[NeilP]

Okay as I am a relative newcomer to the board I was thinking the other day (I do actually take the old Gray matter out for a walk occasionally) just who do you follow in F1?  Are you a team person (like Forza) or do you follow a specific driver or a few of them? Or maybe do you do a bit of both and even more extreme maybe you just love the sport and do not really follow any individual driver or team.

Obviously personally speaking I have gathered who you follow from a few of you but I would be interested to see it in Black and White so to speak and maybe take it back some years and in my case quite a few of them to who you have followed in your day.

I have watched F1 for many years, mainly from the 1970's onwards. I am not very knowledgeable as to its history and certainly not its technology.  For my part I have always supported British drivers whoever they raced for.  I have admired many, hated very few but respect all of them. F1 has always been behind my love of Cricket, American Football ( I do live in the States as my major home) and soccer. I am pretty much done with soccer its not the game I loved, played and remembered fondly in my younger days.

I was a huge Nigel Mansell fan, was gutted when he left and I did follow him into Indy Car which in those days back then was live on I think one of the Euro Sport channels.  Admired and always have kind of followed Williams but I must admit my fanhood waned long ago.

I am not ashamed to admit my biggest fan support is for Lewis Hamilton, mainly because he is a Brit and I also admire the way he came into F1 from such humble beginning.  I appreciate he is a devisive personality. I kind of follow Mercedes because he races for them, I like Wolff and I like Mercedes road cars. Other than that I still will get behind every British driver who races and I dont care who they race for ( I will even tolerate Red Bull!!!)

Historically I loved Hunt and Lauda their battles were great.  The Prost vs Senna era was amazing. As I age I realise its a waste of time comparing era to era because they are not a level enough playing field. That said I am certain if Senna were alive and young enough to race he would still be right up there in these modern day rocket ships! I think I probably rate him as in my eyes the best of the best.  Michael Schumacher was another amazing guy I just never warmed to him for some reason but he is absolutely up there with Senna in my eyes.

There you go, will be interested to see some more replies and I apologise if this has been done before. Roll on the weekend and we can get into more heated debate and start beating up on each other again, especially Forza!!!

[morini]

Very brief synopsis from my perspective:

As you know, I'm farly drivern by patriotism.

76 James Hunt - probably where I first started to follow McLaren as an early teenager, though I'd started watching F1 a good few years earlier.

Then in 1980 Alan Jones won the WDC for Williams and I think it was at that point I switched from being completely / blindly McLaren biased to generally wanting all Brit teams to do well. Also in the 80's I changed my opinion on Lauda. Even though I was very anti Lauda in the 70's he became one of my most respected drivers over time. Did it for both Ferrari and Mclaren which makes me and Forza almost blood brothers! (hahah, I'm joking Forza).

Big Nige fan, goes without saying. Nobody worked harder for a WDC.

Obviously Senna, who I consider to be the best the sport has seen, regardless of results and history books. Taken far too soon at Imola in 1994. I cried during the aftermath of that race, ask my wife. Before that Senna reinforced my love for McLaren, the Prost / Senna era was genuinely epic.

90's I was behind Damon and Williams 100%. Damon was a very good driver, but he wasn't a great (in my books). Put all my positive energy behind DC after Damon left the scene, but DC didn't really have all the stars align for him. He's one of the nicer ex racer pundits though (again, in my opinion).

Remember seeing Hamilton on telly racing a remote control car at the end of the 90's (IIRC), heard great things about him in carts a couple years later then hs F2 perfomances caught everybodys eye. I've been a fan ever since. I was a bit surprised McLaren gave him his chance in 2007 and the rest, as they say, is history. All the online bitterness and bile can't detract from the fact that the bloke is a special talent. I could spout on for ages about why he's special, but I know it's a pointless waste of time with this audience

Team wise though, McLaren I will always consider to be "my team". That said, I'll jump up and down of the sofa and shout for all the British teams (Mercedes included ). Ferrari are the enemy!

[Antilochos]

Well, I give it a go.

Overall I don't have a certain preference for a team or driver. I do appreciatie certain teams and drivers more than others, but I'm not the type of person that could be a "fan" or "supporter" (yes, I'm a selfish, nihilistic bastard, lazy as well).
Also, I couldn't care less for any form of chauvinism or nationalism.

Still, there are some teams and drivers that get my attention a bit more than others.

Teams
I'm probably the last of a dying bread on this forum when I say I like Red Bull. Think it is a bold team, it seems like the people there have a lot of passion and have fun doing their job. As a non-works team, they give the works teams a run for their money and still have enough bravado to say f*ck you to engine manufactures (or are just arrogant, but I like it that they create some wrinkles in the water). Also, they take their changes with young drivers, something that deserves some appreciatie. And to be honest, giving us drivers like Vettel, Ricciardo and Verstappen, how can you not admit that they are doing something right?

Ferrari is a classic and I think they are the embodiment of F1. Beautiful cars, always fighting for the championship (although they get a different treatment then others) and just...F1. All top drivers want to drive for Ferrari at least at one stage in their career and I understand why.
Also, as a silly kid I started watching F1 when Senna died (the reaction on this by my father caught my attention and I start watching, just like that). At that young age I thought I had to be a fan of some driver and secretly I was a Schumacher fan (he was not popular in my environment). We all know how Ferrari and Schumacher did their thing in this sport and therefor I will always have a soft spot for those red cars.

Mercedes is a team that is just so strong. The engineering here is beautiful. They are so dominant, I have to give them credit for that. And they are boring, like a real German team suppose to be. I like that in them. Mercedes, a beautiful brand an beautiful F1 team.

Force India, just like them as the small kid playing with the big kids. And the pink? Think it is genius.

The rest of the teams, well I wish them all the best. McLaren seems to be at a point that someone has to take them out of their misery.

Drivers
Let's start with Verstappen. That kid really has grown on me, like a fungus. When he first was brought in into F1, he was barely 17 or something with just a fraction of the experience in one seated racing cars compared to the normal F1 drivers. How could I not think it was a overhyped teenager? But the kid was good, he ís good. To be honest, beside he is very good and fast, he has a very exiting style of driving. Bold and arrogant, surprising and entertaining. A good match for Red Bull. Love that raw style. For the fans of racing, he is one of the best drivers to have on that grid.
Still don't like Verstappen as a person, he acts like a prick a lot of the time, very high level of cringe. But than again, I probably was acting like a prick as well at that age (or might still do). As a driver, I think he is great.

Vettel. Again I will be the one that needs to give the minority on this forum a voice I think. Who likes Vettel? I do. I think he is a great driver, I really believe he is a better driver than is nemesis Hamilton when it comes to real racing in all its aspects, not just going fast on a clean track. Yes, he acts like a jerk sometimes on track, but I want some colour in drivers. Who wants the perfect son in law driving out there? No, Vettel might not be a Schumacher (like Vettel wants to be), but he is one of the great of his time. At least I think so. He even seems like a nice guy in interviews. I mean, he is not a princess like some others...

Magnussen is a wild one and I like that. Glad he is performing well this year. He looks like a guy with nothing to loose and with that he gives us some controversial actions. What would F1 be without the controversial incidents? I tell you, boring as f*ck!

Hulkenberg is a driver I wish all the best, but don't know why. That is all I can say about The Hulk...


The rest of the drivers; good luck and keep entertaining us (I save you the load of crap I could spill on some of those guys…).

[PapaofGags]

For my part I have always supported British drivers whoever they raced for. 

I was a huge Nigel Mansell fan,

I am not ashamed to admit my biggest fan support is for Lewis Hamilton, mainly because he is a Brit,
Historically I loved Hunt and Lauda their battles were great.  The Prost vs Senna era was amazing.

As you know, I'm farly drivern by patriotism.

76 James Hunt - probably where I first started to follow McLaren as an early teenage,

I changed my opinion on Lauda. Even though I was very anti Lauda in the 70's he became one of my most respected drivers over time. Did it for both Ferrari and McLaren,

Big Nige fan, goes without saying. Nobody worked harder for a WDC.

Obviously Senna, who I consider to be the best the sport has seen, regardless of results and history books. Taken far too soon at Imola in 1994. I cried during the aftermath of that race, ask my wife.

All the online bitterness and bile can't detract from the fact that the bloke is a special talent. I could spout on for ages about why he's special, but I know it's a pointless waste of time with this audience

That said, I'll jump up and down of the sofa and shout for all the British teams (Mercedes included ).

Ferrari are the enemy!

Starting to think we're all about the same age, quick I am lol, I'm the same started with Hunt, Prost & Senna will stay with me forever, some of my favourite memory's, I was such a huge Mansell fan & was lucky enough to see him almost every year from 86 to 92, everyone else was saving to go on holiday's, I was saving to got to the British GP's, I was never sure about Damon until he proved me wrong at Hungary in '97, what a drive in an average car, then after supporting "all the Brits" no matter how crap/average/good or great they were, then I/we were lucky enough to have a driver of Lewis's caliber, as for teams I have liked most over the years, I even supported the red team '89/90 following "our Nige", still haven't fully got over that!

I know some fans support teams others drivers & both think the other set of fans have got it wrong!

The truth is I love the sport, I like most drivers & most teams, obviously as another patriotic bloke I have a soft spot for all the British drivers & teams.

Quote Morini "Obviously Senna, who I consider to be the best the sport has seen, regardless of results and history books. Taken far too soon at Imola in 1994. I cried during the aftermath of that race, ask my wife."


You were not alone my friend, beyond Family members I have never cried at a sad loss, millions of us from all over the world cried that day.

[morini]

I was never sure about Damon until he proved me wrong at Hungary in '97

That Arrows was a pooch and he almost got a win out of it. Fair play to him.

Not sure what Frank was thinking getting rid of Damon without letting him have a go at defending his title. I remember feeling quite irritated about that decision!

[PapaofGags]

Not sure what Frank was thinking getting rid of Damon without letting him have a go at defending his title. I remember feeling quite irritated about that decision!

If I remember rightly he had history for it, Piquet, (not a fan of his) Nigel & Damon all suffered the same fate, kinda smell's like "its not the drivers, its my car" wish life hadn't been cruel to him but I never warmed to Frank Williams.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

That said, I'll jump up and down of the sofa and shout for all the British teams (Mercedes included ).

Great to finally have you onboard Morini, pretty sure Enstone is in Oxfordshire, lol

[Monster Hesh]

Good topic!

I always say I stopped watching F1 after such Ferrari and Schumacher domination, but as I 'member I didn't really "watch" it. My dad had it on so the noise filled the house or the garden, maybe I sat down to watch I don't know. I'd mimic my father (as kids do, or did) and support whoever he was supporting which was Mansell and Hill I guess.

I only kept brief touch with the sport really, through school and uni, but not really caring. Only came back to the sport in 2010 when a work colleague invited me to play the fantasy league. Even then, I'd only have the race on in the back ground while I was committing genocide in which ever FPS I was nailing at the time.

The fantasy league massively accelerated my interest in the following season. I only just lost the first year and Monster Hesh doesn't loose. So come 2011 I found out just what detail there was in the sport. I found the practice sessions, which then on the BBC had Crofty, Ant and Ted and they were just a joy to listen to, and those sessions quickly became the best part of the weekend for me. They improved my insight in the sport but more in the design of the cars, which is where my main interest is. 2011 ofc being RedBulls dominant year led by their main man, Adrian Newey. That cars aero coupled with the double diffuser was just pinnacle. He is who I admire most in the most, and was disappointed when he announced he was taking a back seat from the car designs. But, he's more involved again now and its great to see.

It was really only from this point that I started to develop favouritism for participants. I'm not massively patriotic in this sport but when Lewis and Jenson were both driving for McLaren, a full British line up I couldn't help but support them. I sided with Lewis as well, he was the better really, and my brother supported him massively, and because their merch didn't have a neutral I have a Lewis Vodafone baseball cap.

Im not a driver supporter, but I was supporting Lewis until he got his second WDC, I don't like repeat winners but I missed his first WDC in 2008 so I wanted to see him get one, it really was a case of "get rid of Nicole Lewis if you want another WDC", he did he won. Now I take on the British ethos of supporting the underdog, or whoever is in my fantasy team.

So it was during this time McLaren became the team I support. History doesn't really bare any interest for me, I really am all about now because of the tech of the cars and the sport in general. They are very much the underdog right now, so the perfect team for me to continue supporting.

[morini]

Great to finally have you onboard Morini, pretty sure Enstone is in Oxfordshire, lol

Never had any gripe with the fine people there Fog, but I'll fess up and say my memories are tainted by the fact that my two least favourite WDC's had success there. Schumacher with Benetton and Whingenado with Renault. Plus I never liked Flavio Briatore, slimebag of a bloke if ever there was one. In my eyes he's a cheat. Theres runing close to the rule book and then theres blatent cheating. Unfortunately it's the teams who bear those scars.

Apart from that, it's all good!

[LotusLover]

Nice topic Neil, kind of clears the air ?, happy to participate.

My first memories really were going round my uncles in the early 80s and he would have it on the tv so I would pester him with questions but luckily he would oblidge me. First race I properly watched was in 82 and I think if memory serves it was Gerhard Beger in the Brabham BMW. I didn’t really have a favourite driver, I just liked the cars. As time went in I would watch Schumacher in the Benetton and he was young and thrusting a clear world champion in the making! I followed a bit then quite like Monster I got fed up of seeing him win and saw some unsavoury moments (Damon Hill). I really enjoyed the championships between him and Hakkinen who was also incredibly quick in the Mclaren.
My interest in the sport wavered as I joined Army so was not able to watch so much, When Kimi came along I was impressed with his natural speed and he had some great battles in a season with MS. I never went for a team collectively but later on I really liked the renewed Lotus Renault and was pleased to see Kimi do a comeback. When Vettel came in the Torro Rosso he reminded me of young Schumacher and I said he would be a World champion and he did it. I never liked Lewis from the off and thought in my own opinion he drove badly in 2008 Brazil and scraped a WDC so dislike grew from there. I always preferred a underdog in terms of WDC and again even though I liked Seb hated the dominance of RBR. Alonso was fresh in 2003 and could see his talent but was never a massive fan. I think if I’m honest I just enjoy a good race wherever it is on the track and if it’s close then all the better. Anyway we all have our preferences but I still love a bit of racing although for me these days it’s the start that is most exciting then it tempers out usually although of late SC seems to make a race more interesting. Currently I want Kimi to beat Seb but Ferrari to beat Mercedes. Roll on Spa my favourite track