i dont think this topic has been covered, so the question is why do you support a driver or team is it their : Nationality , way they act, how they drive , livery of the team
Ferrari, whoever drives for them. My dad's Italian, so I've had the prancing horse drilled into me from a very young age (actually that sounds disgusting), and I wouldn't have it any other way!
After many years of not specifically supporting any team or driver at the start of a season, and only gravitating towards this driver or that team over the course of the season, a number of things happened in 2007 that led me to cheer for the Woking crew. Firstly (actually in 2006), they signed Alonso. Apart from finally breaking the Ferrari/FIA stranglehold on the sport I thought Alonso displayed total commitment and exquisite skill, whatever his team's dubious approach to car design. I thought Raikkonen was due a championship and Ferrari might give it to him. Alonso in a McLaren would make a fight of it. Secondly, Hamilton's early races were sensational. Just when you think you've seen everything... Thirdly, when a vindictive, highly intelligent but morally flawed individual is in a position of considerable power over the team, operates in cahoots with team's chief rivals, and considers the team manager to be an enemy, the situation crystallises into good vs. evil. Ron Dennis and McLaren may not be angels but nicking each other's secrets is what all teams do all the time in a variety of ways - it's part of the game. If McLaren's possession of Ferrari documentation was surprising in its scope it was no more surprising than the amount of McLaren data Renault had uploaded to their mainframe. While Renault got away scot-free, McLaren received that outrageous punishment. I developed a lot of sympathy with McLaren during that episode. Fourthly, Ferrari clearly had the better car in 2008 under normal conditions, specifically around managing tyre degradation. Fortunately for Hamilton the conditions throughout 2008 were anything but normal with race after race being cooler than expected. This played into McLaren's hands as the Ferrari drivers struggled to get heat into their tyres but that didn't make it easy for McLaren and they had to fight for that WDC. Fifthly, apart from being caught up in the Brawn GP 'fairy tale', McLaren achieved magnificent things in 2009 in terms of developing a dog of a car into a race winner. Finally, I thought Button showed a lot of guts moving to Hamilton's team for the 2010 season but the way he has been treated there is enough for me to consider them to be a good, decent, honourable team. They make mistakes in the heat of competition like anyone, but I actually believe they're a human team. All that said, I still don't consider myself a rabid fan. I wouldn't buy McLaren merchandise and I think I'm more critical of their team decisions and their drivers' mistakes than I am of any other team but, for me, that's part of being a fan.
I generally have a few drivers i like to see do well. My first 'hero' was Alain Prost, but after his disgraceful hypocrisy on lap 46 at suzuka 89 I never had the same level of awed appreciation ever again. Senna became my new favourite then and until his death, although if he'd been in a wheel to wheel race with Mark Blundell i woulda cheer for Mark (for some reason my all time no.1). Favourite atm is Kamui, I think if given a car he will be a WDC, my former 'tips' have been Alesi (really dissappointed me after his blistering start, but just faded away), Alonso, Schumacher, Vettel & Hamilton. Button surprised me by winning it, as did kimi and mika. Other drivers I like to see do well are the british trio, Rosberg & Vettel. basically anyone who doesn't drive for Ferrari, my most disliked team. as to teams, I have a soft spot for HRT, simply because I think they get given a bad rep for being poor.
Dan, you can't ask this without answering yourself. Vettel's my main driver, I like Kubica as well and Raikkonen would have my backing as well if he ever returned. No team really, but I've grown to like Red Bull through Vettel. Also seeing Seb and Mark taking Copse in full flight last season was something to behold, the RB6 seemed to defy physics and the RB7 seems even faster, so for those few breathtaking moments last year I like Red Bull, and the cars Adrian Newey has designed.
I don't support a particular driver and firmly believe in the idea of 'may the best man win' (on any given day). I've only ever 'supported' two drivers and that goes a long way back to my childhood: Jim Clark and Graham Hill. After those two legends, I've only supported myself, my family, my friends and Sir Bobby Charlton.
I've just read Genji's post. If I were forced to be a 'fan', his complete comment sums up my thoughts as though I'd written every word of it myself. Very spooky!
I've always supported the Brits, and I've always supported McLaren and Williams. So McLaren at the moment is good for me Its a shame to see Williams as it is now, I supported Montoya when he was in the sport, and when he was at Williams it was relatively good times. At the moment I support the Brits, all 3 of them. In the past I have supported Montoya, Raikkonen, and Hakkinen. As a side note Google Chrome does not recognise Hakkinen and instead suggests Chalkiness It also doesn't recognise Google... which is strange. Goggle?
lol, cosi, I thought the same, except the McLaren part, I thought the McLaren looked so-so all season and not really updated very well, but his 'wht makes a favourite' was spot on for me, never been a Button fan (although many on 606 claim i am) but I thought he deserved it and was willing him to win simply because of the way he kept it going, earned some respect that had been missing since he regularly spanked my brother at Buckmore.
Hahaha Miggins: are you sure you're not confusing me with Genji? Although I agreed with his post, I didn't actually write it!
I also thought Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Ayrton Senna were brilliant. Never liked Prost, Schumacher or Eddie Irvine. More recently enjoyed seeing Damon do so well. Had some enjoyment from Johnny Herbert - bit of a plonker at times. Current crop of drivers do seem particularly skilled with the complexity involved, but too much is about the fantastic car engineering and not wringing the car's neck. If I had to 'support' a team - I suppose McLaren comes nearest.
Prefered drivers, Clarke, Hill, Rindt, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Hunt, Brabham, Andretti, Peterson, De Angelis, Rosberg snr, Senna, Montoya, Hill jnr, Hamilton, Massa. Lessliked drivers, Both Schumachers, Alonso, Prost, Irvine, Lauda, Coultard, Jones, Scheckter. Prefered team, Lotus, McLaren, Williams, Alfa Romeo, Hesketh. Intense dislike, Ferrari, March. I really have no idea why, but something to do with honesty, attitude and fair play, maybe.
AbsolutelyGlorious Ok then AG, well im not a big supporter of any i like, Mclaren, i think there a good honest racing team , Williams i just hope someday they will come back to the podium, Renault too, maybe its the livery for drivers then , Buttton (must be his good hair), Massa (the underdog back in form), Di Resta ( the rookie is looking fast and reliable) and Glock, thought he was good in his Toyota days, hopefully he gets a better drive.
Ive supported Alonso since watching him in a F3000 race at silverstone. I didnt expect him to do perticularly well but he ended up paying out. I was just looking for a new driver to follow after Hill left. I dont believe in this support someone of your own nationality bollocks. You should be free to support whoever you like. Ask Hamilton who he supported when watching F1... I bet he is brazillian and not English
Funny you should talk about nationality, I'm 4th generation Scottish and 6th generation Brazilian. Hell I can just about support anybody because I probably got family who were born there anyway.
I don't think it's necessarily a nationalistic thing in F1. It's an international formula and the teams are very international in themselves. I don't gravitate towards McLaren because they're based in the U.K or have a British team manager and British drivers. There may be something in the way they conduct themselves that I identify with because I'm British, and perhaps this applied to Williams and Mansell/Damon Hill or Stewart and Johnny Herbert, too, but I don't consciously have any allegiance to a 'home' team. I can't speak for anyone else but it wouldn't surprise me if very few British people think they're obliged to cheer the Brits in F1.
1) Ferrari -- Schumacher / the dominance (instead of deterring me from the sport) made me interested in it (I was a kid). His quick thinking and strong defending maneuvers were thrilling to watch.. others would think differently. 2) Went off the sport after Michael retired. 3) Started watching in 2009 backing Force India, because they just appealed to me. 4) Mercedes GP/ one of my favorite car producers back in racing along with Michael Schumacher was something I couldn't resist to follow.
