I get it. Your favourite driver didn't win the F1 World Championship. For an EIGHTH time. You need someone to blame. You absolutely refute any other possible point of view in regards the ending of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. EVERYONE else is wrong. Someone is responsible, and must hang...
And yet, the reality is that Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton to the title, courtesy of winning more races, leading more laps and ultimately, getting more points. The same as any other champion in the sports 72 year history.
So what is my point? This new breed of F1 'fan', the snowflake netflix generation shows outrage more than ever before. I don't speak Dutch, I have no idea what was said last season towards Lewis from the Max fans, but I have no doubt it wasn't very complimentary! The 'cult of #teamLH', the blessed one's fanbase are a cut above though. They are deluded, with the belief that their hero is the only racer in F1 worthy of praise, titles & is ALWAYS the wronged party. Death threats hanged out to Michael Masi & Nicholas Latifi. Neither of which were in charge of Mercedes horrendous tyre strategy, neither of which deserve the torrent of abuse they have received.
I'm not going to repeat my views on the season ending race. I spelt it out in the last blog. I stand by my belief that Masi was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't, and ultimately did what the TEAMS asked for - rightly or wrongly. I'm also not going to spell out the amount of times Lewis benefitted from the rules, weird stewarding or Max's misfortune. I did that too...
I have seen a shirt today, available on redbubble proclaiming 'Lewis Hamilton - EIGHTH WORLD CHAMPION'. He is neither Juan Manuel Fangio (8th season winner in '57), nor is he Jim Clark (8th different F1 champion). The owner proclaimed she was going to proudly wear it to Silverstone. Who cares if it's inaccurate, and in the words of Donald Trump, FAKE NEWS. I've seen a letter written to Laureus, complaining that Max has been nominated for an award. Any motorsport related post on Twitter gets hundreds of ridiculous comments, totally unrelated to the post.
I admit I may poke them from time to time. This is nothing new, I've had a tendancy to 'out' insanity in F1 fandoms, stretching back to the good old days of the F1 chatrooms on AOL! Back then you could have a good old fashioned debate, now it's just utter nonsensical abuse, with no ability to see both sides. And it's tiresome. And depressing. Nothing will change the 2021 result, nor should it.
So to the cult. Do yourself a favour (if you bother to read this, which I doubt), leave 2021 in the past and look forward to 2022. IF Lewis returns that is. And if he doesn't, celebrate what he did with pride. Not with venom against Max, Red Bull, Masi, Latifi or whoever you think is responsible. They are not. You are wrong.
And if you still can't accept it, then sod off and find another sport to watch. We don't want you. I have invested too many of my years in Formula One to have it spoilt by this new generation of wet blankets. I can guarantee none of them have sat at Copse in February watching a Formula One test in sub zero temperatures. That's my level of 'fandom', in case you're asking.
