Article: No to racism in F1? But ok for prejudice in F1? | Formula One

Yes I’m back, and with one reason...

Since the Lewis fans seem so intent on always being the victim and using the "race card" whenever somebody doesn't seem to like Lewis Hamilton for many MANY! reasons I decided to take things further in my way.

Me like many other fans of other drivers I'm sure, are getting very bored by this so I think it's only fair I'll do one for Sebastian and show how he gets just as much prejudice as Lewis does by bringing up subjects that do speak actual truth in society.

Stereotypical German
Even though Sebastian is a completely, entirely! different person to Himmler, he is somehow the "thought up" enemy of the British, a man of German steel that shows no emotion and his one objective is to win whatever the cost, *killing rivals if allowed*. Prejudice makes him sound he was born in a lab with no feelings and is labelled "boring, efficient, no emotions, blond with blue eyes, always follow the rules" = stereotypical German.

First thoughts in your head...
American...
Italian...
British...
Spanish...
German...

Quite likely a variety of things for all, but I bet you couldn't help but think of WW2 when you thought of the Germans could you?

Using WW2 as a reason
No we have not got past this problem after 60 years, the government pretends we have, but theirs plenty of dislike for our European neighbours, not cold blooded hatred, but big dislike. So much dislike for the German population, all because of a tragic war that never should of happened.
Today, people's prejudice must believe that every German is a ticking time bomb ready to "take over the world", all because it happened twice in the past and our elders said so.
"Bloody Germans" <- Usual phrase of somebody aged 70+ filters down into the youth of today (Don't deny it, because it's how you have been bought up)

Booing and jeering ok when he's white?
It's news worthy when Lewis get's booed at Spain, but when Seb get's booed 2 years running at the British Grand Prix nobody takes a looking "oh it's all part of the atmosphere, they want a Brit to win" BS! German prejudice in full swing and practically "racism" in its own unique form.

Psychology
Face it, we have been bought up in a country that considers Germany as an arch rival, even if they don’t think the same... They got over WW1+2 and moved on, unlike 50% of Britain.
When it's a Britain/England vs another country it doesn’t pull in a crowd, but when it's a German a media ****storm happens and the prejudice all comes flowing back. Without a doubt they know who they will support by screaming out like a drunk pratt, waving their flags and booing the German: "COME ON ENGLAND!!!!"

No thanks to the media...
All thanks to the media labelling him "baby schumi" Seb is now compared to everything that Michael did in the past with Damon Hill, stirring the pot hoping it boils over with a few clashes with Lewis. But the actual fact is Lewis cheats just as much as Schumacher did, of course typical sterotyping, making out it was just "passion" and "spur of the moment" because that's not British sportsmanship that we stand for is it chaps? We never cheat...

(sarcasm) Lewis can never cheat, but a German?... you only have to look at Schumacher, oh yes that really defines the nation as a whole...

I can proudly say I'm not racist, I just don't like Lewis' attitude on the circuit in general. Can you say the same thing with German prejudice? Though you didn't seem bothered at the start and gladly used sterotyping to make Seb something he isn't

1 star me if you want, but this is just a BIG! rant I wanted to get off my chest and I have no regret bringing it up.

Enjoy Spa!

 

Even though I'm not a Vettel fan, I have to say there is probably some German prejudice there. I think it is more to do with the fact they are better at football than us and Germans have always had a reputation for being efficient, the rivalry has developed over time including the wars, football, Schumi and Hill etc And I think rivalry is always good in sport! However I think people maybe over critical of Vettel because of his nationality.

oT: How do you come about the scores in your signature?

 

I cant see my sigs anymore, so I gather that's the one with the team principles voting who were the best drivers of the year etc... Should change it, pretty old now etc...

 

All his fans?

I do engage in a friendly rivalry with the Germans, its a national sport. I have a few German friends and it does make for some good banter, but unfortunately they normally have the bragging rights .

 

Not all of them, but a fair lot of fans...

But this is typical BLS, Im not trying to lay into you or anything, but it's all fun and giggles having a few pops on a German, but it's all gasp and horror when somebody's skin is different.

It's true, you can say stuff "Well we kicked your ass in the war etc" and no problems will come of it. But the day you say "How would you like to go back to the fields?" All hell breaks loose with pitchforks and sticks of fire. Same amount of banter, but 1 of them you think is below the belt more than the other.

 

I think the problem is not the views, but how the views are viewed. Now I'm going to risk some stick here but it has to be said. With friends in real life, of all colours, religions and what ever banter, racism and sexism and the like can be funny if your with the right people and they know its just fun. I'm welsh so I get all the sheep jokes and LL YY wyslyyffychys jokes but I don't mind as its with friends.
The problem with the internet is you don't really know the people and you don't hear what tone some things are said in. Some people go too far with claiming racism and other ism's, but then again there are those in the world who genuinely dislike those who are different. Its a sad state of affairs.

As a final point I would never say something to hurt anyone, and if I did by accident I would apologise. Unless people can make light of life you may find yourself in a depressing rut.

 

I don't think this is really an "in Formula One" issue, it's more to do with the cultures of the countries hosting grands prix. Spain for example, are rather flippant when it comes to racism, then there are the human rights issues in some of the countries the F1 bandwagon visits. It's not the sport's role to govern what is and isn't acceptable behaviour and politics. From a British point of view it would be very easy to argue the sport was discriminative against German drivers because of the way the BBC go about covering the sport, especially with the unfair treatment the Schumacher and Vettel get.

I think the hatred toward Schumacher came largely from the way he went about his career, particularly the way he won his first title by deliberately taking his British title rival out of the deciding grand prix. The fact that he went on to win six more world championships just meant that Damon Hill fans were having their noses rubbed in it, and are merely now having their revenge seeing Schumi struggle so.

Vettel, rather unfortunately, has been tarred with that same brush thanks to the nickname given to him by the German media, "Baby Schumi", which filtered through to the British public. Thanks to that he's now perceived here as being a carbon copy, all the negative stigmas being attached to him through no fault of his own. I think he proved with the way he won he won his first world championship that his mentality is nothing like Schumacher's was. He had the opportunity in Korea, with a sick car and two championship rivals pursuing him, to do what Schumacher did in Adelaide '94 and Jerez '97, but chose not to.

 

I agree with what you say BLS, banters great among friends. But for me my biggest bug bear is making it out it's ok to boo a German with no social or goverment consequences, but you will get nicked and socially outcasted if you boo somebody with different skin.

No such thing as different levels of hate, just hate. National prejudice should be looked down apon as much as racism in my opinion.

 

Good points AG, but I think F1 as a whole lost that excuse to not get involved when they ditched Bahrain etc... Though I'm with you in the sense they shouldn't be.

 

Vettel does not get booed by anyone at Silverstone so I don't know what your talking about maybe in 2010 because of the front wing gate but we all of would have done that. And when has all the Lewis fans brought up the race card?

And yes I will enjoy Spa where Lewis bags another win and beats Sebastian on Raw Pace!

I cannot believe you think I hate Sebastian when I clearly said he is my 2nd favourite driver.

Lewis's skin color has got nothing to do with his talent as well. Some people say" he got into F1 because they wanted a black guy" oh yeah so that's why he is a world champion and is one of the best drivers on the grid?

 

Is that sarcastic?

 

No of course it is not. I am not trying to be funny like you.HAHA not.

 

So your saying every Lewis fan in the world has thought he gets picked on because of his skin color?? Oh yes that's so right.

 

As I have said before Lewis's skin color has got nothing to do with his talent

 

It is indeed unfortunate that many people seem quick to use almost any excuse to jump on a bandwagon that makes them feel somehow stronger; and of course this can apply to what these people may perceive as a National Bandwagon; whether or not it really existed a priori.

The whole mentality of aligning oneself to such a group is similar to the way that a school-kid may feel stronger if he's part of a bully's gang. It is perhaps most commonly seen in the followers of football, where people tend to align themselves with one side, which is then promoted (psychologically) by the individual to come to 'represent' all of the very individuals who idolise it in the first place! Thus (for instance), the Spaniard feels persuaded to join in with what he/she perceives to be a Spanish norm; after all, it is more comfortable to be aligned with most of the people around oneself, rather than being at odds with them.

I hope it can be seen then, that it is really nothing less than the result of human nature.

Let's explore some basic psychology and notice the 'snowball effect': the polarizing of thought through peer pressure:

The majority of people; i.e. those who do not have the strength of their own convictions to avoid becoming swept along with those who shout loudest (should they differ from the perceived and localised norm in the first place), thereby contribute to the creation of 'mass feeling' which few have the strength or conviction to resist as an individual - which would otherwise run the risk of being noticed as 'different'. Standing out risks becoming targeted by the collective instinct of the mob; and through an instinctive sense of security in numbers, few can resist the comparative comfort of being part of this localised majority - which further fuels the very mob they have 'chosen' through fear (a lack of personal conviction) to become part of; thus adding to its weight; furthering its power of persuasion to repeat the process with other weak-minded folk - which perpetuates the cycle and strengthens its collective cause.

Watch a flock of birds. How many of them choose not to go with the flow?

P.S. As a matter of interest, I do not like Schumacher but I do like Vettel ! In spite of Seb's clear admiration for someone I cannot admire, I see them as very different!

 

Heard it in 2010, heard it this year and other people have also bought it up. First it was because of "wing gate" next it's because he's dominating, what next? Sorry but the excuses In my opinion are no different to the idiots in Spain painting their faces black saying it was all because McLaren betrayed Alonso, sorry but I don't feel like I ever want to return to Silverstone with that amount of prejudice aimed at one guy.

Again, we think nothing of it when it has to do with nationality, "it's all fun and games" when it involves race or sex it comes into the house of commons demanding another stupid inquiry worth millions.

And cosicave speaks the truth, I've read a few books on Psychology and it's the general consenses that mould our lifestyle, family, friends and TV all play a part who you are today. You do have control of it now, but when you were younger you had no idea what was going on, family was your whole world and you will believe 100% of it because that was your brain accepting the higher order of the food chain aka - your parents.

Sorry you might not agree but prejudice of German people most likely came from your Grandparents/Parents that had problems in the past regarding WW2 and they have passed it on to you without you knowing by talking about bringing up key sentences like "bloody germans, americans late for the war, french are cowards" the usual tripe.

You probably consider a German a more likely hostile threat to your family unlike a Swedish guy, again prejudice that you had no knowledge of making you think of things without your control.

Simple way: Imagine you and me are sitting In a room (again this is just for show, not saying I'm thinking of doing this) and I have knife. I start to walk towards you, what do you think I'm going to do? Theres no wrong answer to this, look below to continue.

[NSFW]I walk past you and put the knife down. Did you think I was going to harm you? No of course not but (if I'm right) you were thinking I was going to hurt you. Your brain making conclusions that a strange man with a knife is going to hurt me. Same thing with Germans, (German + WW2 + family = possible rival/enemy in the future to disturb my pleasure "Hamilton winning another WDC")[/NSFW]

Don't start caps locking on me just yet saying I'm wrong since many years of research have been done on this and there are many ways to proove it.

 

Spanish fans painting there faces black and saying "We Are Hamilton's Family" is so obviously racist and disgusting. People booing Sebastian a bit because he got Mark's wing is just a bit of how do I put this... payback?? That should have stopped by now. I am a fan of Sebastian, he is fast and is a very funny and talkable guy.

And trust me he won't dominate the next years in F1. Ferrari and McLaren will come back for sure and if he did I wouldn't be prejudice just disappointed. I can understand where you are coming from.

 

I voted but I'm not getting involved in this topic as it seems to be designed to cause friction amongst forum members, rather than a genuine question.

 

No prejudice but jealousy. MOST LH fans dont like their big baby losing.

 

And I suppose you don't think this is inflammatory?
Surely it is the inflammatory stuff that prompts people to react in the first place?

P.S. Lest you classify me, I'm not a 'fan'.