#f1 toxic fans

[wafflesrisa]

I find that the recent rise of black and white thinking on the internet has led to an interesting phenomenon in F1 fandom spaces.

Nowadays a famous person needs to unsullied in all respects (morally, ethically, performatively) in order to be deemed unproblematic and worthy of support. It’s become impossible to be a fan of a driver and to recognise faults them in any way, because surely if you’re a fan of a driver and they mess up, then their mess up taints you in the same way it taints them (morally, ethically, performatively).

Putting drivers’ ethical “bad takes” aside, this has impacted even how fans respond to their driver simply having a bad weekend. It’s odd when a driver makes a human error or has a (even slightly) less successful weekend, and a significant proportion of their fans go into a panic and start finger pointing at anyone and everyone - the track, the team, the teammate, the stewards.

The false dichotomy here seems to be that either the driver has “lost his touch” or the driver was unfairly sabotaged or disadvantaged in some way.

It’s so strange. In the guise of supporting their favourite driver, these fans hold them up to an impossible standard where they are either bullied or washed.

In reality, their favourite driver is a human being and he’s going to pick himself up and go again next week.

[panevanbuckley]

anyone else noticed that since oscar's win the mclaren fanbase has become unbearably toxic or am i going crazy

[schumi-nadal]

One thing is funny about being insulted by all those Carlos "fans" (won't call them real fans tbh he deserves way better than toxic people): I was already watching F1 that they were not born, if you think that Charles was shitty today, just remember we had Michael Schumacher as the most dramatic queen ever and Sebastian Vettel was a little Gremlin at some points. REAL FANS WERE NOT FIGHTING FOR THAT!

[ezisregrettinglifedecisions]

I saw a post by @bellenotthebeast about the hate drivers are getting at the moment and this is a written version of what I put in the tags of my reblog because I didn't realise I was going to go on a rant when I tapped on the reblog button.

734 words just in case you were wondering.

All of the hate that drivers get for making mistakes is getting absolutely out of hand. It's frankly ridiculous how many people will jump at the chance to nitpick and be rude about another driver and whatever mistake they made minor or not. (This is specifically in relation to comments taken severly out of a very important bit of context and actual driving moments, if there is something serious then yes I think they should be held accountable for their actions, just because they're rich and in a very elite sport should not make them immune from accountability even though it does appear to sometimes.)

The stuff with Lando is actually sickening with how far its gotten. None of them should have to see that. In fact, no one, f1 driver or not, should ever see or hear such horrible things that people are saying to or about them. The death threats???? Hello??? What the actual fuck were people thinking. The drivers are people too the fans of those drivers are people. Get a grip and don't fucking send death threats???? Is that really that hard to have basic human respect for other people???

I see hate so much. Be it in the comments of an edit on tiktok or on a fan page on Instagram. Even the drivers own comment section and the official F1 account. People. What the fuck. Be supportive of people, for goodness sake. Don't be dicks??? Is it so difficult to be nice to people? I can tell that, unfortunately, I'm going to be using that phrase a lot.

I want to see the positives in this sport too. I think with all of the hate, all the good things have been buried under the swathes of hate and pain ignorance in some cases. I want to read or watch a video on how driver A did something so well, even if it's small and insignificant in the overall. I really want to hear about the amazing defending, even if they did get overtaken eventually. I want to hear about them being so fucking happy with their Quali position. I want to hear them screaming down the radio when they get in the points. I want to hear the feedback on the drive, where things may have gone wrong, and even where people think things could have improved. I want to hear about the track and the conditions and how well everyone did and how the people and the fans and their teams are so proud of their achievements during the weekend.

The thing I do not want to see is - ew i hate driver B. EEK no driver C ruined everything. Driver D should crash into the barriers. DO YOU NOT REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE COMMENTS HOPING DRIVERS WOULD DIE IN A CRASH. What the fuck is wrong with the people saying that???? That is NOT okay. EVER. Have you not seen how outraged Max Fewtrell was when someone said that they hoped Max V crashed and got hurt in his twitch chat room. He was furious. Saying how that wasn't okay and how fucked up it was to say something like that. Listen to Max for fucks sake please.

WE👏 DONT 👏KNOW 👏THEM👏.

They're public figures, and we only know the public side of them, not the side they reserve for behind closed doors. And for the fifth hundred time, we aren't entitled to know anything about them behind closed doors either. We dont have any ground to stand on to demand anything like that. Because who the fuck do you think you are to demand something like that. Seriously, some people need to understand that this ISN'T okay and the way these people are acting will NEVER be okay.

So just enjoy the sport.

Enjoy the drivers.

Enjoy watching their skills on the track.

Enjoy their interviews and their relationships together on and off the track.

Enjoy the side of them that we are allowed to see.

And stop hating unnecessarily.

Please, for the sake of the sport.

For the sake of the newer fans.

And for the sake of the drivers and their physical and mental health. You really need to think before you post. Think about the impacts it could have if something happens. Know that if your words are seen, that could be detrimental and how YOU played a part in something so horrible.

Thank you,

Ez

[livefastdriveyoung]

And when I said people who are fans of Williams, and also James Vowles, only have capacity to respect one driver at a time, and it's not going to be the one who kept offering loyalty, did you think I was making it up?

Did you think that when I said, "and what if Franco does well?" I was making a joke? I love Logan and Alex both, but do you think I don't know how to read the signs?

And do you think that there is any chance that Alex Albon won't be under threat of his seat while racing alongside Carlos? James Vowles has been begging him since Abu Dhabi 2023, they had secret meetings!

THE SWITCHUP in the face of Franco scoring points and Alex not, is awful behavior, and just proves to me that some people can't stand to support someone when they're not on top.

I think Alex is a well deserving, good driver. He doesn't deserve the treatment from either side.

[valyrfia]

I feel there should be more people complain about mclaren. One because they are total toxic team and second there is no way that that car is legal.

Amen they are objectively the evil team and have poured a huge amount into PR in recent years in order to rehabilitate their image and I feel like a lot of newer fans might not necessarily understand just how toxic of a team they have been historically. Also I need someone to complain about that rocketship STAT.

[halkatlaa]

Once again... F1TikTok frustrating me. Linking the video.

[danieldrivesfast]

Here I go again.

You know, when I first got my tickets for COTA, I was so excited to meet more F1 fans, especially ones who aren't men. I was ready to go to meetups, trade bracelets, make some acquaintances I could bullshit with. Spread the joy of girlhood, you know?

(My tickets got upgraded for free thanks to a very benevolent rep, so now I'm at the top of a $1500/ticket grandstand instead of GA, but I digress. 😌)

After being around the "fandom" more? I'll take the men. Every time.

When it comes to talking sports, men are awful in a specific way. They'll talk down to you, sure, but the second they realize you're right, they either move on or stop acting like an idiot. Honestly, more recently men - in person especially - have been decently respectful when talking racing. The last few races I've been to have been great for conversations and trading stories (and free beer). They don't give a shit who you are as long as you know your stuff.

Fandom girlies (gn)? They'll wish death on someone for breathing the wrong way. They'll harass someone until they leave social media. They'll harass team employees about decisions they don't like or imagined offenses even though those employees have no say. They'll stalk partners and families and leave nasty messages and think that's okay. They'll mock drivers for being open about their mental health struggles and actively try to make it worse. They'll create narratives about people they've never met to justify the vile things they say and do. They'll openly admit they don't care about reality, they hate for hate's sake. The girls can't understand that these are human men with emotions and personalities, they're not characters written for their enjoyment. They have lives and relationships that the public isn't privy to, and nobody is owed every detail about their private lives. In person? Fucking yikes. God forbid you like the same driver and try to have a conversation. (I promise, he's not going to fuck either of us.)

In my time around sports, not just racing, I have always tried to be welcoming and encouraging to people getting into it. I used to work with a pro team and a specific athlete to orchestrate special experiences for fans. I always believed it was better to have more fans, especially younger, diverse fans. But dealing with what I see here, on Twitter, on TikTok, on IG? I don't want these people around racing, or society, to be honest. It's like they saw the ugly men and said "How can we be worse?"

OBVIOUSLY it's not every girl or every man. I know there are girls who are incredible and men who most definitely are not. But if I'm picking a group, I'll take the one that isn't going to call me a racist/make up shit about me/tell me I should die or that they want to kill me for pointing out they're factually wrong about something or liking a different driver.

But sure, girlies. Tell me all about respect.

[chaoticlandworlder]

What is with the practically psychotic hate for Lance Stroll? I'm not even his fan- more indifferent- but the hate he gets is sickening. Like just see the recent 'Never have I ever' vid- so many top comments on youtube, instagram etc. are just spouting shit about him (attacking his looks, calling him window licker wtf etc.) based off the 'Never have I ever stood up someone question' (and of course they conveniently ignore all the other drivers that also said they have because it's trendy to hate on Stroll).

Of course, standing up someone sucks but first of all we have no context at all, and more importantly, it's clear the commenters don't actl give a shit about that because they're only hating on Stroll. This is literally just one instance of the way these F1 'fans' are so quick to seize any opportunity to put down Lance. Honestly, it's so off-putting, pathetic and sad.

[witchywitchy19]

Normally I dont get involved with such things when fans of Drivers go toxic against other drivers.

I come onto the Lewis Hamilton tag because it brings a calmness into my life seeing my favourite driver doing something like co produce a film about the first american women motorbike driver and his fashion looks.

However today on my break I was greeted with this.

I know in TeamLH, we do have some toxic people and the stuff they say is not acceptable on any level however all drivers have a level of fans like this for example Max fans in 2021 with their death threat to Lewis or Alonso fans with the black face and crymilton posters during the mclaren years.

Yes defend your favourite driver if you must, call out those toxic fans but...

Do Not come for Lewis with the same amount of hate your trying to defend George from.

To say Lewis is egging his fans to be toxic and say all these horrible things about george, that he wants to see this chaos reign.

To say he is encouraging these fans to attack George. That his personality is so fake.

Yes Lewis at one point had not been a good team mate but look back on the fucking grid on when he was a little shit on the track. Sebastian Vettel had his dark era when he didn't give a fuck, Fernando Alonso with his screw everyone era with 'I knew he would break, hes got a wife and children at home'. Michael Schumacher was a terror at one point. Nico Rosberg using dirty tactics and everything he knew about Lewis. The older grid did not compete in karting with one another except for a few, they were all cut throat with one another. They were brutal

But they enjoyed that.

This grid, a lot of them grew up with each other so they are a lot softer with one another.

Lewis and Nico both let a championship come between them. They were both at fault for it all not just Lewis.

Valterri's mental health was down to the team and how they led the drivers, Lewis may have not been aware of it. So to say Lewis actively contributed to it, like he knew he was doing it. Fuck off. Lewis was coming off a year were his childhood friendship was gone, Nico retiring, pushing all his focus into the championship and going up against Sebastian. There were times Lewis helped Valterri.

To say he is trying to break George. Lewis has sent praises to George from time to time. 'Its incredible, hes done an amazing job today, he had great pace, hes been so solid these first three races and hes working and really grafting away, hes doing an amazing job'

And this bullshit of he doesnt do well with being second or he only knows how to drive in first. This is complete shit.

For Lewis its racing, it doesnt matter where he comes, he wants to race. Hell he even enjoyed the hell driving from Kevin back awhile ago.

So if your gonna defend your driver then go ahead but do not come for a driver with the same level of hate worded differntly as the people your trying to defend your driver from.

[leclerc-s]

went onto twitter, that was a mistake. apparently it’s a skill issue that charles is locking up?? i hate twitter so much.

[wi55iams]

Sorry for all the posting about the Chirlies being crazy over Carlos but Twitter has shown me new lows… Carlos is bad because he didn’t smile as big as Charles for one selfie… ok! *gunshot*

[foxy-kitsune]

not only did the the crowd boo charles heavily for a mistake that was fully checo's fault (i know some will say that charles could have turned to give space to checo but then he would have taken out max) but some mexican "fans" also started beating up people in the stands who were ferrari fans.

i know very well that checo is the home hero but at least try to acknowledge the mistakes that he makes like the one that he did this exact race (i am not speaking about everyone cause i know there are those out there who do acknowledge it!). if there was a hungarian (my nationality) race driver in f1 and they made this kind of a mistake i would be sad of course but also acknowledge the fact that yes it was their fault because no one is fucking perfect. do not blame the other driver who had nothing to do with this and do not fucking beat up on THEIR FANS who have absolutely nothing to do with the situation like literally what the fuck is your problem. this is truly disgusting behaviour and security should be stronger cause who knows where this might lead to in the future.

[demonic-shadowlucifer]

"omg [media/celebrity] fans are sooo annoying" "um actually [other media/celebrity] are so much worse" *Ahem*

[thatsadsmallchild]

Like what's with all the sainz slander from some of my favourite blogs. I followed you lot because I like your stuff but what do you actually have against Carlos other than he's beating Charles?!?!?

[verstpn]

All of these takes scream toxic fans… Just let people enjoy Formula One as they want 😂 Who cares it’s all subjective.

what parts of those takes screamed toxic to you? /genq. acknowledging formula one is a business at its basest is, to me, common sense; it works on cashflow. seats have historically been dictated by sponsors.

as for the opinions on daniel ricciardo, logan sargeant, etc. they are objectively true. as much as i liked sargeant, he was miserable in formula one- i really felt for him, but not only that; on a professional level, he was a liability williams couldn't justify. that is also objectively true. daniel ricciardo's points have been on a gradual decline for a few years now. whilst i didn't expect it to happen as soon as it did, the loss of his seat felt like an inevitable conclusion.

the take regarding people perceiving drivers as caricatures of themselves based in fiction rather than reality is a frighteningly real issue, like it or not; it affects the way new fans perceive the sport on a wider scale, and not always for the better.

i am not saying formula one isn't subjective- i'm certainly not telling you how to consume races and interviews. you aren't obligated to read my talks with others on the subject, but thank you for contributing to the discussion.

i appreciate your input, anon!