Quote from Kid222 :

2:03, Webber: *sigh*

Yeah, noticed that too. Summed it up pretty well.

Quote :

So in the end you have people like Di Grassi or D'Ambrosio who bring millions to drive for one of those teams, cruise all season long at the back, get outbidded at the end of the season, then finds themselves rideless. What a waste really. Those guys in particular weren't necessary bad drivers. But unfortunately they couldn't show anything

D'Ambrosio got a seat as 3rd driver with Lotus though and it's very well known that the Belgian racer is having a véry hard time for sponsorship (the reason he had to leave at Virgin even).

Despite Spa & Zolder and our great racing history, F1 isn't really popular at all here and big sponsors rather sponsor cycling or football which provide a lot more coverage and a broder audience. The governement companies neither wish to sponsor anymore after the failed governement sponsoring of F1 racer Bas Leinders and the critics the governement then got on how much cash was given to one (and not even a talented) person. We also have very poor TV coverage, were a 'smaller' commercial channel got the tv rights and not even the state TV sports network anymore.

Then again, even as racing fan you can question wheter all this is worth so much cash... Even more so in the light of poverty increasing, hunger, lack of jobs, ... these days!

Quote :

A GP2 season costs 2M$ these days, a F3.5 season around 1-1.5$... Crazy stuff.

I just heard a rumour from an inside source in F1 that initially, the stewards had intended to give Karthikeyan a lifetime ban, but then they read the arguments presented by BlueFlame and Intrepid on the LFS forum and realised their noob error.

Quote from BlueFlame :

No, he does it behind closed doors and hides from the media like a bitch.

But I like how you crammed a Hamilton critizism in there, when he hasn't been mentioned for a good 10-15 posts. Seems like you enjoy hating on him.

Come on... You talk about "bitch" when your fave driver poses for cameras in gay clothes and sings RnB? Last season he showed us he really is a bitch anyway.

E: I've got nothing against him in this season.... YET.

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

I mean there's Schumacher of course, but he doesn't count, everybody thinks he's a dick.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

I mean there's Schumacher of course, but he doesn't count, everybody thinks he's a dick.

I can see why people hate Schumacher, though I can't really understand. I know, the period where he pwn'd everyone was boring, surely made people dislike him... Just like Vettel last year...
He also had a few dirty moves for sure, but the others are not saints either, just look at Senna...

Quote :

In short he wasn’t afraid of fighting dirty. He didn’t even apologized when he deliberately crashed into Alain Prost because he knew if Alain didn’t finish he’d become the world champion.

Yet people praise him and act like this didn't happen, but they go mad vomiting fire if someone mentiones the Hill - Schumi accident... What the **** ????

Of course, very sad that Senna is no longer alive, sucks to see him so overrated, only because he's dead. OH SHIT, WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!
I still respect him, I just had to mention this before some guys here think I'm a hater...

inb4shitstorm

Quote from Töki (HUN) :

Come on... You talk about "bitch" when your fave driver poses for cameras in gay clothes and sings RnB? Last season he showed us he really is a bitch anyway.

E: I've got nothing against him in this season.... YET.

The difference is, Hamilton isn't my favourite driver. I just defend him now and again. I prefer Webber, Button and Raikkonen over all.

When Hamilton wins, he wins, with ease but I guess for someone who's won mostly every competition they've ever entered, you can imagine it's harder to accept defeat. Drivers like Button and Webber have been in F1 in shit teams losing alot before. Hamilton just has a bit to learn about what it's like to be a loser but to be fair, his personality is becoming more and more annoying these days.

Oh well, sorry then. Now I remember, you mentioned that in one of your earlier posts. :doh:

I don't really give a shit about any of these guys.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

I mean there's Schumacher of course, but he doesn't count, everybody thinks he's a dick.

Same here. I support McLaren, and yes I prefer when they win, but I don't hate other teams / drivers and I certainly don't get a hissy fit when they come out at top.

Some people just get way too attached to their favourites though...

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

I mean there's Schumacher of course, but he doesn't count, everybody thinks he's a dick.

No and I don't get it either!!

Half the posts here are people saying "i hate driver x for this reason".

It hardly makes their opinions on any issue more credible.

Maybe there's an underlying bitterness in people towards the fortunate.

Quote from sinbad :

Maybe there's an underlying bitterness in people towards the fortunate.

You could say that again. The only drivers I dislike are those that act like nobs ON the track. Doing acts of extreme blocking or ramming and such.

If i have to choose between likebility of Hamilton and Vettel, i choose Hamilton..

Quote from sinbad :

No and I don't get it either!!

Half the posts here are people saying "i hate driver x for this reason".

It hardly makes their opinions on any issue more credible.

Maybe there's an underlying bitterness in people towards the fortunate.

F1 is entertainment. A lot of people need it to be like a pantomime before they can really enjoy it. They get more out of it if they project characteristics onto the main players - baddy, goody, idiot, lousy cheat, comedy relief etc. (wrestling really works this dynamic to the max).
Unfortunately a lot of folks get a bit too into it and start to believe that they really know these people and that the character traits they have projected are true to life.
When it can get silly is when folks get together on a forum and discover that other people have different ideas about who plays which character. That challenges their own little fantasy and threatens to spoil their enjoyment. Things can get really heated as they all fight to defend their own version of the pantomime.

I can't understand why so many people hate Hamilton - they can't possibly know what he is like as a person but they seem to really hate him - sure, I get a certain schadenfreude in seeing him bested by Button, but not because I hate him, I would have probably had a similar enjoyment seeing him destroy Button if that had happened. I would love it if either of them were to win the championship.
Personally, I think all the top drivers are great. I have my heroes and villains, but always respect them for what they achieve. Guys like Senna, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton, Button have earned respect, and anyone who follows F1 and doesn't respect them for what they have achieved is an idiot.
Even the also-rans should have massive respect from all of us - they put their lives on the line in second rate equipment with no chance of victory for our entertainment.

cheers

Col

/thread.

sig worthy.

Quote from DevilDare :

Same here. I support McLaren, and yes I prefer when they win, but I don't hate other teams / drivers and I certainly don't get a hissy fit when they come out at top.

Actually I forgot how much I enjoy seeing Ferrari struggle. Whoops, there goes my whole point...

If I 'support' any F1 team it's Williams, always like to see them do well, but I'm happy so long as Ferrari are struggling. Same way I don't really mind who wins the premier league so long as it isn't Man United.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

I mean there's Schumacher of course, but he doesn't count, everybody thinks he's a dick.

Nope. And I disagree that "everybody thinks [Schumacher] is a dick" (although I preferred Hakkinen back in the days).

Folks just need to remember that these are elite-level racing drivers with egos many times the size of normal people, in an extremely competitive environment, heavily scrutinised by all and sundry, and many are very young with very limited or sheltered life experience. Their behaviour is understandable, even if not excusable.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Am I the only person here who doesn't completely despise one or more F1 drivers?

Does having a constant level of contempt which applies to the human population in general count or can the detection algorithm's threshold be tweaked and only spikes are taken in consideration?

Schumacher is in his mid-40s and still racing F1. On top of that his ego isn't so large that he won't still go back to karting and race with the 'locals'. He even gets beat, but that doesn't bother him. I would consider Schumacher as one of the drivers with the least ego. Put his reputation on the line his his mid-40s. Not many other drivers would do that.

Quote from col :

...they put their lives on the line in second rate equipment with no chance of victory for our entertainment.

Nice speech!

Quote from col :

[...]they put their lives on the line in second rate equipment with no chance of victory for our entertainment.

Right, but this quoted bit is a bit harsh, because they have quite some fun doing so. After all they wanted to race in the highest, most professional and competitive class of (european) motorsport with in the fastest and safest cars. Their second rate equipment is not faulty or anymore unsave than the material of the top teams... just not as competitive.

Quote from JazzOn :

Right, but this quoted bit is a bit harsh, because they have quite some fun doing so.

Are you saying we shouldn't respect them unless they are miserable ? .
I totally agree that they do it because they want to and enjoy it. Doesn't change the fact that they deserve our respect - it's still extremely skillful, physically demanding, and very dangerous, not to mention the achievement of just getting on the grid (even for the 'pay' drivers).

Quote from col :

Are you saying we shouldn't respect them unless they are miserable ? .

I see what you doing there. You're trying a Blueflame/Intrepid on me and i'm not gonna answer it

Quote from Intrepid :

Schumacher is in his mid-40s and still racing F1. On top of that his ego isn't so large that he won't still go back to karting and race with the 'locals'. He even gets beat, but that doesn't bother him. I would consider Schumacher as one of the drivers with the least ego. Put his reputation on the line his his mid-40s. Not many other drivers would do that.

NOW he has a low ego because he's satistically the bestever F1 driver.

Although a few of his F1 championship achievements were through underhanded events non-the-less.

Within Michael he must think he's a prophet or some kind, being humble to win back popularity IMO. Nevertheless some of the championships were won on merit but the best drivers win everything they have won on merit. Not on scandal or cheating.

Quote from BlueFlame :

NOW he has a low ego because he's satistically the bestever F1 driver.

Although a few of his F1 championship achievements were through underhanded events non-the-less.

Within Michael he must think he's a prophet or some kind, being humble to win back popularity IMO. Nevertheless some of the championships were won on merit but the best drivers win everything they have won on merit. Not on scandal or cheating.

You're saying that because Shumacher was willing to do anything to win he's not one of the best drivers ever? Besides, what does winning on merit mean to you? Because all the cars are different and especially in the past the cars broke down quite often, it has never been certain that any driver ''deserved'' to win the championship they won. What's important is that they won. Schumacher has won the championship more times than anyone else and is undisputedly the most achieved driver ever. To me that's the same as the best driver ever. Don't get me wrong, during his reign I never liked some of his actions and rooted for Villneuve, Häkkinen, etc. but I respect Schumacher and would place him as the best driver ever to be in the F1.

Yes, Schumacher might have won one championship by mild cheating, but how does that make him any less driver in the rest championships that he won fairly. He still won 6 championships fairly and that's more than anyone else in the world.

Michael Schumacher has almost twice the amount of race victories (and fastest laps btw.) than the second best driver in number of victories. Do you think he won half of his victories by cheating?

I don't know if you've ever played any sports, but in all sports it's winning that counts, not the way you achieve it. There are rules and referees (in F1 the stewards) who watch that the rules are put to action. The team and driver who win the championship have been the best according to the rules. Period.

I think the fact that Schumacher is still in F1 shows that he loves to race even if he's not realistically fighting for the victories. When Häkkinen quit, he moved to DTM after a while 'cause he couldn't let go of racing. It's the same with Schumacher, only that he's still capable of driving a F1 car very fast.

Great post, Juzaa. I agree with everything you said.