"Our rule is never to scold anyone": Popov and Fabrichnova about Formula 1, Russian pilots and working in a pandemic

- These days the channel celebrates its first anniversary.

What has changed for you in the five years since joining Match TV?

Alexey Popov:

Previously, we did not have starting grids in the form in which we make them on the channel now, we never had direct connections from the tracks.

We take this season out of the equation, even in Sochi there was no chance.

For me, this is additional and very hard work.

This is not just an improvisation, but also a report from the most hostile environment.

Around the wildest noise and incredible level of stress, your operator does not understand Russian, he needs to give prompts and, as a last resort, protect him from mechanics with carts.

After switching on, you need to push through and reach the commentator's booth, in the heat or in the rain, with a broken voice, because because of the outrageous noise you have to yell into the microphone.

It is very difficult, but it is very cool, for me the starting grid is a very serious addition to reporting.

Natalya Fabrichnova:

And I will note that our channels began to show "Formula-2", where three Russians perform.

It is a pity that right now we cannot be with them and communicate.

We are about to see them in Formula 1, and it would be possible to prepare the viewer for the new names.

But the fact that we are showing the races themselves is already great.

- Can you name the directions in the channel's work where you see the greatest progress over these 5 years?

AP:

We started showing a lot more races.

Not only Formula 1, but also the junior series.

In addition, viewers are now watching Formula E, NASCAR, rallycross, and our internal RSKG championship on the air.

I would like to note that in the last year there has also been more good rugby - our championship, the most important international tournaments.

- This season you have to conduct almost all reports of Formula 1 from the studio in Ostankino.

Is it hard to comment on events that take place hundreds of kilometers away from you?

A.P .:

Yes to me.

But that doesn't mean I'm not doing well.

I also comment on rugby, and when I work in the stadium, I can see the difference.

I look at the field with one eye, and with a peripheral vision I watch the replays on the monitor.

Of course, it's much better when the whole field is visible.

But in races there is practically no such thing, because the race tracks are large and only a small part of them can be seen.

Usually you can only see if the mechanics are ready for a pit stop or not.

But everything that happens around, this closed world in which everyone communicates with each other, becomes alive, not virtual.

It is very important.

Previously, we went to almost all races, but this year we limited ourselves to Sochi.

This is a huge difference.

NF: 

It seems to me that first of all the quality is falling, but not our work globally, but immersion in the world of racing.

It is not for nothing that Formula 1 is called a family.

You are accepted into it, and then you have access to more information and events where you can learn something.

I also always try to do interviews from the scene, this is also lacking.

Yes, we already see the TV picture perfectly, but there is no insight or expansion for the viewer.

Formula 1 journalists should be the guides between the racing world and the audience.

But now this is not the case, and the feeling of family disappears.

A.P .: 

I have a YouTube channel, and I post there a video of how we get to the race track, people love this part.

They see not just the usual plans, but also what is happening on the pit lane, cars in an informal setting.

And now there is only an analysis of qualifications and races from the commentator's booth.

This is also interesting to someone, but some travel notes will be more exciting.

- How is it possible to compensate for the lack of information?

A.P .:

We have our own party, part of the press still continues to travel and communicate further.

Natalia has been commenting for ten years already, I am almost 30, and, of course, they know us, we can exchange some messages.

I hope the pandemic will not last another three years, otherwise we will simply be forgotten and the family will fall apart.

- Who would you like to interview right now?

NF:

I would like to talk to Sebastian Vettel.

This is a person who always approaches communication informally.

It is clear that he will not discuss his personal life, this is his feature, but even if we only discuss his work, then you can understand a lot about himself and what is happening in the team through his mood and non-verbal signals.

Sebastian has no social networks, so information has to be caught even from radio communications during the races.

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- Do you think the failures of this season would affect the interview with the German, or does he always behave professionally?

NF:

Even if he is in a bad mood, then this topic can be developed without trying to get to the bottom of him.

There are journalists who deliberately call for aggression, but this is not my case.

Sebastian is an adequate person and will not react in any way or close.

Those who have not yet achieved anything in Formula 1 have an insult to the whole world, to the fans.

And the four-time world champion already knows his worth.

- What Grand Prix do you miss this year?

A.P .:

There are two tracks that mean a lot to me personally.

These are Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco.

I could not go to the first one, to the second Grand Prix there was simply no.

These are two of the hardest blows for me.

NF:

I have Suzuka.

I'm just a fan of Japan, for me being there is like flying once a year to Mars.

Mixed feelings are connected with the circuit, so much bad things happened there.

But only there, on Thursday, when there are no races yet, pilots walk along the track with engineers, and 50 thousand people sit in the stands and look at them faithfully.

It's incredible.

The fans are creating a super festival that shows how much motorsport is loved here.

- What were the most exotic places you traveled to for Formula 1?

AP:

The most vivid impression with a minus sign was from Brazil, and with a plus sign - from Argentina.

Since then, I have been to Brazil often, both because of the races and because of the Olympics.

And Argentina has not been on the calendar for a long time.

And then we all reached Tasmania.

We decided that since it was a day to fly to Australia, why not spend another hour flying from Melbourne to Hobart?

This is really the end of the world.

NF:

If we talk about exotic, then for me it is Korea.

There the track is located not in Seoul, but in the town of Mokpo.

This is a port city that doesn't even have hotels for tourists, only for sailors.

The press was settled in one place, the breakfasts were served in another, since that was where the table could be set.

And at the same time, the track is cool, although the day before the free races they finished it up, hammered some pieces of wood.

This is rare since everything is usually ready many weeks before the start, especially on new circuits.

Mokpo was a non-standard experience for the super-glamorous Formula 1 - a successful racetrack at the end of the day.

- How do you prepare for the next reportage and distribute the roles among yourself?

N.F .:

Alexei has a talent for improvisation, and because of this, he does not have a very good attitude towards training and rehearsals.

When there is such talent, the best take will be the first.

AP:

When a reporter records a report from the second or third time, he immediately falls in my eyes.

NF:

And I just need a second or third take.

Personally, I prefer to prepare if possible.

Although it is generally impossible to prepare for a comment, you need to work on the screen.

A.P .:

To be more precise, my preparation takes 24 hours a day.

Right now, I'm not just sitting on my phone, but watching what the teams are writing, at the same time preparing for a rugby match, a Formula 1 race and then for NASCAR.

I always listen to podcasts on ten topics when I walk around town, play sports or eat.

The rest of the time I just read and write out useful things for myself.

My preparation is about absorbing knowledge.

For my podcast, I could write the lyrics, but it would take a whole day.

Otherwise, I just sit down and speak in one take, without planning anything in advance.

It's okay if the thought goes somewhere wrong, I'll make a loop and come back.

And during the broadcast you can be interrupted by something, radio communications or an accident, for example.

- In football, two commentators can start arguing over an episode.

You don't have any disagreements.

Are you deliberately avoiding them?

A.P .:

We have an ironclad rule - never scold anyone.

But the measure of praise is also a measure.

If we praise someone a little, then consider that we are scolding.

We have disagreements about whether it is necessary to change some of the riders or give them a second chance, how this or that team behaves.

But we always try to do it delicately and try to pull the audience up, too, so that the dialogue is built not on "horses" and "meat", but intelligently.

In any case, you must respect the rider who risks his life.

NF:

In Formula 1, in principle, there is no such harsh aggression as in football and hockey, there are no obscene ditties from the stands.

To feel this, you have to get involved in this community, visit the circuit.

When I first came to the Grand Prix, it started raining, and fans of different teams offered their raincoats and umbrellas.

I can hardly imagine that a Spartak fan will sit under the Zenith umbrella.

There is a different culture of sickness, and perhaps from here a different manner of commenting.

If we categorically disagree on something, we can discuss it after the broadcast, but I can't imagine swearing on the air.

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- What do you set yourself the goal of reporting

AP:

As it goes, there is never one goal.

It is useless to put them, life can go its own way.

Sometimes you don't expect anything interesting, but suddenly the madness begins.

You need to keep the thread and not be silent for two minutes.

As a fan of playing sports myself, I can be distracted from what is happening, so I need a scream when the ball is hammered.

If I calmly talk about the match, I can raise my eyes and be surprised to find out that the score has changed twice.

This I do not welcome.

If in the race there was an overtaking or a wheel was lost, then this must be emotionally marked, but without shouting, otherwise you will simply break the ligaments.

NF:

First of all, don't miss anything.

Plus, I try to get people to hear about what happened between the races.

Everyone has their own life, not all spectators constantly follow the events and watch free races, many include only races.

You need to have time to identify all the key points, because in F1 everything changes quickly and often, otherwise the person will be lost.

- Is it hard to comment on races in which there is no overtaking, and the results have already been determined before the finish line?

A.P .:

Yes, in such cases you usually raise your voice less, but you get tired more.

When something happens, you yourself find yourself on an emotional upsurge, you yourself are happy about it.

And when you pull on your veins and continue to speak cheerfully, you get tired, as after unloading a carriage.

- I often heard the opinion that as a sport "Formula 1" people are not particularly interested, but Popov's comments really fascinate them.

How do you feel about this?

AP:

I am always shocked when they start to praise me and try to run away.

Despite spending 30 years in front of cameras, I remain an introvert and don't like vanity.

It's better not to recognize me on the subway, honestly.

I am doing the work I love, but it is very uncomfortable when they say something pleasant.

NF:

It seems to me that people feel sincere love for the subject.

Through the voice, they hear the enthusiasm and dedication to the sport.

- Natalia, are you not offended that for all the “Russian voice of Formula 1” is exactly Alexei Popov?

NF:

No, I have no desire to come somewhere and start pushing everyone away with my elbows.

I realized that I am not at all an athlete in spirit, because there is no desire to compete.

It seems to me that in this case, cooperation is much better than rivalry.

A.P .:

I am one of those who care not about the place on the track, but about their time on the circle.

I get pleasure when I took off the conditional two tenths of a second from myself, and for me this is a victory.

Professional sports are built differently, and people without ambition do not go anywhere.

I, unlike most fans, do not adore all-conquering pilots.

I recognize all great champions, but I do not share the enthusiasm for them.

- Natalia, would you like to conduct a reportage alone?

N.F .:

No.

When I read that Popov is growing a worthy replacement, I get goosebumps with horror.

I like working in tandem because we complement each other.

A.P .:

I agree.

Despite my experience, I hate working alone.

I have my own commentary tandems in all sports.

Yes, I can do it alone, but over the years I realized the value of working together.

When looking at the same picture, we will say something different and can interfere with each other.

For some reason, the fans think that when we do this, we are pulling the covers over ourselves.

But I would like to see how you should communicate then?

Do they convey the word themselves, like a move in chess?

I am not offended when they interrupt me.

If you need to say something urgently in the middle of a thought, I usually show with my hand that something has happened.

It seems to me that it is more interesting for a fan to listen to two people, because he reluctantly participates in the dialogue, and does not listen down to the lecture.

- What in your career do you consider a moment of triumph or a journalistic success?

A.P .:

Many wrote to me that it was an interview with the pilots on the podium during the first Russian Grand Prix.

But people believe that a journalist should have vanity and a desire to show himself.

I don’t feel that way, I don’t care if they show me their face.

On the same starting grid, I do not show myself, but what happens to the cars ten minutes before the start.

NF:

If we talk about the main luck, then, perhaps, this is an interview with Charles Leclair in Sochi, when he made his debut at Ferrari.

Teams have very long queues for long interviews without press attachés and censorship, which is usually necessary for a conversation with young pilots.

When the Ferrari team gave permission, it was a journalistic victory for me.

Before that, from the Ferraristers, I talked with Kimi Raikkonen, but this was not some kind of achievement, because it was clear that he had been in racing for many years and the peak of his career was behind.

And Charles was at the beginning of the journey.

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- What would you change in Formula 1 to make it more intriguing?

A.P .:

We need a complete ban on free races and radio communications, a maximum reduction in the downforce of the wings, the return of large-volume atmospheric engines with high revs and, possibly, the return of steel brakes instead of carbon ones.

The last point is questionable, the rest are definitely needed.

Formula 1 should not and does not try to live up to the old notions that it is the fastest championship in lap time.

This is not interesting to anyone, people need competition.

They want to see the steering wheel, the fight between the pilot and the car, the fight while braking, and not when the robotic thing quickly accelerates and moves.

- Lewis Hamilton broke Michael Schumacher's record for the number of victories in Formula 1.

Did you expect this to happen, and what does this event mean to you?

N.F .:

We began to suspect that this is possible even last year, when he won the championship with almost one wicket.

It became clear that no matter how good Valtteri Bottas was for Lewis, for the viewer and for us he was a bad partner.

He does not impose the kind of struggle we are waiting for.

Yes, sometimes it fires, but these are one-time promotions.

And with Hamilton, you need to fight within the team, deprive him of comfort.

But this is not in the nature of Valtteri.

He is a good, non-confrontational guy, but they don't win championships.

Lewis methodically breaks all records, and as long as the regulations remain stable, no one can reach Mercedes.

Regarding how to relate to the record, there are whole battles in social networks.

Many Formula 1 fans started watching it because of Schumacher.

For them, he represents the best in racing.

I often see the opinion that no matter how many victories he had, he gnawed them out despite the circumstances.

Hamilton has a great car and has no super rival, at least one like Schumacher.

Therefore, the surname of the German has become a common noun.

Lewis lacks something for the same popular love.

Perhaps it was the opponent.

Everyone thinks that he will win again, but not because he is so great, but because of Mercedes.

- Lando Norris spoke in the same spirit recently, for which he later apologized.

That is, do you agree with him?

N.F .:

Only we will not apologize

.

AP:

This is generally a catastrophe of modern society, that people have to apologize for their opinions.

NF:

It remains only to be sad, because he did not say any obscenities and did not offend anyone.

We only recently recalled how Juan Pablo Montoya said about Michael Schumacher that he was either blind or a fool, while sitting right next to him.

The Colombian didn't have to apologize for anything.

- Can Hamilton's record for victories be broken again?

AP:

For this, several factors need to converge.

The pilot must get into ideal conditions for himself, which would persist for an infinite number of seasons in a row, or he very clearly felt the change in conditions and in time transferred to another team that dominated in terms of technique.

The combination of these factors is extremely unlikely, but the same thing we once thought about Schumacher.

Nevertheless, the record has already been broken in our memory.

NF:

I remember when Hamilton moved from McLaren to Mercedes, people were clutching their heads - they say, how could you choose money instead of a team that wins races?

So luck and flair are just as important.

- What is the brightest event for you this season?

N.F .:

This is his calendar.

When I saw that there would be races in Imola, Mugello and Portugal, I thought it was a dream.

In Formula 1, new stages require years of negotiations and mountains of money.

The new track has been marked on the calendar for a long time, and now the management was able to react so well that we have such super tracks.

I doubt it will ever happen again.

In Italy, one Monza hung in the balance due to financial problems, and here there are three stages at once.

- Will we see Russian drivers in Formula 1 next season?

AP:

I think yes, one of them.

NF:

I'm afraid to jinx it, but I will say, as a forecaster - from one to two.

- If they still don't exist, will this affect the popularity of racing in the country?

A.P .:

I think not.

The first 20 years I was commenting on races without Russian pilots, and nothing, people watched.

This is a nice plus, but it is not decisive.

- You yourself got behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car?

AP:

Yes, I did three laps in 2002 at Magny-Cours at the 1997 Arrows.

It was at the presentation of the aerobatic school, to which journalists were invited.

It is clear that the engine was turned off there, but nevertheless.

On the simpler levels, I drove quite often.

But I understand that I am infinitely far from racing, I can more or less roll in only at the kart level.

Then it's just not mine anymore.

These are real pilots who can drive three laps and then press the gas pedal to the floor.

It would take me 300 laps, so why bother?

NF: To

some extent, I was unlucky because I started working at a time when journalists were no longer allowed to approach cars.

Nowadays they only ride two-seater cars, if you're very lucky.

But I went on supercars with pilots at the wheel, sometimes before the Grand Prix guests and journalists are driven like that.

I drove Pato O'Ward and Mark Jeunet, and I also rode with Mikka Hakkinen in a DTM car that drives very fast and slows down very late.

As a pilot, I finished on semi-sports karts, but as a passenger I was more fortunate than Alexei

.