As others have mentioned, this review of the 2004 Formula One season provides more in-depth coverage than its 2003 predecessor. The 2003 review runs 145 minutes whereas this version is 194 minutes long, allowing time for fairly comprehensive coverage of each race, reviews some of the controversies (Jenson Button's attempt to jump ship from BAR to Williams) and looks at the new venues at Bahrain and Shanghai. The crystal clear footage provided by DVD surpasses even that of the original broadcast footage I saw on cable TV. There is more in-car footage than has been included in past DVD's, including Jenson Button's complete qualifying lap to take pole position at Imola. That footage is terrific-- in fact my major and continuing criticism of these year end reviews is that more of this dramatic in car footage should be included. Nothing conveys the speed, handling, and yes, car to car racing that takes place in F1 better than seeing it from the driver's perspective. My wish is to someday have in-car footage of either the complete pole winning lap or a complete race lap from each circuit included. Still, the coverage is in depth and well done.
A smaller quibble is that, in such a tightly-controlled sphere of influence as Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One fiefdom, any official review will present the sport only in its best light and offer, at best, muted criticism of of its subject. This is most apparent in coverage of the US Grand Prix where there is no mention at all that the controversial decision to repeatedly parade cars through shards of carbon fiber behind the safety car, rather than sufficiently clean the track of post-accident debris, likely led to the accidents of Fernando Alonso and Ralf Schumacher. Likewise, the scandalously slow response of medical crews to Ralf's serious accident is not mentioned at all. Instead, all that we are offered is the rosy commentary "Ralf receives the undivided attention of the medical team!"
This review is comprehensive, with excellent video and sound from each race as well as a good amount (but not enough) of in car footage. I recommend this to any F1 fan.
CORRECTION: It turns out my review is mistaken on a major point! What I thought at first was simply a chapter listing turns out to be an additional feature that does not appear when simply playing this disc all the way through. When you go to the "Event by event" menu listing, not "Play All," the listing "Pole!" shows you the pole winning lap at each course! This is great-- just what I've wanted to see. I'm not sure why they didn't make this great feature more obvious. Or, maybe I'm just extremely slow. BUT, I take back my prior comments. It's great to see the in-car camera view of a complete lap of each course, driven in anger, with DVD clarity. Also, at the innaugural China GP, there is a race lap with Michael Schumacher that starts with him spinning out, then trying to rejoin, with graphics depicting braking, throttle, gear selection, and rpms. More in the future please!
