Why do you support the team that you do? [Archive]

93VTEC

27th March 2007, 15:24

Do you support the team, because of the manufacturer, or the driver.? Why?

See there isn't a single lad on the current grid that stands above the rest to me. For some perhaps their loyalty is based on nationality. Perhaps you drive the car of one of the manufacturers and like their philosophy, or simply their cars.

I'd just like to get a general view of the reasons for supporting a driver or a manufacturer.

I support Honda, because I like their passion and dedication to motorsports, I like the philosophy and I love their cars. As a manufacturer Honda is committed to making inherently environmentally unfriendly (cars) as environmentally friendly as possible. Honda simply refuses to make an engine bigger than 6 cylinders, as a matter of fact, they keep trying to make them smaller more fuel efficient and even completely carbon fuel free.

Personally I could never support a team like Ferrari. Sure they make nice cars, but they are overpriced, unfriendly to the regular Joe and the environment. So If I can never own one, and I know that it isn't good for the general good, I don't care for their driver. Why would you support a team like that. On top of it all, they still use tobacco money to run their team. IMHO completely wrong in this day and age.

ottostreet

27th March 2007, 15:57

well, i started watching f1 at the start of the 1999 season, and right from day 1, i supported mika hakkinen & the mclaren team. when hakkinen retired, i had no reason to switch as his heir apparent raikkonen took over his seat and appeared to have even more raw talent than mika did. my feelings of pride in "my boys" at mclaren grew over the years. i loved the cars, the fact that mclaren existed solely to go racing, and push the boundaries of what a car can do. this is basically the exact opposite of your opinion, as i dont like honda at all any more, since they started being all eco-friendly and stuff, since that isnt what this sport is about at all. however, this year im in a dilemma. ferrari have to me for years been "the enemy", yet my driver has gone and joined them and apparently is a lot happier there. mclaren have gone and got themselves a very talented, but unlikeable set of drivers, and my feelings of them being "family" are dying. they are not the "west mclaren mercedes" team that i started off supporting any more, so really, im having no real problems changing over to ferrari, as they are no longer the same ferrari team that existed in 99/00, if you know what i mean. i suppose what im trying to say is i dont really support any one team. i support drivers, and individual teams at individual times that suit me. for instance, i liked sauber, and i now like bmw as they didnt fundamentally change the team, just added on to it, while toro roso are not quite as likeable as minardi. so in other words, i supported the west mclaren mercedes team of 1999-2006, and i support ferrari from 2007-whenever i feel that they are not the same ferrari any more.

jens

27th March 2007, 20:43

Probably many or at least some can't understand, why am I supporting Toyota (what? who?). As some acquiantances and friends have asked me: "Why on earth Toyota? They are losers!" Btw, I haven't noticed anyone else walking around with a Toyota cap. :p :

1) For some reason I have always liked Toyota as a car manufacturer and I really don't know an exact answer to that phenomenon. I also supported them in WRC. Such likings come from early youth and are often inexplicable. Maybe their nice logo? :p : Maybe that they are the leading Japanese car manufacturer, who has led Japan to the top of world car manufacturers? (and I like Japanese. Why? - that's another story...)

2) I liked to see them building up a team from zero - what can they do and how much time will it take to make it to the top? That's a lot more interesting variant than buying another team, who has previosly been at least a midfielder. Also newcomers have always been sympathetic to me. Also with their huge budget I hoped at the beginning that as the trio of Ferrari, McLaren and Williams has been a major force in F1 for two decades, and always seeing only them at the top became a bit boring, then Toyota (Renault was another hope at that time) may create some change at the top, although that hope is gradually disappearing... After scoring 2 points in 3 races I remember that many people liked Toyota for their passion and "Japanese attitude" for doing silently their thing and already beating several more experienced "overhyped" teams (Jaguar, BAR) - they were expected to have a great future. I'm only one of the very few, who hasn't let them down since them...

3) And of course Trulli. In 2002-2004 I had some kind of "passive" support for Toyota - about the same as the likes of Prost, Arrows, Sauber, Jaguar, etc. "Underdogs" have always been sympathetic to me and it's nice to see them doing well and creating some mess at the top. But yeah - wherever Trulli drives, that team automatically rises to top for me. When Jarno leaves the team, then probably Toyota wouldn't be the same for me any more...

I'm tired at the moment and therefore I'm skipping telling my memoires about Trulli, Ferrari, etc at the moment. :)

Ian McC

27th March 2007, 21:28

Don't support teams, just drivers though I have found it a little difficult to deal with Kimi in red :eek:

Brown, Jon Brow

27th March 2007, 21:39

I've always liked McLaren over Ferrari. Maybe because Ferrarri had a German driver and Mclaren had a Brit. So I like to think I go for the nationality of the teams drivers.

Out of the teams with brits I want Honda to win. I admire them as the only Japanese manufacture that designs cars with a soul.

jas123f1

28th March 2007, 01:01

The question is - which one you support more a team or a driver you like. For me it's a driver (and the team who supports "my" driver). That's easy for me, so when Kimi went to Ferrari - so did I and it was even easier because I like Massa too.

Gannex

28th March 2007, 02:25

For me, I support the team not the driver. My team is Williams and usually I support our driver unless he isn't pulling his weight. Like Juan Pablo Montoya, for example. He didn't work hard for Williams and blamed us when things didn't go well. I could never support him after that. But Mark Webber I will always root for, because he was a professional, hard-working Williams driver. I have a totally team-centric view of the sport, I suppose, except when it comes to people like Michael Schumacher, who transcend team loyalties and even national loyalties. I revere him, as one of the F1 greats.

Rollo

28th March 2007, 02:56

I like to watch people who have come up through the ranks finally make it: Mika, Alonso, Lewis Hamilton.
I like watching drivers with actual personality:
Mansell, Hill, Eddie Irvine.
I like supreme masters at their work who go about it cooly:
Prost, Kimi, Pierluigi Martini

And I actively dislike people who use their cars as weapons:
Senna & Schumacher.

I also like cheering on teams with no hope at all:
Minardi, Ligier, Super Aguri Best Friends.

call_me_andrew

28th March 2007, 05:10

I support the manufacturers. But since Ford and Cosworth are gone, I just support whoever can help my fantasy racing.

And if I could, I'd replace all the drivers with robots.

Hawkmoon

28th March 2007, 05:41

For me, the driver is immaterial. The team is the only thing that is important. I have supported Ferrari for nearly 20 years and through them I have supported about a dozen different drivers. When a driver leaves Ferrari, I no longer support him. Which is why a was glad Schumi retired a Ferrari driver as he was a special case.

jarrambide

28th March 2007, 06:00

I have always been a McLaren guy, why?, I don´t know, why do people support Football teams even if some of them loose and loose and loose?, up to this day I just don´t know, when I was a kid I just became a Mclaren guy, been a Mclaren guy since, not even the fact a Spaniard is driving for them has change my allegiance. Gora McLaren!

Priorat

28th March 2007, 07:05

I always supported Lotus because they did the most incredible innovations, and when Senna joined Lotus it was the perfect combination. After Lotus F1 disappeared, I always followed the team where Adrian Newey was designing (Leyton House, Williams, McLaren and now Red Bull). So I'm glad that he left McLaren before that Spaniard arrived to the team.

pino

28th March 2007, 07:13

Being italian, I've always supported Ferrari, not matter who the drivers are, and i have a special eye for the team Jarno's driving for :D

harsha

28th March 2007, 07:55

i've always supported mclaren,it wouldn't make a difference whether KR is in mclaren or in ferrari,i will always support mclaren and it's drivers

F1boat

28th March 2007, 08:30

Well, my preferences change due to the fact whether I like the current team or not. For example I supported Hakkinen and disliked Shumacher, then Shumacher and Ferrari won my admirance and Mclaren became very unpleasant to me with their attitude. Two years ago, I supported Alonso and Renault and hated McLaren and poor Kimi, last year I contnued to dislike Mclaren, was torn between Ferrari and Renault until Alonso made some ugly comments about Ferrari, Shumacher and later his own team.
So now I support Kimi and Ferrari.

leopard

28th March 2007, 09:05

Different mood for each different season :)

I have nothing to do with the teams since they are nowhere based team where I am living, and although I drive a Honda they currently aren’t yet a winning car to make my dream come true besides their idea running such confusing car how to draw the map.

I do support all those big and best looking teams consistently challenging the title such as Ferrari, McLaren, and BMW (Williams). Naturally I will give more support to the weakest one of them to beat the stronger.
As such, I will give special support to the weakest driver from those big teams.

From the first race and pre-season testing, the above teams vary one another to be the fastest, terefore for the hero of this year my vote goes to those more unpopular like: Felippe Massa, Robert Kubica, and Lewis Hamilton.

They aren't main WDC material, but they can give a really mean challenge for the title :)

CarlMetro

28th March 2007, 11:23

For me it has always been about the team, not the driver. It must be around 1977 when I first started watching F1 (yes, I know I'm old) with my first real memory being that of Reuterman and Lauda driving the awesome sounding 312T2B. I loved the colours of it but the sound of the flat 12 was something else, no other car sounded that good.

From then on I was hooked, Lauda quit, to be replaced by the "all or nothing" Villenueve, who was then paired with Scheckter and my dad brought me my first Ferrari cap. The rest is history as they say.

I have always supported the drivers who come to ferrari but once they leave, I am no longer interested in them. Many drivers see a seat at Ferrari a great honor but those who leave and go to other teams disrespect that honor. Like others I was glad that Michael retired rather than moving to another because, even though the team is always my main focus, it woukld have been very hard to see someone who achieved so much for Ferrari move elsewhere.

ioan

28th March 2007, 12:04

Always supported Ferrari because of their motor sport oriented philosophy that you can find in the details of all their cars.
No matter the drivers it was always Ferrari. There was only one exception M. Schumacher, and like Hawkmoon and CarlMetro already pointed out, I was laso relieved that he finished his career at Ferrari.

Donney

28th March 2007, 12:57

Teams: Ferrari, for several reasons. First they are in the game since day one not like others who come and go depending on the money they can make from it. Second they are a real manufacturer and make their own cars I could (I wish) buy a Ferrari and see some connection to motorsport. Third they are loyal to their colours, always red no matter who pays their fees. Fourth they have gone through good and bad times and never quit, more or less like Williams but luckier. Fifth most of the drivers agree it is an honour to drive for the prancing horse and as we say in Spain (Roughly translated): There's got to be something about water when they bless it.

If not Ferrari the poor teams such as Minardi, this year it will be Spyker.

Drivers: To me it has always been a Ferrari driver or a newcomer who looks like the real thing, nowadays and based on nationality reasons Alonso. Besides I have learnt thanks to Schumacher that it does not really matter if you are nice or not, good drivers are there to win and I pay more attention to that than to other factors.

raphael123

28th March 2007, 13:09

I don't think moving to another team after driving for Ferrari is being disrespectful. Quite an ignorant way to look at things.

I don't support a particular team, I prefer the driver, and I tend to favour the team they drive for. However there are 2 teams I've always appreciated and liked. That's Williams and McLaren. However since Sam Michael has taken over Williams, my fondness for them has died down.

I always enjoy seeing McLaren do well.

At the moment I don't have any particular favourite driver. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of anyone. I hope we get to see more of Alonso's personality this year in the way we did last year, and I hope he doesn't become a mute like Montoya did when he moved there!

ShiftingGears

28th March 2007, 14:00

I'm not a fanatic, but I highly respect Williams. One of the teams that aren't in formula one to sell a product, but instead in F1 for the love of racing in F1. A real battling team.
Generally I'm more of a driver fan, I'm barracking on Ferrari this year due to Raikkonen (I never liked Schumacher). I like the driver lineup for McLaren this year also.
My favourite F1 team ever (based purely on the F1 cars they made) would have to be Lotus. Very innovative, bold designs and also produced some of the most beautiful cars ever in F1.

Valve Bounce

28th March 2007, 14:23

I like Super Aguri because the ant drives for them now. :)

28th March 2007, 14:55

CarlMetro

28th March 2007, 19:32

I don't think moving to another team after driving for Ferrari is being disrespectful. Quite an ignorant way to look at things.

That is because, as you admit, you support a driver, not a team.

wedge

28th March 2007, 22:27

Don't really have a favourite team or driver. I would regard myself as a neutral with a bias towards the 'special ones' because I highly respect their superior talents.

Valve Bounce

28th March 2007, 22:34

Don't really have a favourite team or driver. I would regard myself as a neutral with a bias towards the 'special ones' because I highly respect their superior talents.

Not long before ant comes into your list, mark my words.

futuretiger9

28th March 2007, 22:57

I support McLaren for several reasons. The affection for what Bruce McLaren started and nurtured, the memories of the exploits of James Hunt in the 1970s, and an admiration for the ethos and winning mentality introduced by Ron Dennis and his associates.

waitey

29th March 2007, 03:58

Have always supported ferrari since i was 5 or 6 years old at my first australian grand prix in melbourne 1996. Something about their loyalty and passion just made me like them. I have also been an absolutely huge schumacher fan since 1996 and now that hes gone i will still support ferrari because i also love them, but its made me realise over the years as they went on i think schumacher became more important to me and therefore i dont just support ferrari now.

Ever since the start of last year when BMW came in i liked them. I think they are a professional outfit which will keep improving and be fighting for wins soon whether its this year or next year. Also, i have been keeping a close look on Kubica for the past couple of years and i can very much say that now i think he would have to be my favourite driver, im a huge fan of him and also heidfeld and bmw.

So i think i still love ferrari the most, but BMW is very close behind, i don't know what i'll do if it turns out that BMW keep progressing and are fighting with ferrari. Because i like both kimi, massa, kubica and heidfeld.

Hawkmoon

29th March 2007, 05:12

Hawkmoon, are you me?

The only difference is I've supported Ferrari for 33 years.

Even if your not me, you are definitely Tifosi.

Well, last time I checked I was me. :)

I'm Tifosi, sure enough. My sons are coming along nicely too. They know those silver cars are the "bad ones". :D

jso1985

29th March 2007, 05:28

Been a McLaren since I started watching F1, reasons? I'm not sure, probably because when I was a little kid all I knew about F1 was Senna and his McLaren, when I started watching it, didn't like Schumacher at all and the Hakkinen-Blundell combo looked awesome to me!

No matters who drives for them. I'll support them.

raphael123

29th March 2007, 10:46

That is because, as you admit, you support a driver, not a team.

Yes I do. I still think it's ignorant to think moving teams is disrespectful to your previous teams. It's all dependent on an individual circumstance, depending on the stage of your career, your working relationship with the team, the competitiveness of the car and a million other factors.

I think the person who described moving teams after being at Ferrari being disrespectful isn't looking at the full pictures. They should be able to understand that is not always the case, though it could be in some situations.

ioan

29th March 2007, 11:21

Yes I do. I still think it's ignorant to think moving teams is disrespectful to your previous teams.

I don't think that those people, me included, who said they were relieved that MS retired from Ferrari thought that it would have been disrespectful. They just found it easier, because otherwise they should have had to support Ferrari (as they like the team the most in F1) and MS (who is an exception as a driver for them) driving for another team.
At least this is my case, I would find it difficult to support another team than Ferrari if MS drove for them.

raphael123

29th March 2007, 12:59

I don't think that those people, me included, who said they were relieved that MS retired from Ferrari thought that it would have been disrespectful. They just found it easier, because otherwise they should have had to support Ferrari (as they like the team the most in F1) and MS (who is an exception as a driver for them) driving for another team.
At least this is my case, I would find it difficult to support another team than Ferrari if MS drove for them.

I can completely understand that point of view :) That's not ignorance at all. I'd feel the exact same as you :)

My post was directed at CarlMetro who said "Many drivers see a seat at Ferrari a great honor but those who leave and go to other teams disrespect that honor". That's ignorant, a very narrow minded view to approach it, as I explained in my earlier post.

Addicted

29th March 2007, 15:11

I`m not really a fan of one certain team. I`m more like supporter of Räikkönen, not fanatic fan. Maybe this makes me Ferrari supporter also for few seasons.

From the past, for some reason Team Lotus was my favorite.

CarlMetro

29th March 2007, 18:38

My post was directed at CarlMetro who said "Many drivers see a seat at Ferrari a great honor but those who leave and go to other teams disrespect that honor". That's ignorant, a very narrow minded view to approach it, as I explained in my earlier post.

Narrow minded it may be but it is my personal viewpoint, I don't preach it to others nor force anyone to agree with me but I can guarentee you that there are many other Ferrari fans out there who would feel the same.

The only ignorance I see is yours about how passionate some people are towards a certain team.

raphael123

30th March 2007, 09:04

Narrow minded it may be but it is my personal viewpoint, I don't preach it to others nor force anyone to agree with me but I can guarentee you that there are many other Ferrari fans out there who would feel the same.

The only ignorance I see is yours about how passionate some people are towards a certain team.

No ignorance on my part I'm afraid, I can fully see how passionate some fans are. It's blatantly obvious the Ferrari fans are the most loyal and passionate fans in the world of motorsport. Just check out how many turn up on race day. Just because I can see why you think what you do, and where your coming from, shouldn't mean I can't say it's ignorance on your part to think any driver leaving your team on his choice is being disrespectful to your team. That my friend, is ignorance on your part, and the many other Ferrari fans out there who feel the same according to you :)

leopard

30th March 2007, 09:16

Have always supported ferrari since i was 5 or 6 years old at my first australian grand prix in melbourne 1996.

This sounds you have been falling in love with Ferrari at the first sight. :)

jens

10th April 2007, 20:03

Umm, some more comments from me.

Well, to me driver is not immaterial as it seems the case of some other persons here. Every driver with his personality and racing style has some kind of impact that at least I can't ignore. Some become likeable, others not. Can't do anything against it. :) Usually my "supporting level" is the sum of driver and team liking levels.

As for teams, then historically the least likeable teams for me have been McLaren and Williams - the archrivals of Ferrari. And that attitude came already before I started closely watching F1. In early childhood it really annoyed hearing everyone saying that McLaren and Williams are great and Ferrari sucks. That shaped my later attitudes. Although Williams has recently become more likeable to me as they are now a private team (therefore not a threat to titles) and also engaged with Toyota. But McLaren is again the main rival of Ferrari, so - no forgiving. :D Although compared to early years I'm not any more exactly "against" them, but more likely "neutral". Btw, Renault has been pretty likeable to me in spite of being Ferrari rival last year - probably because they have been a top contender only for a short time compared to Williams and McLaren.

And I also have a special feeling for departed Jordan team with its yellow cars. Started supporting them largely thanks to Trulli, but even after his departure the support for Jordan as a team basically even strengthened and I was really sad to see them falling so dramatically backwards. I miss Eddie and his yellow cars a bit and now only Renault has a car that reminds with its colours them a little. Although yeah - taking into account, how deeply crap the car was in last seasons, then probably selling the team was the best choice as there didn't seem to be any way to get out of the situation. And a nostalgic after-exclamation: Honda made a wrong decision preferring BAR after 2002. :D

Hayden Fan

10th April 2007, 21:45

Toro Rosso for one reason only, Scott Speed. Other than that I support drivers over teams.

ten-tenths

11th April 2007, 06:31

well i first started watching F1 around 1998, and i LOVED jordan and hill and even a bit of shumi jr. they were the underdogs that had just enough on certain occasions to stick it to the big boys. at the time i did not like maclaren (when they were winning everything) and i could not root for ferrari because of MS. i liked williams a bit. when jordan went extinct that was the end of rooting for teams and more for drivers. i rooted for drivers who showed guts, passion, and fearlessness (favorite all-time for me is G. (villeneuve). i loved montoya, that bonehead. he wasn't afraid of michael and some of his passes were awesome, but as we all know he didn't have a computer for a brain like michael and now he's gone. (i still can't believe he's in nascar). i liked sato when he was new and he wasn't afraid of going for it all, but we all know his skills didn't quite match his guts and now he seems to have lost his fire. oh well. for a long time i rooted for kimi, (montoya) and to a lesser extent alonso to beat MS, and i still root for those guys. its funny not having michael to kick around anymore. ah well..
go kimi!