A week after winning the world championship Sebastian Vettel enjoyed an enthusiastic welcome by fans in his home town of Heppenheim in Germany.
Those of you who aren’t keen on the famous finger of Vettel, best to look away now.
Sebastian Vettel in Heppenheim – video
Sebastian Vettel in Heppenheim – pictures
Read more: Sebastian Vettel becomes youngest ever F1 champion
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd November 2010, 6:35
I’ve never understood why people don’t like Vettel’s finger. A lot of drivers have their own idiosyncratic victory celebtrations, like Schumacher’s leap on the podium.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
23rd November 2010, 9:56
It’s oddly arrogant. I’m sure Vettel doesn’t mean it, but when you compare it to others’ it’s too far in that direction. Schumacher leaps for joy. Alonso has his in-joke with his friends and then takes a stance reminiscent of accepting plaudits. Hamilton acts like he’s won the lottery. None of these make any gesture that says “I’m Number One”. It’s like the others accept their coronation with joy whereas Vettel crowns himself.
Human psychology is a funny thing.
Mads
23rd November 2010, 9:58
Well if you cross the line first, or set the fastest lap you technically are number one.
TommyC
23rd November 2010, 9:58
don’t forget the webber fist!
xtophe (@xtophe)
23rd November 2010, 12:14
Or his insane jump :D
glue
23rd November 2010, 10:14
Alonso also has those orang-outang gestures with his hands, makes him look like a bloody caveman..and if Alonso isn’t arrogant, I don’t know who is
Icthyes (@icthyes)
23rd November 2010, 12:02
Is he arrogant in his celebrations though? No, he stands there like he’s saying “Thank you, thank you for your praise”. Others make gestures that say “I’ve done it, hooray!” Vettel acts like he’s saying “I’m Number One because I say so, not because you’ve declared me so.” Like I said, it’s a silly psychological thing but that’s how it works.
MJ4
23rd November 2010, 10:18
He turns the back of his hand towards you. The only other instance you see this from people is when they give you the finger. That’s why it seems arrogant (at least to me). Should he raise his index finger like anyone else does, I guess no-one would object to it.
kateafan
23rd November 2010, 17:23
Interesting point about the back of the hand being outwards the viewer… and TommyB’s pictures back that up, Webber and Button do a more conventional #1 gesture which appears less aggressive.
Maybe that’s what some people don’t like about it. Doesn’t really bother me, although it’s not exactly endearing, imo.
And certainly doesn’t take away from his success.
mvi
23rd November 2010, 22:48
I think you’re right, MJ4, about him turning the back of his hand towards you. It doesn’t help that he sometimes also jabs it forcefully upwards. Surely if he saw how it comes across in a video, he would change it quickly.
Fixy (@)
23rd November 2010, 14:59
That’s your opinion. Maybe he doesn’t mean to be arrogant. Everyone who wins deserves to be happy and tell everyone he won. Who wins is number 1. Everyone who wins deserves to be happy and tell everyone he is a number one.
kateafan
23rd November 2010, 18:07
Yes, I know it’s my opinion, I even said so but that’s the only thing any of us have.
I don’t think he does mean it to be arrogant… it’s just how in comes across to some people.
Calum
23rd November 2010, 16:03
Then there was the Kimi:| I have won a race :|, I won the title :| – actually it was a smile, but nothing overjoyous at the fact!
TommyB (@tommyb89)
23rd November 2010, 13:00
I really don’t see how celebrating a victory is arrogant.
A lot of other drivers have done the number one finger over time.
Jenson – http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/18/article-0-06DFA1E8000005DC-499_468x300.jpg
Lewis – http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/31/article-0-0707F859000005DC-630_306x518.jpg
Webber –
http://www.automobilsport.com/uploads/_neustart/00-formula1-2009/german-gp-mark-webber-first-pole.jpg
It’s a bit like doing a thumbs up but you are saying “I am number one.” And the fact is that Vettel is number one now.
DeadManWoking
23rd November 2010, 17:40
It’s going to be a very long off-season! :(
Robyn
24th November 2010, 0:23
I’m not sure there’s anything Vettel could do on the podium that people would *not* interpret as arrogant. So he’d might as well continue extending that finger. :-)
TMFOX
24th November 2010, 17:24
Vettel can show his finger as often as he likes when he wins. I just can’t stand it when drivers kiss a camera as soon as they come across one.
Feynman
23rd November 2010, 7:25
Someone in Red Bull marketing missed a trick surely:
http://fashionablygeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/mini-foam-finger.jpg
TommyB (@tommyb89)
23rd November 2010, 13:01
And what about these gloves :D – http://bit.ly/g3HNUC
Bruno
23rd November 2010, 7:40
That German finger is very naughty I guess..
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd November 2010, 11:49
“The English gave himself away. He ordered three drinks, like this. In Germany, we order three.”
Bonus points if you know where it’s from.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
23rd November 2010, 11:57
Inglorious Illegitimate Progenies.
It bugs me how Germans signal the number four. How on earth do you have your fourth finger straight but keep your pinky flexed without using your thumb to keep it down?
Fixy (@)
23rd November 2010, 14:44
Same for me! I can’t even keep the fourth just a little straight. Both are bent.
Victor.
23rd November 2010, 14:55
I don’t think they do. It’s true that Germans (and most other continental Europeans for that matter) show ‘three’ using the first three fingers, but I for one don’t recall a German showing ‘four’ with his thumb. I for one, as a continental European, do not.
mm
23rd November 2010, 23:42
It’s one of those things that some people can do other can’t.
I will count 1,2,3,4 starting from my thumb and raising digits (some people lower digits, and start in different places) and I will leave my little finger down on my left hand when I’m at 4 (without holding it), but if I were to signal 4 (without counting up to it) I would keep my thumb down.
On my right hand I can’t keep my small finger down.
It’s presumably to do with tendons/muscles, but whether it’s a nature thing you are born with or a nurture thing (through practice/how you are taught to count perhaps) could be up to debate. It would be interesting to see how people count and if any strong relation exists… maybe there could be a relation between cub scouts holding that finger down on their right hand too and effectively stretching the muscles over time.
mm
23rd November 2010, 23:44
In fact I count from left to right across my hands. But just signalling 4 I would probably raise my right hand.
Counting and signalling are two very different actions.
wasiF1
23rd November 2010, 7:50
So who will Germany support for the 2011 WC? Schumi or Baby Schumi?
TommyC
23rd November 2010, 10:00
i reckon rosberg. come on nico!
Robbie
23rd November 2010, 12:48
Timo Glock ftw! :)
MercedesBeanz
23rd November 2010, 9:00
…there is no way this bloke deserves to be champion. There was clearly some kind of fix to give him the title…an absolute sham!
TommyC
23rd November 2010, 9:59
have you read murial’s post? you might find something in common…
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd November 2010, 12:20
So, the race was fixed because Vettel “doesn’t deserve” to be champion?
The problem with your logic is the logic itself – you’re obviously implying that Red Bull brought Webber in early to force Alonso and Ferrari to react, pinning him behind Vitaly Petrov, but the thing is that there were so many variables (grid order, the Schumacher/Liuzzi accident, etc.) that influenced the outcome that means it was impossible for one person to control it all. Even if Red Bull sent a request to Renault to have Petrov and later Kubica block Alonso to prevent him getting through, Nico Rosberg’s track position proves you wrong (ironic given that you appear to be a Mercedes fan): Rosberg and Mercedes had nothing invested in the championship fight. They owed alleigance to no-one; it meant nothing to them if Alonso got stuck behind them or passed them.
Rahim.RG
23rd November 2010, 11:37
well Calling yourself No.1 on a day u r No.1 isn’t wrong…Looks funny when u are already waiting for his finger to pop up on the Camera and it comes up….but No Problem at all…
Congratulation Sebastian…