Whom will the US fans embrace after MS?

Kimi and Massa are sure to get the support of true Ferrari fans in 2007!

The band wagon fans will probably support Alonso!

 

The US may be the "melting pot", but we're not completely melted, yet.

Kimi's off-track shenanigans may not fly in the "Bible Belt".

DC a "nice guy"? If he keeps being the first to run to the stewards, he may lose popularity as a whiner.

If you've followed some of the threads, here, you'll see that many americans have an automatic dislike of someone *too* successful -- Schumi isn't universally popular in the US.

So a rising underdog may get US attention -- look how popular Minardi was in the US.

That support isn't likely to transfer to Aguri as long as they run it as a Japanese nationalistic team.

Certainly Ferrari will get more support than Renault -- Renault doesn't sell cars in the US, while Ferrari is the icon of supercars. It's amazing how many yanks now have never even heard of Alfa Romeo -- and how many are convinced that *every* Ferrari costs over (pinky in mouth) one million dollars.

The McLaren F1 road car may attract US fans to McLaren drivers -- although Hamilton would likely be more popular than Alonso.

I think Toyota's poor showing on FIA's poll results from the combination of a big budget and mid-field results -- and attitudes about Toyotas globally. Toyota is probably more popular in the US than in Europe. And people who drive Camrys would like to dream of being a racer. Toyota may need to take a chance on a "young gun" to replace the (perceived as) overpaid Ralf.

Personally, I respect Toyota for building their team instead of just buying one. (Although you could argue that Ferrari simply bought the Lancia team in the '50s.) I think Trulli got a raw deal from Renault, but his driving this year has lacked the spark.

BMW may also garnish brand loyalty from beemer drivers.

I think Hamilton will have a following, Massa, Kubica, and Kimi (in some areas). But I don't think you'll see the entire US cheering as a single monolith.

I predict interesting times on this discussion forum.

 

US fans (in general) support Ferrari, and will support whomever is driving for Ferrari. The SF is larger than any particular driver, but F1 isn't larger than Ferrari.

 

Kimi and Alonso. All Alonso needs to do is shut up a bit between races. On the track he is brilliant.

I would be excited to see the new talent take these guys on - Kubica, Heikki, Rosberg (assuming he improves next year).

 

+1

If JPM had stayed in F1, then he would be my choice.

Scott Speed is lucky to be in F1, if he is the best that this country can produce then we are in tough shape.

Danica is the Anna Kournokova of racing, she belongs in F1 like I belong in the Dalai Lama's inner circle.

 

I think Kimi will get a big following since he will be in a Ferrari, especially if he wins a lot. Face it people here like winners. But I feel Kubica has a huge upside, and to do what he has done in a such a short time is pretty darn good. He's been in f1 way less time then Heidfeld but he is even with him usually if not better. For 1 year in f1 thats not bad at all.

 

1. Kimi. Coming to Ferrari is good, but I would have liked to see the McLaren win with him to be honest.

2. Webber. I'm starting to tired of the shunts though and mediocre performances. He wows at Monaco, but then puts it in the tire wall at Suzuka (while mid-pack).

3. Kubica. The kid is just cool to watch. Going with dries in China was ballsy, and while he struggled, he kept from shunting. I'm not particularly fond of BMW, throw him in a McLaren or Williams though and I'll be pulling for him.

I'm not really feeling Vettel or Kovalainen.

 

I am a huge Ferrari fan and I've seen all the races of the last 10 years.
MS is the man, forever.

I cannot understand they wanted Kimi..
What a dead and uninterested guy.
Massa, dunno..

I like to see Hamilton coming up in the series ! That guy has character !

 

As a new follower, I am looking forward to next year. With Alonso going to McLaren and Kimi to Ferrari, each race will begin with a bigger list of contenders. I mean, how many races this year have NOT been won by MS or FA?

Scott Speed's not going to be a major force, but he's not THAT bad. At least he doesn't make excuses or blame anyone else. He does have a bit of Jeff Spicoli in him though. I wonder how Danica would stack up against him? I'd rather see interviews with her for sure.

The wife routes for Massa. The fact that she roots for anyone - hell, the fact that she knows a single drivers name - is fabulous.

 

I am a Toyota fan. Don't like the drivers though.

 

It sounds like you're asking when Americans will embrace particular F1 drivers when the question really should be "When will we embrace F1?" Outside of the small circle of existing fans, nobody here knows one driver from another. Every year they hold the race and the teams sneak in under cover of darkness, take every step possible to avoid coming in contact with the general population, then zip on back out of the country to the safety of Europe. The day that F1 embraces America (outside of Michael's vacations in Wyoming) and allow themselves to be seen by the paying public is the day that Americans will begin to warm up to particular drivers. All we ever see or hear is their corporate-speak mumbo jumbo on TV, which does nothing for endearment. We like to embrace personalities, not facades.

 

It is obvious. At the USGP, 70% of the "fans" were the locals that will go to any race at Indy. They route for Ferrari because it's Ferrari and because they don't know any of the other teams except Toyota and Honda (which as BAR is unknown) The mid west will never route for a Japanese car company. Many of the people at the race didn't know who was in the cars, Ferrari or otherwise.
The general US population will continue to route for Ferrari regardless of who is driving, they will also route for whichever Ferrari driver is leading the race. Kimi will win more races then Massa so he will be the favorite most of the time.
As a Kimi fan (and a Mika fan before that), I have been forced to root for a McLaren for many years. It will be nice to be able to root for a Ferrari for the first time since Jean Alesi.

 

Yeah, there are different expectations from motor racing for US and european spectators.

Motor racing, I found, is much more about providing a show for the spectators and entertaining the crowd in the US. Lots of razzamataz, cheerleaders, colour, spectacles, interviews, podium ceremonies,etc... Teams and drivers are much more 'available' to the public.

In Europe, it's much more subdued, apart from Italy with the tifosi, a race is a race, there is nothing else. F1 has adopted the post-race conference - made compulsory by FIA, but it looks a bit forced on the drivers: it isn't really in the mentality of someone who races in Europe to talk about his race, or go on and on about praising his sponsors, his team, etc...

As for mixing with the public, for most european racers, it is an unnnecessary distraction, same as PR work for sponsors, etc... As a matter of fact, some F1 drivers have set in their contract a limit of how many sponsor conferences, how many interviews, how many phot shoots they will 'endure' during the season.

So, I suppose that F1 teams and drivers' attitudes are by a long way inferior to what Champcar, NASCAR spectators are used to.
Also, F1 visits the US once a year, so the drivers are not household names like in the American series.

 

That's the biggest part, in my eyes. F1 racing is cerebral as well as sensational. And American fans do tend to expect/need razzmatazz with their entertainment rather than just enjoying it for what it is. Ironically, F1 is perfectly suited to the States in that it is iconic, aloof, ego-centric, exclusionary and expensive. We would embrace it more if it spent more time here.

 

Part of the problem is how insulated the F1 paddock is during a GP weekend from the fans. It is impossible to get anywhere near the teams or drivers. Contrast that with Nascar or NHRA, let alone IRL and Champ Cars, where the drivers are for the most part easily accessible and fans can easily enjoy the experience of watching the teams in the paddock. It is much easier fo rhte fan to identify with a driver that they got an autograph from or whose hand they shook then someone that they see from 200 yards distance for a brief moment between leaving their motorhome and entering the garage.

 

whoever drives for Ferrari, plus the top 1 or 2 in the championship. That's all most Americans know about F1....

 

BINGO !!!!!!!!!

We have a winner !!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you ask anyone on the street who their favorite Grand Prix racing driver is, do you want to know the answer you will most likely get ?


Dale Earnhardt. Senior.

 

Or... if they heard of Grand Prix while thinking of Indy cars, they may say Mario Andretti

 

Yea, I think that as the heroes disappear fans will gravitate to the teams and whoever is the winning driver.

 

How about this:

If you asked a 'racing fan' in the US to name an Indy-type car driver, you may get answers like Andretti, Foyt, Unser, Rutherford, Sneva, and let's say 30-40 other names.

Knowledgeable fan, right ?

But now ask him to name a chassis in indy-type car racing.

Nodda. Zilch. No answer.

This is the problem F1 faces.

US fans 'know' Ferrari, they may even know of Renault, but you would be shocked at how many 'knowledgeable fans' don't even realize Toyota has an F1 team, let alone wishing they knew what a BAR-Honda is, Sauber, Red Bull, and to some extent, McLaren and Williams. This is what happens when the TV feed picked up covers Ferrsari and Renault 90% of the race. If not more.

20 years ago in nascar, Ford and Chevy battled it out, but few people realize Laughlin made almost all of those chassis, and Hutcherson-Pagen made a few.

What you call something, what you name it, sticks with it, and the typical person in the US can identify with Ferrari, but little else in F1.

Can you imagine what would happen if we rebranded the 'McLaren-Mercedes' simply 'Dodge' ? LOL Instant name recognition here, but nowhere else.

 

In all fairness, Mario was a World Champion with 12 GP wins.

 

How many drivers have won the F1 WDC, the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500?

Mario is easily the most versatile driver in the last 40 years....

 

Keep in mind that today, most fans don't know that.

 

Ditto.

'most usa racing fans' - the majority of them - started watching racing - nascar for the most part - in around 1995. Or 2001.

Most of them never heard of Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Mears, or several hundred other really good 'fringe' drivers. They only know the 'legends'.
I said most - not all fans.

 

That still doesn't make their answer wrong.