to have a non Lewis worshipping DVD. Ben always stays neutral which is the best way to be.

One of the best review DVDs.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the 2008 season with Lewis Hamilton just managing to clinch the title in the dying minutes of the very last race. It was a dramatic year for Formula One and I feel this DVD season review does it justice.

The main feature begins with a quick look back at the season before and gives you a nice set-up for the beginning of the review. Each race begins with a quick display of what race it is, the layout of the track and other details of the circuit. Then we have a quick description of any events that happened between races, qualifying report and then a driver takes you through one of their qualifying laps.

This is one of the shortcomings of the DVD, the commentary for their qualifying laps can be good and insightful when done by some drivers (especially when you aren't familiar with the track), but others aren't as interesting. Kimi Raikkonen's narration for instance is more about him discussing whether or not he felt he did well or could have done better (although, knowing Kimi's personality, you can't expect anything more haha) and with lots of silences it can make for awkward viewing. The same can be said for other drivers.

When it comes to the races, they show all of the significant events that happen whilst giving us updates on not only the front runners, but also some of the battles in the middle of the pack. They keep the suspense running for the fight for first place between Hamilton, Massa and Raikkonen. They show an un-bias view throughout most of the review and the narration is pretty much equal.
Over the space of the main review they document Sebastian Vettel's progress over the season, what turned out to be David Coultard's last year in F1 and other headlines.

Another unfortunate gripe with the review is that where they try hard to show all of the team's progress, I feel they don't show enough of the mid-pack and back of the pack drivers. I would have liked to have had an extensive look at the driver's and team's effort but I suppose they do their best to show enough, without being boring.

In some areas it could improve but all in all, it is a good season review and I am happy with what it finally achieves.

As with the other recent volumes, this disk gives you the chance to watch the entire review, or to select a specific race. The review starts with a rundown of the 2008 regulations (no traction control, etc) and driver/team line ups and explainins how close the 2007 season driver championship was - but that was nothing compared to the 2008 season...

For each track we get to see a qualifying lap by one of the drivers, and the driver talks us through how they tackled the lap and points out how the corners need to be taken. It's an interesting way of seeing the unique `character' of the track - it's just a shame that some of the drivers don't have as much of that `character'! Nico Rosberg is great explaining how he drove the Monte Carlo Circuit - but Kimi Räikkönen is devoid of any personality when he speaks.

BMW made a terrific start to the season and Williams showed some promise too, the McLarens and Ferraris were fast but they had a few issues to shake off before they fully dominated. This DVD details how the driver's and constructor's championships developed over the season, and with so many teams finding themselves on the podium the year made for very interesting viewing.

As is always the case with F1, there were a few impressive crashes and those are given good coverage on the DVD with slow motion footage often used to show the carnage in its full glory. Notable events in 2008 include a flying Toyota, Lewis Hamilton crashing in the pits, and Kubica impressing on the track. The season led up to an incredible showdown which is without doubt one of the most thrilling conclusions to a sporting season ever! I still have it recorded at home and watch the last ten laps, never has rain created so much tension!

In a nutshell: This is a brilliant review around four hours in length over two disks, the pace of the review dips in places and spoils the tension when some of the qualifying laps come across as a little dull - perhaps those would have been better as extras, but this is a very comprehensive review of the year.