This is the second part of my article relating my own experiences of being a Grand Prix fan and attempting to compare them with other fans of our beloved sport.
In this article, I explain how I became a complete Formula One fan and also, how the last few years have been odd, agonising and at times, simply just annoying. Hope you enjoy it.
2000: Schumacher's Breakthrough
The season 2000 was a tight one, with Hakkinen and Coulthard appearing as strong as ever, but the Ferrari act seemed to have come together finally. Michael Schumacher began winning with more frequency.
The Australian Grand Prix that year involved an odd occurence. Ralf Schumacher had been tagged by Jacques Villeneuve's BAR Honda and the Canadian and German had been sent flying into the air.
A marshal had been killed in the accident. I thought now that the drivers were so safe they could never die in an accident again, it was everyone else in danger now.
So Schumacher won the Championship. I thought he had to do it some time. I accepted 2000 as a painful necessity of statistics. Surely he had to wrap up at least one title at Ferrari?
Building Bitterness
But no, it was not to be a flash in the pan or a trick of sheer statistics. It was to be statistics rewritten. Schumacher won again, and again and again and AGAIN!
Slowly as I watched and the years advanced, tuning in to the Grand Prix filled me with an odd sensation.
As I watched the build up and remember the qualifying the day before, a feeling in my chest of immense apprehension built every race.
Whoever was the man who was Michael's rival, whether it be Hakkinen, Coulthard, Ralf or whoever I knew whilst simultaneously hoping otherwise, that they could not win. 2002 proved this more than any other year.
The races would begin, and it didn't matter where Michael Schumacher started, I just knew it! I knew he would find some way to the front!
Ron Dennis claims the first thing he feels on Mondays after a Grand Prix his cars did not win is pain, it was a similar feeling.
Williams, McLaren, Renault, Honda, to be honest I wasn't a proper fan (of course I was always McLaren) of any team, as long as they were going to trounce Ferrari. Their tactics and their forgiven infringements as well, burned up my temper.
Bitterness isn't really the word and it stays to this day. Escaping penalties for his aggressive driving against his brother in 2001 and 2002 and various other aspects of the Ferrari operation made me want to hate F1, but I couldn't because I loved it.
I don't know if anyone else experienced anything like this? All throughout the 2000's until 2004, I loathed Ferrari.
Closer races in 2003 brought the excitement level right back up after anti-Ferrari measures were employed. They made the races closer and Michael Schumacher still won.
I didn't mind as much, the man was beginning to look beatable. However, with Ferrari so dominant the previous year, I learned a trick for coping. Watching the lower teams.
In 2002, a driver arrived in F1 that was endlessly entertaining to watch and very likeable to the point where you willed him on even though he was really struggling. His name was Takuma Sato.
Cheering for the Underdog
17 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Billy Sexton 10 months ago
good article by the way steven :)
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steven stones 10 months ago
Cheers Billy, glad you could see what I was doing. But then of course you were here for part 1. Cheers for that!
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Ben Auty 10 months ago
Well done mate ... Enjoyed that little mini series ! 5 and a POTD
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steven stones 10 months ago
Thanks man, your vote is always well appreciated. Glad you enjoyed it. Any of it familiar or am I just a crack pot? hehe
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Ben Auty 10 months ago
Nah mate ... Was actually beginning to wonder if you stalked me through my teenage years ?
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mark andrew 10 months ago
For next year it looks like my new biggest hated driver; Fernando Alonso, may be switching to Ferrari. So it can be just like the old days.
That line above is just quality mate .
well written again and Takums disastorous year must go down in history , he was awful , but your right it was entertaining to watch .
5 * POTD mate .
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steven stones 10 months ago
Thanks Mark for both comments, agree with both. And yeah, I'd love to hate Ferrari with Alonso at the wheel. I don't really like the situation with him at Renault because I don't really have anything against Renault really and I feel almost sorry for Alonso struggling his little heart out in a car well above his abilities.
Yeah Takuma earned a place in my heart as a fan for sprucing up that 2002 season! Cheers again mate, appreciate that.
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Ed Smith 10 months ago
I'm the same! If I can't watch it live, I am a very unhappy bunny. I've even taken to having live timing on my laptop at the same time to see how Jenson's doing at the back. Great article!
(I'm a big fan of Schumacher-noone else has the same ability as him to win from anywhere. However, i'll admit he is occasionally a monumental cheat)
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steven stones 10 months ago
Nice one! I agree with you wholeheartedly Ed, same opinion on Schumacher different takes on it. He IS an awesome talent (the best the sport has seen) but he did stoop to the professional foul every now and then. Cheers for your comments, appreciate them.
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Stuart Baird 10 months ago
i am exacly the same. i missed the British GP for some family event on my fiance's side, and it still gets brought up in arguments!
i too am a huge fan of schumi. he was my driver for nearly 8 years. i had to choose between Mclaren who were british (and your supposed to support the brits if your a brit), and ferrari, who i kinda always wanted to suport. if i'd picked mclaren, id probably would have regreted it forever- may i add, that this was when mcalren won twice in 98 and 99, so its not that i was a glory hog!
i had a terrible time when he retired and raikonnen went to Ferrari cos he was a man with mclaren blood in his viens! the enemy! the opposite of steven's point about him being traitorous! he was joining my team!
but after a year, and a championship, ive been turned to a raikkonen fan.
and i depsise Hamilton. however, its no secret that Luca Di Montezemolo wants him on board a ferrari, some time in the future.....
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steven stones 10 months ago
Hehehe thanks for sharing this with us Stuart, exactly what I was looking for. It's interesting that Raikkonen should be targetted by both of us isnt it? One of us for leaving his team and joining the 'enemy' and the other for having been the 'enemy' and now driving in his team. Natural though I suppose.
In honesty, I would have no trouble not liking Hamilton if he switched to Ferrari, I don't really like him all that much as a fan, he is a good driver and he drives for Silver Arrows but if he switched then it wouldn't be as much of a blow as it was when Raikkonen left. Whisper it, but I really liked Kimi until he moved.
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Isuru Wakishta Arachchi 10 months ago
Hey steve, remember what happened last time your most hated driver switched to the most hated team... 5 titles!!! they say history repeats it self :lol
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steven stones 10 months ago
Hehe yeah your right but you know, I wonder if I really minded Schumacher winning all that time? It created a situation where I REALLY wanted him to get beat, unlike now where I don't really mind. It could be a good thing as a fan watching if Alonso goes to Ferrari and does a Schumacher.
Hmm, I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. Another Schumacher-like era? Alonso's good enough....I dunno. Thanks for your comments and that food for thought!
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Isuru Wakishta Arachchi 10 months ago
@steve: last time the most hated driver went to the most hated team, you did not have your most beloved driver in the most beloved team. so this time the stakes are high and you would enjoy or agonise it even more.
on the article, this was a very well written "personal view" and i think it's great.
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steven stones 10 months ago
Thank you very much. I agree, of course in truth the greater the feeling that you want a certain team or driver to win or be beaten it enhances the experience a little bit so, for now I say bring it on. I might not be saying that when Alonso is steam rollering the sport in a red car though!
Thanks for your comments.
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Stuart Baird 10 months ago
im not sure that Alonso would be straight on the pace if he went to ferrari. he hasnt quite got it at renault, but i do think he is doing better at renault now that hes back in the "groove".
watch this space for 09, maybe 2010.
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Saraswathi Siriginia 10 months ago
A wonderful article Steven.
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