Is F1 better if you're not invested in a particular driver?
Discussion
With JB quitting, I find myself in an unusual position.
Since earliest TV watching, I have supported Mansell, Brundle, Hill, then JB. Which from memory is an unbroken, sometimes overlapping chain.
I now find myself not particularly caring about any driver to support, whilst retaining a kind of low-level, team-level support for Williams.
Having watched the Aus GP this morning, I can't decide whether I like this or not, although this morning's race was not a shining example of excitement.
So who else watched F1, whilst not supporting a specific driver?
Since earliest TV watching, I have supported Mansell, Brundle, Hill, then JB. Which from memory is an unbroken, sometimes overlapping chain.
I now find myself not particularly caring about any driver to support, whilst retaining a kind of low-level, team-level support for Williams.
Having watched the Aus GP this morning, I can't decide whether I like this or not, although this morning's race was not a shining example of excitement.
So who else watched F1, whilst not supporting a specific driver?
I was thinking along similar lines this morning. It's not so much a lack of drivers to support, but a lack of interesting drivers full stop. Outside the top 4 or 5, it could be anyone in the cars. Who is 2017's Kobyashi, Kubica or Inoue*?
I'm more a fan of a couple of teams and F1 in general, so it's not like I think it ruins the sport, but all sports need their heroes and villains.
I'm more a fan of a couple of teams and F1 in general, so it's not like I think it ruins the sport, but all sports need their heroes and villains.
- OK I'm joking about Inoue
I've never been a 'fan' of a particular driver or team aside from leaning towards Button (local lad) and Williams (I just like the way the team is run). I also like to see Force India do well due to family connections with the team but I don't support them as such like I would a football team. I'd rather see an awesome overtake on them that knocks them out of the points than want them to hang on just because I have an interest in them. So I'm pretty much a neutral and have never understood the hatred towards particular drivers due to their personality or extra curricular activities.
The idea of being a fan of a particular driver has never really occurred to me, I and many other hardcore F1 fans I know have no particular horse in the race, as it were.
I find myself enjoying underdog/midfield battles more so than what's going on at the front, quite often a lot of good racing in the midfield which goes relatively unreported.
The idea of being a fan of a particular driver has never really occurred to me, I and many other hardcore F1 fans I know have no particular horse in the race, as it were.
I find myself enjoying underdog/midfield battles more so than what's going on at the front, quite often a lot of good racing in the midfield which goes relatively unreported.
Edited by ukaskew on Sunday 26th March 22:09
I was Mansell mad and have always been a Ferrari fan. I'd say if you support one driver or team the highs are higher and the lows are lower. I've chilled out a bit over the years though, helped, one year, by a tour of the British American Racing facility where I saw the factory and the design offices and met members of the team. Having been exposed to so many people with so much passion, energy, enthusiasm and intelligence it really enlightened me as to the calibre of people in all the F1 teams and enabled me to enjoy the sport more, whoever was winning, because I knew what sort of people were working 24/7 in the background to make it all happen. Since then I've been happy for whoever wins and disappointed for whoever loses. So, being less focused on one driver/team brings its own enrichment if not the intense highs or lows of seeing one guy win or lose.
I completely get what u mean
Im a jb fan and unfortunately I'm a mclaren fan but I do like Ferrari
Now I hated vettel when he was at redbull but when he left there for Ferrari he seemed to be more humourous like the banter with rosberg and Lewis and in general I warmed to him at Ferrari so I'm liking vettel
Never rly been a Lewis fan but I preferred him to rosberg
Im a jb fan and unfortunately I'm a mclaren fan but I do like Ferrari
Now I hated vettel when he was at redbull but when he left there for Ferrari he seemed to be more humourous like the banter with rosberg and Lewis and in general I warmed to him at Ferrari so I'm liking vettel
Never rly been a Lewis fan but I preferred him to rosberg
Good responses guys - mostly along same lines.
Am minded to kind-of-support-in-an-underdog-lets-see-what-happens-way Grosjean this year - thought his sixth in Quali was typical underdog stuff & shame his race ended early.
But going to relax and enjoy and see what happens.
Nothing quite compares to the last few years of watching live timing screens for "is Button going faster than / catching / being caught by Alonso" whilst both in 14th/15th, rather than watching the screen!!
Am minded to kind-of-support-in-an-underdog-lets-see-what-happens-way Grosjean this year - thought his sixth in Quali was typical underdog stuff & shame his race ended early.
But going to relax and enjoy and see what happens.
Nothing quite compares to the last few years of watching live timing screens for "is Button going faster than / catching / being caught by Alonso" whilst both in 14th/15th, rather than watching the screen!!
I'm a sports fan who follows F1 rather than a F1 fan who isn't interested in other sports.
Whichever sport I'm watching, I support the British competitors, particularly if we're beating the Scots, the Germans or the Aussies. This applies to F1, too. I'm supporting the British drivers.
The period when Lewis & JB were together at McLaren was great. I could put the Union Jack pants on & cheer them on in the same way I support Leicester Tigers or the England cricket team.
Whichever sport I'm watching, I support the British competitors, particularly if we're beating the Scots, the Germans or the Aussies. This applies to F1, too. I'm supporting the British drivers.
The period when Lewis & JB were together at McLaren was great. I could put the Union Jack pants on & cheer them on in the same way I support Leicester Tigers or the England cricket team.
CraigyMc said:
chrisb92 said:
Didn't have a favourite after Mika left the sport. No idea why I liked him, I just did (I was about 6 years old when he won wdc).
Then Lewis came on the scene and have been a fan ever since, because he is very local to me!
You live in Colorado?Then Lewis came on the scene and have been a fan ever since, because he is very local to me!
His old man is still round here... that counts!
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