Would you boo at an F1 race? (Video)
Schumacher and Barrichello were booed on the podium at Austria in 2002
Lewis Hamilton got an unsurprisingly hostile welcome from sections of the crowd at Valencia during last weekend’s European Grand Prix. (However there have been no reports of any repeat of the racist taunting directed at him in Spain earlier this year).
Hamilton’s not the first driver to have been the target of a hostile crowd either – see a video below of Fernando Alonso getting an earful from the Ferrari fans at Monza in 2006.
Fans booing players is a big thing in some sports – Kyle Busch gets booed in NASCAR and in football they even boo members of their own team for reasons I won’t pretend to understand. Would you boo anyone at an F1 race?
Here’s Fernando Alonso being booed by the Tifosi at Monza after retiring from the 2006 race:
Alonso was locked in a close battle with Michael Schumacher for the championship battle at the time.
I find that video a bit surprising because I went to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last year and sat in the very same stand, surrounded by Ferrari fans. But I never felt for a second that they were particularly hostile towards McLaren, Hamilton or Alonso, despite the championship situation and spygate rumbling on at the time.
Perhaps it was something to do with the fans who turned up? Perhaps Michael Schumacher inspired the wrong kind of F1 fanaticism? Or maybe they were jsut subdued because McLaren ran away with the race.
One of the most famous examples of F1 fans booing was at Austria in 2002:
On that occasion Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello was ordered to surrender his lead to Michael Schumacher, and did so within metres of the line.
Whatever team you’re supporting, the sight of an F1 race being fixed in such a blatant and unsporting way, especially if you’ve paid hundreds of pounds/euros/dollars to see it, is going to rankle.
I don’t think I’d be moved to boo a driver I didn’t like, but I probably would have joined in the booing on that day if I’d paid moeny to see that race. They were even booed by the press in the post-race conference.
Would you boo at an F1 race? Have you booed at an F1 driver? If so, who?
Brar said on 28th August 2008, 13:08
Senna was booed in Brazil when he spun off in practice 1, in his last Gp at home.
Schumacher, last career GP in Brazil, there was that apposite of boo, like a crowd futball ahh! every time he overlooked somebody or for something less then that in the race.
Scott Joslin said on 28th August 2008, 13:43
I take a lot of enjoyment from F1, the good and the bad times, espically towards whoever I am supporting as a team/driver.
I do see a lot of entertainment in the characters that F1 generates, they are our Hero’s and Villans, whic provoke emotion. I will admit I Boo (with my tongue in cheek) if my favourite driver has been beaten by his Nemesis, or if they have done something controversial, but only on those grounds. I have never boo’ed out of spite or for personality reasons. I admit to booing as I cheer as much for the winner, so for every emotion I experience there is an opposite should the result be round the other way. However when I am at a race I am more reserved as I am aware my behavior can influence others, and the world is watching me (well not just me)
If I was at Indy 2005 when the race was a mockery because of the tires, I would have booed the Fia for not reaching a sporting agreement to the problem, in order to make a statement.
Stealthman said on 28th August 2008, 13:50
@ James, post 13:
I am an “incumbent native” of Western Australia, but I do not take offence at your comments, as I share your view that AFL is bizarre. I’ve never liked it (now that’s bizarre! ;) ). But, if AFL wasn’t so “bizarre”, then maybe I wouldn’t have found F1! :D
verasaki said on 28th August 2008, 14:13
personally i wouldn’t, it just seems silly and why “boo” when you can rip them to shreds in the blogs and forums-right? however, i was in canada in ’98 or ’99 when schumacher came out of the pits and nearly took out frentzen. all three stands at turn 2 were full of fans booing michael–even the ferrari fans. that continued for a couple more laps every time michaal came around. it was pretty funny.
jay said on 28th August 2008, 14:25
i’ve read on other forums that in one stand people where making
monkey chants at a black man who was wearing a mclearn t-shirt.
i was at the race, but i only heard booing whenever hamilton came up on the screens.
but i did wonder what would have happened if he had won the race.
JamesT said on 28th August 2008, 15:02
I have been to many motorsport events, including three grand prix and countless tests, and I have never booed anybody.
Becken said on 28th August 2008, 15:12
Here in Brazil we are professional in the art of Boo. One of the gifts in been a Football nation!
When this is not enough, we, in fact the hooligans whom think Formula 1 is like football, throw tomatoes in the track, as it did in… I´can´t remember the year, but it was against Balestre after he almost not permit Senna to race in 1990.
What a shame…
Alonso, who is not very popular around here, was presented with some boo here last year!
Nick said on 28th August 2008, 16:18
I boo everytime Massa and Hamilton win because they always light fuel to get pole.
Chaz said on 28th August 2008, 16:20
I would not do this at a race. I am a Formula 1 fan and I enjoy good racing between all the drivers. I do tend towards certain drivers but enjoy good clean aggressive racing and am always keen on the folks lower down the grid joining podium whenever they can.
I’m just keen to know how long Alonso is contractually not allowed to say anything? When will the truth between Alonso and McLaren finally come out? F1 has too much politics but then its not surprising with the vast amounts of money at play.
amy said on 28th August 2008, 16:22
I booed with the Spanish crowd at hamilton when I went to Valencia and Barca. I am a huge Alonso and Ferrari supporter and whilst at Spain you just cant help it!
I have never booed anyone else at a grand prix though, generally I dont like booing people – it is just not nice.
Well actually thats not entirely true, I have no problem booing hamilton everytime he wins!
Loki said on 28th August 2008, 16:47
lol Amy, you sound exactly like someone I know.
I booed Hamilton when he could’ve crashed into the Kubica’s BMW as opposed to actually crashing into Kimi. But it was a no win situation for him, I would’ve booed him had he crashed into Kubica anyway.
Long term rival…championship rival? Long term rival…championship rival? Long term rival…champion-d’oh!!
(Yes, I know he didn’t mean it.)
AmericanTifosi said on 28th August 2008, 16:57
I don’t boo, I yell.
Jamin said on 28th August 2008, 18:16
I would have booed MS & RB in 2002. I remember saying they at least didn’t have to do it so dramatically right at the line like that if they were going to do it. I probably would have booed at the, i think, Indy event (not the tires one) where MS slowed right at the line so they could have the closest 1-2 finish ever and RB actually accidently ended up ahead and won the race. I was laughing at home, maybe I would have laughed there too. I think we already have a hard enough viewing F1
Jamin said on 28th August 2008, 18:19
…hard enough viewing F1 as an even playing field without the drivers and teams making a complete mockery of it. Those are the clips that make all the news channels and make F1 look silly.
Travis Rassat said on 28th August 2008, 18:36
I personally don’t feel that booing is very sportsmanlike. I always cheer for and support my favorites, always love to see the underdogs have some success, and will cheer a great maneuver by any driver. I always applaud the podium finishers as they receive their trophies, whether I like them or not. Whether it was that day, or in the many years of their career leading up to it, they worked hard to get where they are and earned it.
If I see something I don’t agree with, I just keep my mouth shut. that’s usually when you realize that everybody else in your section is a fan of the other driver involved, and you’re about to get beat!
What really makes me sick are the fans who seem to be into throwing things out on the track (one of the reasons I gave up watching NASCAR, as that has become quite commonplace there and nothing is being done about it). That is pathetic, and a great display of total ignorance and disrespect for the competitors and fans. Booing might hurt someone’s feelings, but a full beer thrown from the upper stands can could seriously hurt or kill someone.