Why do some people refer to drivers by their first names?

[DOCG]

In this forum it is often Max, Lewis, George, etc.

It sounds as if they are pretending to know these drivers personally and are on a first name basis with them.

I think it is very strange to refer to strangers or public figures by their first names. Would you also refer to the Prime Minister or other public figures by their first names?

[monthou]

Boris?

Or Rishi?

CMD?

Maggie?

[PlywoodPascal]

Is that you, Rishi?

[Presuming Ed]

Because I struggle to spell Verstapen. Obvs really.

[Basil Brush]

I find it more strange to use surnames.

[williamp]

Basil Brush said:

I find it more strange to use surnames.

Its an interesting thought. I would agree... but in cricket you tend to refer to their surnames. Joe and Ben anyone??

[Alex Z]

As opposed to Mr Alonso etc?

[Smollet]

Basil Brush said:

I find it more strange to use surnames.

I find posts like this even stranger. Come in #44

[thegreenhell]

I don't think it's a question of familiarity. People are just naturally lazy and will use whichever name is quickest and easiest most of the time. Max is far quicker to say or type than Verstappen, for example. People don't have time for long words when a shorter one will do.

[Muzzer79]

DOCG said:

.

I think it is very strange to refer to strangers or public figures by their first names. Would you also refer to the Prime Minister or other public figures by their first names?

Yes.

You’d prefer that we refer to drivers as Mr Norris or even Sir Lewis?

[TheDeuce]

If you know someones name then use it.. unless they have a title - but even then I don't think Lewis expects his fans to only refer to him as Sir.

Oddly enough, at school we all used to refer to each other using surnames - and the teachers often told us off for being impolite!

[DOCG]

Muzzer79 said:

Yes.

You’d prefer that we refer to drivers as Mr Norris or even Sir Lewis?

No, just Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, etc.

[DOCG]

Alex Z said:

As opposed to Mr Alonso etc?

No, just simply Alonso. Senna and Prost were either referred to by either their full names or last names for short, never Alain and Ayrton other than by Brundle or others who knew them personally.

[TheDeuce]

DOCG said:

Muzzer79 said:

Yes.

You’d prefer that we refer to drivers as Mr Norris or even Sir Lewis?

No, just Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, etc.

Mr Norris, Mr Hamilton surely? Just using someone's surname alone is pretty rude in real life - obviously it's been done formally in sport since forever.. but our chats here are not formal and there's no reason to use surnames, something we wouldn't do in normal life if we were discussing someone regardless of whether or not we know them.

Would you greet Lewis as "Hamilton" if you met??

Edited by TheDeuce on Monday 31st July 22:36

[HardtopManual]

DOCG said:

It sounds as if they are pretending to know these drivers personally and are on a first name basis with them.

They're not.

DOCG said:

I think it is very strange to refer to strangers or public figures by their first names. Would you also refer to the Prime Minister or other public figures by their first names?

No, I've got some slightly shorter names for Boris, Rishi, Call me Dave, Maggie etc. And also for the other mob, but for some reason, they were only ever known as Blair and Brown.

[Milkyway]

Presuming Ed said:

Because I struggle to spell Verstapen. Obvs really.

Just perfected Raikkonen... & then Kimi retired.
( Just had to check... it would just be KR now).

Edited by Milkyway on Monday 31st July 23:02

[TheDeuce]

As summer break F1 threads go, this one is pretty unique at least

[PhilAsia]

TheDeuce said:

As summer break F1 threads go, this one is pretty unique at least

Don't be so familiar Mr. TheDeuce, it's "Formula" not Eff.. bit rude...

[Sandpit Steve]

In a race thread, where it’s moving at 10 posts a minute, I normally use whichever is faster to type, hence Max and Lewis rather than Hamilton and Verstappen. Once a name as already come up in a thread, just use initials, we all know who LH and MV are in the context of an F1 race.

[Harry Flatters]

Well there's 5 minuities of my life I will never get back!

I've heard of grammar pedants, but name pedantry is a new one on me.