Formula 1 and the British fans

[absolutely]

I was watching old youtube videos earlier and I remember watching the 1987 British GP with my Dad and being so happy that Nigel Mansell drove past Nelson Piquet and heard the crowd cheer. We were so pleased, jumping around the living room.

This one: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=L8nGaXoxaHI

What has happened to the British fan since then? On this forum and other places there is alot of anti-Hamilton jibes. Why is this? He is British and a very good racing driver, like Mansell.

I lost my voice when I saw Glock slowing and Lewis passing him. I have supported all the British drivers in top level racing since I was very young.

Why don't other people think the way I do?

[mchammer89]

Why is it that this only gets said about Hamilton?

Back when Jenson was doing well I can't remember any of this being said, and I have always been a DC fan, yet people are always asking why I don't support Hamilton.


Well, there is also the fact that i've been a Massa fan for the past few years

[absolutely]

I was very happy and jumping about the room when Jenson was doing well, Johnny Herbert, Anthony Davidson, Eddie Irvine, Allan, Johnny Dumfries etc.

I mentioned Lewis because it seems there is so much animosity towards him lately.

I also don't understand why people don't support DC, he is a nice guy and deserves all credit for doing what he did.

[Eric Mc]

I actually don't think there was unanimous support amongst Brits for all British drivers. Even at the height of Manselmania there were many people who were not keen on the chap and were also dismisive of much of his fanbase.

I think great British drivers of the 50s, 60s and 70s tended to have better overall support from the British public.

[RLK500]

I agree, I went to the Portuguese GP in the 80's when the Mansell v Senna period was in full swing. In the hotel there were a lot of brits and they weren't Mansell supporters. It was good banter around the pool.

On the Hamilton situation, I think my preference is for someone a bit more "real". He just appears to be slightly manufactured, in an age where everything is so corporate, PC and controlled, someone with Raikkonnen's irreverance is a breath of fresh air.

[chris_w]

absolutely said:

What has happened to the British fan since then? On this forum and other places there is alot of anti-Hamilton jibes. Why is this? He is British and a very good racing driver, like Mansell.

I was in the stands at Becketts last year when Hamilton stuck it on pole in the dying moments of qualifying, the noise and reaction from the crowd was EPIC! A truly great 'I was there' moment.

But there has been a bit of a backlash which is a real shame. For someone so aggresive and attacking in the car all we get is a slightly bland, always smiling persona out of it. Personally I don't see the same guy out of the car as I do in it and I believe that's where the problem (as much as it is one) lies.

I think it kills him every time he's not standing on the top step of the podium but is just too 'professional' to show it.

[garycat]

I think Mansells popularity was because he was an ordinary brummie lad with an ordinary brummie wife who stuffed the 'exotic' brazilians and frogs. He always gave 110% and you could see he was fighting to win races. I mean, who wants to see a driver get out of the car without a bead of sweat on him? They should give *everything* like "il leone" always did like here - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5acE1zvN7oo&feat...

[Derek Smith]

I didn't like some aspects of Mansell Mania. In the 80s I stepped into a couple of incidents at Brands and Silverstone flashing my warrant card when things looked like getting nasty. I haven't done it since, nor before come to that. But 87 at Silverstone was something different. I was at Brands when he won his firwst GP and it was all down to the pit stops. Mansell was ahead going down from Paddock and there was so much cheering that I couldn't hear the tannoy so it was a great relief to see him ahead still at the Bottom Straight. Piquet made a mock attempt to challenge for the lead going into the GP extension but you could see his heart wasn't in it. I've got some great memories of Mansell.

[woof]

I think the perception of Lewis being this corporate machine is somewhat correct.
He's been in the Mclaren family for 10 years and therefore is part of the Mclaren machine.

Until last year, he wasn't in the spotlight. So he's still learning his PR way. I really hope that some of his own personality does start to shine through - he's a good lad and needs to relax a bit

[anonymous-user]

i think one of the issues is that there are so many brits involved in real club level motorsport be it as spectators, drivers, mechanics or marshals, that F1 is considered so "irrelevant" that a sort of apathy steps in. I know trials drivers, sprinters, hill climbers, racers, auto-testers, rally drivers etc, all who compete in regional UK championships who dont care about F1 because it is so far removed from their chosen sport that it doesnt matter who wins and what nationalality the drivers are. it may be an accessability thing, anyone can go to a local track and watch 30 amateurs race an MR2 for ten laps but F1 is a pretty expensive event for a spectator.

sure its good when a Brit wins but i think that a lot, not all, of the people who are so vocally "pro" or "anti" hamilton are only interested in F1 and have no interest in other forms of uk motorsport.

i know a guy who could not name ten F1 drivers yet could tell you 20 drivers in the Combe saloon car championship!....

[absolutely]

Lewis being "McLaren Man" doesn't matter about the guy's talent for racing. So what if he has been guided by McLaren since he was 8, how many of you guys would have the balls of steel to go and talk to Ron Dennis? Very few I suppose, I've heard he is a tough man to please from a McLaren employee.

I saw Ross Brawn last January in Edinburgh Airport, even at 24, I didn't have the balls to go up and ask for a job.

[mat205125]

Patriotism is a nobel reason to support a driver, however it is not everyones choice.

It is not even a factor for me to be honest.

I've been a life long motorsport fan. My fave teams and drivers have always been the ones with that extra "something" whether that be in or out of the car, or on or off of the stage. Lewis lacks that IMO, and he comes across as a bit of a prick most of the time.

Billion dollar sales of red shirts with 23 (Beckham) on the back preceeded vodaphone and LH emblazoned grey shirts. The British F1 fan, and the fan base, has changed immensely in the last 18 months. F1 is on in the pub again , however you are surrounded by "experts" that have only seen a handful of races in the last decade .... fk off and keep you regurgitated "opinions" to your-fking-self!

Edited by mat205125 on Thursday 18th December 13:27

[BoRED S2upid]

I would personally support Jenson or DC over Lewis and it has nothing to do with their skill as a racing driver, I would give Anthony Davidson a cheer when he was racing. I just can't support someone who has his dad at every race holding his hand, makes me laugh infact and as for TV interviews he almost has an ear piece linked to the Mclaren PR Machine answering his questions for him. Jenson or DC are going to say it as it is "The car is undrivable", "We are rubbish". Lewis is never going to say these things so hes never going to win my support no matter how many world titles he wins.

[DeadMeat_UK]

absolutely said:

I was watching old youtube videos earlier and I remember watching the 1987 British GP with my Dad and being so happy that Nigel Mansell drove past Nelson Piquet and heard the crowd cheer. We were so pleased, jumping around the living room.

This one: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=L8nGaXoxaHI

What has happened to the British fan since then? On this forum and other places there is alot of anti-Hamilton jibes. Why is this? He is British and a very good racing driver, like Mansell.

I lost my voice when I saw Glock slowing and Lewis passing him. I have supported all the British drivers in top level racing since I was very young.

Why don't other people think the way I do?

You didn't have PH or the internet colouring your view then. There are as many people jumping up and down now (I was one of them especially on that lap), and not going round posting about it. There are always more people who want to post negatively than positively so it just seems that there is a bias against him. I'm sure if you go to the British GP this year, you'll see that good old partisanship is still going healthily.

Edited to add - I was actually as Silverstone that day !!

Edited by DeadMeat_UK on Thursday 18th December 16:52

[hot metal]

So was I, great day.

[mat205125]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Good to hear of other passionate motorsport fans .... I'm not an LH fan myself, and don't support/follow/cheer drivers or teams because of nationality (as explained above). I applaud LH for winning the title, however just don't like the guy. Not a racial comment, or a anti-nationalist comment. Just think he's a cock, and therefoere not a fan.

[german tony]

I love the way that when Kimi was a Macca driver he was attacked constantly for being a robot but know he's moved to the dark side he's a charecter when don't see him whipping his clothes off on strip joints or falling off boats drunk anymore...

[profstoff]

mat205125 said:

I'm not an LH fan myself, and don't support/follow/cheer drivers or teams because of nationality (as explained above). I applaud LH for winning the title, however just don't like the guy. Not a racial comment, or a anti-nationalist comment. Just think he's a cock, and therefoere not a fan.

You obviously know him better than I do, but then I've never met him.

He's a Brit who's done well so he deserves our support. Knocking anything British and sccuessful is a thing we do well in this country. You don't see the French, Germans or Americans doing it, other countries really get behind their successes, whether they are sporting, technological or whatever. Sadly we live in a society where failure is accepted and success is derided.

[mat205125]

profstoff said:

You obviously know him better than I do, but then I've never met him.

You know what I mean I've never met Robert Mugabe, Harold Shipman, Hitler or Darren Day, but it's safe to say they're all s.

[Clevers]

I think a lot of Mansell's support came from a recognition that he was so unfortunate not to lift the title in 1986 with the tyre blow out. After that, it was the like the public was willing him to win.

I was happy when Mclaren got lucky on the last corner in Brazil and Leiws won the championship. He is British after all, but there is something about his attitude that occasionally shines through when he lets his guard slip. I don't know what it is, but it's just a bit too conceited at times.