Can anyone pinpoint the moment that F1 fans changed?
Discussion
I've been watching F1 since the late 80s (probably not as long as many), although I don't think that necessarily makes me an authority on it. I've never really been a 'superfan' of any driver or team, but I've always enjoyed backing British drivers and underdogs (basically the same thing for most of my time with F1).
However, the thing I always liked most about F1 was that, like rugby union, the inevitable tribalism in the sport was generally conducted in good humour and without malice. The discourse was generally "my driver/team is better, because ...".
Something has changed, and it's (alongside failing regulations and poor tracks) really killing my enjoyment of the sport.
Lately F1 fans and their tribalism seems to focus purely on negativity towards other drivers/teams, particularly on the internet. It's all about painting others in a bad light, and scoring points over the perceived negatives. F1 fan pages are basically 99% full of horribly negativity.
F1 fandom has basically become football.
When did this happen? Is it the advent of the celebrity driver? The arrival of Liberty's marketing machine? Or something else?
Being really honest, it sucks.
However, the thing I always liked most about F1 was that, like rugby union, the inevitable tribalism in the sport was generally conducted in good humour and without malice. The discourse was generally "my driver/team is better, because ...".
Something has changed, and it's (alongside failing regulations and poor tracks) really killing my enjoyment of the sport.
Lately F1 fans and their tribalism seems to focus purely on negativity towards other drivers/teams, particularly on the internet. It's all about painting others in a bad light, and scoring points over the perceived negatives. F1 fan pages are basically 99% full of horribly negativity.
F1 fandom has basically become football.
When did this happen? Is it the advent of the celebrity driver? The arrival of Liberty's marketing machine? Or something else?
Being really honest, it sucks.
CocoUK said:
USA?
Dutch?
Netflix?
Social media?
Social media definitely has a compounding effect, but I don't think it's the root cause.Dutch?
Netflix?
Social media?
The most bizarre thing I see on social media is 'fans' from countries that have never even had F1 drivers getting embroiled in really unpleasant arguments. I feel like I really want to understand their journey to get to that point.
snotrag said:
Netflix 100%.
Is Netflix the reason why Christian Horner gets horrendous hate messages on his social media?Is Netflix the reason why why F1 social media post about Lewis Hamilton descends into unpleasantness that feels like it isn't even rooted in him as a driver?
I'm not so sure...
It's always been around, 1976 Brands Hatch Hunt was potentially out of the race after a first corner crash and red flag since he failed to finish the first lap in his broken car, they wouldn't let him use the backup car so the team worked to repair the damage. Meanwhile in all the 40 minute wait and confusion with the crowd chanting "We want Hunt" and throwing bottles onto the track until the stewards allowed him to race in his repaired car.
y nowadays, I would say a big shift in the last 5 years?I was lucky to be around the paddock in the mid 90s. I asked Michael Schumacher in 1996 about his rivalry with Damon as the subject fascinated me and I wanted to hear it directly. He said ''we are professionals and we respect each other, I really like him as a person''. And that really was evident in the paddocks at the time, you would often find drivers who the tabloids (and F1 Racing etc) would suggest were cut-throat enemies eating together, hanging out and generally enjoying their life. When Coulthard's helmet fogged up in Monaco 1996, MS gave him one of his to use. I always used to see MS and Coulthard hanging out, the Italians and Brazilians too, Barrichello was a very popular chap with everyone. Damon was a bit of a loner but only because he was a bit older and a settled family man with kids. End of season they would get drunk and party in any teams motorhome and often swapped overalls too, put on funny wigs, all sorts. Irvine is always known as a partier but there were many other drivers up and down the paddock. Schumacher one of the biggest, I think because he never drank alcohol in the season, he always used to get very silly end of season.
It's inevitable when you are around the same group of people and spend more time in that bubble than with your family.
My point is that often things were hyped up massively which led to tribalism between fans when the reality was often the complete opposite. The narrative of Schumacher and Hill being deadly enemies sold newspapers and led to nasty banners at races (which we had seen before towards Senna too) when the reality was nothing like that. Certainly fierce rivals on track but I never saw or heard of any personal animosity, these guys were not wired like that.
I would say it was really down to the Sun and other tabloids inventing narratives which people bought into that started this whole trend, obviously much accelerated now due to social media and Netflix.
It's inevitable when you are around the same group of people and spend more time in that bubble than with your family.
My point is that often things were hyped up massively which led to tribalism between fans when the reality was often the complete opposite. The narrative of Schumacher and Hill being deadly enemies sold newspapers and led to nasty banners at races (which we had seen before towards Senna too) when the reality was nothing like that. Certainly fierce rivals on track but I never saw or heard of any personal animosity, these guys were not wired like that.
I would say it was really down to the Sun and other tabloids inventing narratives which people bought into that started this whole trend, obviously much accelerated now due to social media and Netflix.
The day the new turbo era came in, in all honesty F1 died a little for me then, and it made me find other things, and now I found them I wish had done this many years before.
It is now full of wannabes' petulant spoilt little men, owned, run and sponsored by billionaires, that ask you to pay silly money to watch it live and on tv, and yet it for some unknown reason managed to pull in millions fomr countries fans and the media, I have no idea why.
You will see better racing in half an hour of WEC, yet nobody knows or cares, suits me, it's cheaper, accessible and doesn't cost a small fortune to watch, thanks.
it is beyond comprehension for me sadly.
It is now full of wannabes' petulant spoilt little men, owned, run and sponsored by billionaires, that ask you to pay silly money to watch it live and on tv, and yet it for some unknown reason managed to pull in millions fomr countries fans and the media, I have no idea why.
You will see better racing in half an hour of WEC, yet nobody knows or cares, suits me, it's cheaper, accessible and doesn't cost a small fortune to watch, thanks.
it is beyond comprehension for me sadly.
cgt2 said:
I was lucky to be around the paddock in the mid 90s. I asked Michael Schumacher in 1996 about his rivalry with Damon as the subject fascinated me and I wanted to hear it directly. He said ''we are professionals and we respect each other, I really like him as a person''. And that really was evident in the paddocks at the time, you would often find drivers who the tabloids (and F1 Racing etc) would suggest were cut-throat enemies eating together, hanging out and generally enjoying their life. When Coulthard's helmet fogged up in Monaco 1996, MS gave him one of his to use. I always used to see MS and Coulthard hanging out, the Italians and Brazilians too, Barrichello was a very popular chap with everyone. Damon was a bit of a loner but only because he was a bit older and a settled family man with kids. End of season they would get drunk and party in any teams motorhome and often swapped overalls too, put on funny wigs, all sorts. Irvine is always known as a partier but there were many other drivers up and down the paddock. Schumacher one of the biggest, I think because he never drank alcohol in the season, he always used to get very silly end of season.
It's inevitable when you are around the same group of people and spend more time in that bubble than with your family.
My point is that often things were hyped up massively which led to tribalism between fans when the reality was often the complete opposite. The narrative of Schumacher and Hill being deadly enemies sold newspapers and led to nasty banners at races (which we had seen before towards Senna too) when the reality was nothing like that. Certainly fierce rivals on track but I never saw or heard of any personal animosity, these guys were not wired like that.
I would say it was really down to the Sun and other tabloids inventing narratives which people bought into that started this whole trend, obviously much accelerated now due to social media and Netflix.
Great to hear a first-hand account of the real scene, away from the PR.It's inevitable when you are around the same group of people and spend more time in that bubble than with your family.
My point is that often things were hyped up massively which led to tribalism between fans when the reality was often the complete opposite. The narrative of Schumacher and Hill being deadly enemies sold newspapers and led to nasty banners at races (which we had seen before towards Senna too) when the reality was nothing like that. Certainly fierce rivals on track but I never saw or heard of any personal animosity, these guys were not wired like that.
I would say it was really down to the Sun and other tabloids inventing narratives which people bought into that started this whole trend, obviously much accelerated now due to social media and Netflix.
It does strike me that competitors have 98 % in common with each other, and very little with their individual fans.
And vice versa. A fan has 98% in common with fans of other drivers or brands. And f*** all in common with the object of their affection.
For football: as a fan who spends 30% of your disposable income following Liverpool, you have 98% in common with a man child spending 30% following Spurs.
One thing you both have in common is that the clubs see you as a wallet.
I've exaggerated for clarity. But for any entertainment, we are being 'played' by the players.
C70R said:
mw88 said:
Social media. Giving a voice to morons who probably shouldn't be allowed one 
We've had Twitter since 2006. It hasn't been this toxic for 12 years.I feel like blaming social media on its own is a bit lazy.
Everyone has a phone that can access the internet, in the mid 2000’s 3G was still a very new thing
C70R said:
mw88 said:
Social media. Giving a voice to morons who probably shouldn't be allowed one
We've had Twitter since 2006. It hasn't been this toxic for 12 years.I feel like blaming social media on its own is a bit lazy.
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