Nothing I can do to stop fans booing Hamilton, says Verstappen

2021 Dutch Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen says there is nothing he can do to prevent Dutch Grand Prix fans booing his championship rival Lewis Hamilton this weekend.

Hamilton, who leads Verstappen by five points going into the Red Bull driver’s home race, has been booed at some tracks previously this year.

While Verstappen has previously said his fans shouldn’t boo Hamilton, speaking ahead of his home race he said he expects it to happen.

“When you go to a football match, you come into a home ground, the opposition will be booed at some point and it’s not up to the local club to go onto the speakers and say ‘guys you cannot boo’ because it will naturally happen,” he said. “In football they are very passionate and they support their local team.

“I don’t think it’s up to me to say guys you cannot boo because I am not them and I have to just focus on what I’m doing on the track. I’m pretty sure most of them are here for a great weekend to see cars racing and of course some of them will boo but I cannot decide for them.

“You can say you cannot boo but do you really think they are going to listen to me? So I think just hope that they will have a good weekend.”

Verstappen said hearing fans boo Hamilton doesn’t give him extra motivation. “That would be bad if that would give me an added boost,” he said. “As long as it doesn’t affect Lewis I guess that’s what you want to hear, right? That’s the most important.

“What I hope from the whole weekend is of course that everyone is having a good time and they enjoy seeing the cars on the track. Seeing us battle it out for the best possible result.”

The government has capped attendance for this weekend’s race at 70,000, around two-thirds capacity for the track which is holding its first race for 36 years.

“It’s going to be great to see,” said Verstappen. “Unfortunately it’s not at full capacity, it’s not allowed. Nevertheless it looks very impressive.”

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172 comments on “Nothing I can do to stop fans booing Hamilton, says Verstappen”

  1. But this statement will boost them and cause them booing, definitely. If he just critisized booing that would have been enough, but in this case fans will probably be encouraged to boo.

    1. Nonsense, he already spoke against that behaviour.
      Do not make up stories.
      But the effect will be minimal regardless what a driver says.

      1. That’s even more nonsense, erikje.

        Imagine I had invited people to my house. If I said, “Have a good time, but don’t get drunk!”, most of my friends would drink sensibly. If, instead, I said “I don’t want you to get drunk, but I know some of you will anyway”, a much larger number of my friends would get drunk. The caveat that you expect people to do it even though you don’t want it to happen is giving tacit permission.

        1. We don’t even have the proper context. I can’t even see what the exact question was. In any case I’m sick and tired of all the PC approach and obvious white lies, I wish Verstappen, Hamilton and all the rest would speak their minds. Perhaps then we’d even get to know them a little bit and like them or dislike them based on something real. I miss guys like Lauda, he was quite open and honest until the very end. Verstappen said what he said before on this subject, said the right thing, but I really doubt he wants to help Hamilton in any way; and I’m pretty sure it’s the same the other way around. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d boo each other even if there weren’t cameras.

        2. Typical, he already took a stance against people booing. But he is realistic, his voice wil not solve potential problem around booing.
          So rubbish.
          But I guess people who dislike ver do not need much :)

          1. I really like Verstappen, actually. He’s one of my favourite drivers. However, asking the fans not to boo immediately followed by an admission that they will do so anyway, and that it is just them being “passionate”, is giving permission. He may or may not have intend to do so, but he has.

        3. petebaldwin (@)
          2nd September 2021, 17:00

          @drmouse – Gareth Southgate pleaded with British fans not to boo anthems and players taking the knee – that didn’t work. Fans will do what they want regardless of what Max says.

          1. I agree that it wouldn’t stop them altogether. However, there are likely to be some who would not boo if there was a strong request from Max, rather than the tacit permission given here. There are likely to be some who were not going to boo, given his earlier request, but who have now heard him say he knows people will anyway and that it is passionate, so will have changed their minds.

          2. While fans may booo regardless, I think it is still worth speaking out against it (again). Not just worth it, but somehow an obligation.

            I may be overly sensitive and old-fashioned, but I think that booing someone, because you support someone else, is unsporting, bad manners and plainly wrong. And speaking out against wrong can never be wrong.

            Just my two Danish øre (that will be about 0.0023 GBP, so it doesn’t count for much, I guess)

    2. I am missing the point on the boo-ing. You can applaud and cheer for an artist or athlete that performs in front of an audience (by choice), but cant boo them? That is textbook censorship. This is a weird conversation. Be careful not to throw away freedom of speech by feeling insulted over everything these days.

      1. It’s unlikely to happen to again but I fully agree with you! Lewis will thrive on it and so will Max…Ding Dong!!! Bring it on Dutchies

      2. It’s generally considered to be polite behaviour. If you do not wish to show support for a driver, you don’t cheer them. Booing is considered crass, vulgar and disrespectful.

        1. Yeah, well thats a grey area there which brings the question who will make that judgement?

          1. Coventry Climax
            2nd September 2021, 18:57

            There’s the problem, and exactly similar to saying Verstappen encourages people to boo: It’s only a grey area if you choose it to be so.
            A sound and decent mind would tell you that cheering for those you support already has an opposite, namely not cheering for those you do not support. Anything else is creating adversity, getting people to choose sides even, like, alas, the Trump in this world.

          2. If you do not allow it to be grey, that is when you Trump wise divide. If you however allow freedom of speech (which will include an occasional boo) we might actually understand eachother instead of trying to silence what is seen by only some as undesired

  2. So at least a 30 percent decrease in booing options.
    There is to much attention for this undesirable behaviour.
    No driver can do more.

    1. The booing will be particularly loud during the British anthem on the podium.

      1. So there’s nothing to worry then :)

  3. Max again talking sensibly and in a non-nonsense way.

    We must admire drivers like him and Kimi who are not saying socially desirable things every 2 weeks (“you are the best crowd ever”, “this is my most favorite track” etc).

    1. Ahah, true, every track is hamilton’s favourite and every crowd is the best ever!

      1. He says the crowd were amazing at most events where he is giving an interview, but so do most bands/artists/etc. It’s a respectful gesture towards the fans who have given their time and money to come and support the sport. Without the fans, the sport wouldn’t exist.

    2. “We must admire”

  4. This could be easily resolved by Lewis and Max making a video in which they together speak out against the booing and condemning it.

    “..do you really think they are going to listen to me?”
    Yes Max, I do think those couple of so-called fans will listen. But if you ignore it and won’t try, then they certainly won’t.

    1. @nmgn

      Yes Max, I do think those couple of so-called fans will listen. But if you ignore it and won’t try, then they certainly won’t.

      Exactly.

      1. Try a little bit sportsmanship after you send your main rival into the barriers, for which you receive penalty btw and they won’t boo

        1. Agree with this, hamilton’s silverstone behaviour was really worthy of that, and also mercedes’ attitude in general.

          1. Red Bull’s attitude at times is hardly any better. Horner is as arrogant as any.

          2. To quote my comment back in July:

            According to a person on Twitter: “Lewis just confirmed that he was not aware of Max being in hospital and how he doesn’t want to hurt anyone”.

            It’s the closure.

        2. Verstappen caused the Silverstone crash.

          1. That’s why Max got a penalty.

            This forum is a Bizarro World.

          2. It’s a racing incident. 200%. Don’t ask me why.

      2. @keithcollantine
        @nmgn

        “While Verstappen has previously said his fans shouldn’t boo Hamilton”

        You guys/girls point being?

        It’s articles and comments like these, especially from the british press, with this really negative undertone that makes people wanna boo.

        And apart from this article: Why should Max even want to stop his fans booing Lewis? Last I checked this whole booing affair is a result of Lewis his not to pleasant behavior (understatement) after Silverstone. If I was Max I wouldn’t even try them stop booing.

      3. Really? Does he really have to go out and tell a crowd how to behave? And does this new snowflake-rule only aply to Hamilton and can we still boo others? If he would have to say anything to a crowd it would be: please don’t make a mess, throw your trash in the bin. Unlike in Spa..

        1. I think a good general rule is just don’t boo…

      4. The reason Max is refusing to try is because of Hamilton celebrating the Silverstone win with the crowd while Verstappen was in hospital

        1. Please stop with the “while Verstappen was in the hospital” guff. It may be technically accurate, but he was only there for precautionary checks. On top of this, Hamilton didn’t even know he had been taken to hospital, but he had asked and been told that Max was OK. This wasn’t “Verstappen was unconscious with broken bones and was rushed to hospital for treatment, Hamilton had been told this but went up on the podium and bragged about Verstappen being unable to race for 6 weeks”, which is what you make it sound like.

          1. But he still was in hospital because of a Lewis action.
            A penalised action even.

          2. “…it may be technically accurate…”. Could’ve just stopped there.

          3. Yes, he was in hospital, but only as a precaution. Here in the UK, they send you to hospital for the slightest thing as a precaution.

            On top of this, it could possibly be seen as a valid point if Hamilton had known, but it has been confirmed that he didn’t. He had been told that Max was OK, which he was.

            The way you all say it, it’s as if Max was seriously injured and Hamilton was gloating that he had caused it. Yes, Hamilton bore most of the responsibility for the accident, but Max was uninjured and Lewis had been told so. I don’t believe Max would have behaved any differently, in fact we have seen him celebrate after he has caused accidents. Give it a rest and stop trying to make it sound worse than it was!

        2. Verstappen caused the silverstone crash.

          1. It was a racing incident 200%.

        3. According to a person on Twitter, Lewis was not aware of Max’ current condition after the race. That is the closure.

      5. Or you (Keith) could stop publishing these articles, or at least focus on the positives and pick a different headline.

        1. Jelle van der Meer (@)
          2nd September 2021, 13:35

          No point asking – Keith is a British biased as they come certainly with click bait headlines and how he describes Hamilton performance versus Max performance.

          The website has some good articles and the only reason I still visit but mainly article written by Keith as drowned in British favouritism.

          His comment here is yet proved again – where was Keith to condemn Hamilton’s failure to acceptable responsibility for the crash in Silverstone and his comments he would do it again. He has critized Max often enough when Max failed to accept responsibility for a crash he caused.

          It is crazy how many people feel it is Max responsibility to stop the booing while the majority of booing is a direct result of Hamilton’s own behavior – that doesn’t make the booing right but blaming Max for it is equally if not more wrong.

          1. As a Dutch guy who have been following F1 for quite a while, and this site for a good time too, it is really annoying to have all these Dutch commentors who someohow with the advent of Max Verstappen stopped being sensible @jelle-van-der-meer (I am pretty sure you aren’t new to F1 either, right?); we are well over a month after Silverstone, and the ‘bla HAM was disrespectful there’ really should stop, it wasn’t ever true and any confusion should by now be over.

            And making HAM responsible for being booed (like VET was when he won at Monza, and as HAM is at Monza, just bc. they were competion?! Be better than that base level, come on), reeks of victim blaming; ie. the thing you think HAM and others who say that HAM wasn’t the sole responsible in that crash are doing to VER.

            Like Horner’s hyperboly at Silverstone that clearly still drives people to feel even more that booing Hamilton is a good thing, Max not just repeating that it’s infantile isn’t great to me even if he isn’t responsible for people going there in the first place. Sure people might not listen, but why not try?

          2. @jelle-van-der-meer I’m pretty sure @keithcollantine got his fair share of accusations of being a Vettel fanboy early last decade.

          3. @jelle-van-der-meer I’m pretty sure @keithcollantine got his fair share of accusations of being very biased towards Vettel early last decade.

          4. To be fair to Keith I think if you read some of his previous articles you may think slightly differently. The “Verstappen luck” one for instance – I don’t recall the title. As far as the Silverstone incident is concerned if I recall correctly he acknowledged that “Mercedes” sent Verstappen into the barriers in the first paragraph or so. If Keith was completely biased towards Hamilton (a British driver) then he could have easily have jumped on the Hamilton band wagon and blamed Verstappen. Or did I dream that article? As far as the Webber/Vettel days well that in my opinion is a different story. I am a huge Webber fan so perhaps my view on Keith’s bias is completely biased? Ah – if only Webber had weighed a lot lot less in those days I feel he would have left Vettel in his wake; without question. :-) I always wondered if Webber fobbed you off on a winters day or something along those lines Keith? :-) Moving on. :-)

          5. Why hang around on a british site then?

          6. As a Dutch guy I fully stand by the comment of @bosyber. I have been following this site for 13 years now and unlike Dutch websites, Keith cannot be accused of showing any favouritism. He is an F1 fan first and second. You referring to Keith’s comment above as proof that he is against Max is just childish. Anyone who disagrees with Max is against him now? You better learn to accept that people disagree with your views every now and then. It has nothing to do with favouritism. It has everything to do with forming an opinion of your own.

          7. What utter rubbish. You’re not representing Dutch commenters fairly when you write tosh like that.

          8. It was a racing incident. Clearly.

    2. No they won’t. They’ll be drunk and they’ll boo because everyone else is boo’ing around them and that’s that.

      I also agree with Max and the likes of Jackie Stewart that it doesn’t really matter because it’s a part of any sport to cheer and boo based on who you support. I don’t understand why in Formula 1 it’s suddenly become such a big issue and taboo. I could understand if it was more malicious jeering, racism, or the like. But boo’ing the opposing team/player/driver is a part of damn near every sport, it really doesn’t have to be such a big deal.

    3. Yes, the French!

    4. Well @w0o0dy, I actually have encountered quite a few of those people.

      If you want to buy the BS from max like this

      “When you go to a football match, you come into a home ground, the opposition will be booed at some point and it’s not up to the local club to go onto the speakers and say ‘guys you cannot boo’ because it will naturally happen,” he said. “In football they are very passionate and they support their local team.

      instead of accepting that a team asking their fans to cut it down is not only what works best, but has also been done successfully in the past, that is not about stubbornness but rather about letting the crowd mentality run away with your humanity.

      Sure, I don’t mind a bit booing, shouting etc at times, especially right after something happens. But if just booing, regardless of the merits of what a driver does at the race you are at, that is just lousy and a letdown for more sensible Dutch fans like myself.

      1. But he already asked the fans not to boo.
        Ignoring that fact to construct this narrative is quite irritating.

        1. He has asked the fans not to boo, but then said he knows it will happen anyway and part of the fans being “passionate”. That’s tacit permission while trying to sound like he’s discouraging it.

    5. I feel this subject needs to be looked at from a far wider perspective. Freedom of speech is on the line if we start feeling insulted every time we hear something we dont like and subsequently try to silence that voice. That is censorship. Lewis, like many artists and athletes willingly performs in front of an audience. An audience that is allowed to cheer him on but cant boo him? Thats weird and sounds dictatorial.

      1. I know your agenda but I support every word of that. Most sense you’ve ever spoken Thats for sure!

      2. Again, booing is generally considered to be vulgar and is not “done” in motorsport. If you want to show your displeasure, you don’t cheer.

        We leave booing, hooliganism and violence to other sports, and most motorsport fans I know are glad they have no place here.

        1. While I personally share your view on polite behavior, I still feel we are not entitled to make that call for others. Wouldn’t know who would be. My assumption is that the people’s assumption is that boo-ing is a stepping stone to more. Thats why they are opposing. I’d rather allow a simple boo over what seem to be the first steps towards limiting freedom of speech. You cant just always dismiss criticism by silencing it. Thats a dangerous slope right there.

          1. Booing has nothing to do with fundamental criticism. It is a lack of respect. Like throwing bananas towards black football players. Whistling at the competition’s national anthem. Etc. It has no place in motorsports. You cheer on your driver and show respect to the competition. These guys are throwing their lives on the line there, for your entertainment.

            Respect towards all has been the reason fans of opposing drivers can sit next to each other and having a good time, without fights breaking out.

          2. @spafrancorchamps there are a lot of assumptions in your post. You are entitled to that opinion but I am sure others will have a different view and say Booing is an expression of criticism. Throwing bananas is a totally different category imho (only) since for me it brings race into a discussion (which I personally find irrelevant since I look at behavior of a person). So not cheering is allowed and thats criticism. Bit thin. I feel a good boo now and then can set people straight (without feedback the poor performance will continue). After all their audience is annoyed with their behavior for a reason. And since they can not call this person or write him, I feel there should be another way of letting this person know you are disappointed in their performance. You know.. the audience that delivers their income and is the source of their existence in the sport in the first place. #stopsilencingcriticism.

    6. Coventry Climax
      2nd September 2021, 19:02

      I agree.

      There’s nothing much I can do.
      There’s nothing much we can learn from last weekend.
      We already do our share.
      We’re only responsible for a tiny percentage of the problem.
      There’s ..

      How many more examples do you choose to ignore?

    7. Absolutely spot on!

      @nqmt

  5. I wonder who actually has hurt feelings over booing? I’d be surprised if Hamilton thought about it much. Seems like it’s just a part of any sport.

    1. Probably, and this is my opinion, but I think it has more to do with a possibility that the booing might culminate into racist gestures like turning up in black tshirts saying “hamilton’s family” or wearing black masks. This happened after the Silverstone incident.

      1. Believe me this booing is only fueled by the behavior of LH and Merc during and after the Silverstone GP.
        The orange army only express there disapproval of this behavior. No other intentions!!!!

        1. True, but when it comes to mercedes it’s not only the silverstone gp, it’s been quite a few years that they try every dirty trick in the book to win, including sending mercedes junior to crash into competitions to get another win when the title was already assured, sandbagging etc.

        2. There are definitely those who have been recorded throwing racist abuse at both Hamilton and Mercedes, with a marked increase in the past few months.

          Whilst many might disapprove, there is unfortunately a section of the ‘orange army’ that does engage in that sort of behaviour, and pretending it doesn’t happen does not help anyone.

          1. So now the narrative is from boo to pure racism.
            Fake news, why?
            This is a disgrace for this forum and I am afraid even Keith is fuelling this.

          2. erikje, the comment was about those who have claimed that the whole of the “orange army” is supposedly completely clean when, just like other groups, there is a small minority within the “orange army” that are engaging in much more extreme behaviour.

            Within this own thread, Keith had to remove ultra-nationalistic and xenophobic abuse from a Dutch poster who was promoting the sort of extremist views that I have pointed out is being promoted by that extreme fringe. I pointed out that it was a small fringe, but the claim that nobody is engaging in such behaviour is incorrect – but it would seem you are deliberately trying to misinterpret the comment, preferring to attack me than to challenge the ultra-nationalistic views that some were expressing in this thread.

        3. His words about F1 being similar to football is totally BS as you can as an individual speak in the podium and suggest people to behave, on the other hand in football you dont have this opportunity, maybe twitter is the only option

      2. Silverstone was a racing incident.

    2. Coventry Climax
      2nd September 2021, 19:12

      No, KrisK / @prime, it’s becoming part of any sport, unfortunately. This behavior was never there in F1 a couple of years ago, and a bit longer ago it wasn’t in any sports. It’s still -thank god- not there in tennis – as far as shown on tv at least- or hanggliding, to name something outlandish, and there’s still a good many other sports. Often those are more ‘niche’ sports. When the popularity rises and the ‘legions’ (fancy word for mobs) come in, that’s where the disrespect generally starts.

  6. It’s interesting to compare to football. I’ve been to many games and booed the opposition, and it’s kind of taken as a compliment by many of the players sometimes – however the culture of F1 has always been slightly different in my opinion anyway, with more respect all round for the opposition. Indeed, when there has been booing recently especially, drivers such as Vettel, Hamilton, Rosberg, etc. have been quite deliberately saying please don’t boo to the fans during interviews even when drivers have been suspected of doing things underhand. Personally I’ve quite liked that the drivers step in more.

    I think Max on the other hand could do more, but chooses not to. Which is absolutely fine, that’s entirely his choice, but to say he can’t do anything more is quite frankly bs and I’m sure he knows it. I’ll probably get some replies here from the Dutch fans saying, well Max said it was wrong, etc. but he knows what he is doing here for sure by saying he can’t do anything. Now imagine that Hamilton said the same thing, he would likely once again get lambasted (go on, try to imagine him saying it). I have no problem with Max’s stance, it’s the disingenuous bit about it I don’t personally like – of course he could do more.

    1. I mean, the media asking him these questions obviously want him to change his stance and speak out against it. Max’s stance is that he feels booing is a part of sport as well as cheering and doesn’t feel it’s an issue. He’s not going to change his mind on that stance.

      I do genuinely believe Max doesn’t consider himself a role model for fans. Maybe it makes him uncomfortable to an extent, but I doubt we’ll ever see him take ownership of the “Dutch Army” in that sense.

      1. @GloomSwoop

        He already spoke out against it. It’s just pro-British bias, where no matter what Max does, it’s not enough.

        1. If you read my comment @aapje, it’s not “pro-British bias” at all. I’m really dissapointed to read this. I’m referring to the culture of F1 as a sport and the history of it. Sometimes I don’t know why I bother. I really like Max, but I’m referring to him being disingenuous about it.

          1. @john-h

            I wasn’t really referring to you, but to the (English-speaking) media. It’s quite obvious to me how that they have a huge bias. A good example is that they just ignored Lewis’ statement that he would make his Silverstone move again, while they keep harping on everything that can be spun to be harmful to Lord Lewis, like the booing and Max’s supposed responsibility.

            Since you appear to want me to comment on you, I’ll just say that I think that you are susceptible to propaganda like most people, and like most people, don’t understand how good propaganda works. It’s not really about telling people what to believe, but more about centering the debate about certain topics (while being much more quiet about other topics) and directing the way we talk about that topic (for example, by framing it as Max’s responsibility, rather than that of the fans themselves, or as Lewis’ responsibility, by being more sporting).

          2. You have a point about the media but it really isn’t as sinister as you make out. Most people here don’t like Hamilton at all, including the press.

            “I’ll just say that I think that you are susceptible to propaganda like most people and like most people, don’t understand how good propaganda works”

            Well thanks for the honest opinion, but exactly how patronising do you want to be @aapje? I guess quite a bit.

            “for example, by framing it as Max’s responsibility, rather than that of the fans themselves”

            Again, you’re missing my point, I’m not saying it’s Max’s responsibility, it’s about being disingenuous about it. Anyway, like I’ve said many times I do like Max, have done for years, I love his driving and his no-nonsense attitude and he has no responsibility here to do anything. I can’t put it any clearer.

          3. @john-h

            Well thanks for the honest opinion, but exactly how patronising do you want to be @aapje? I guess quite a bit.

            Is it patronising to be honest or to treat you like a child by lying to stroke your ego? Most people easily accuse others of personal faults, but get offended if it is pointed out that they seem to have faults as well. To me, this is actually disingenuous. Note that you threw the first stone here, so perhaps you should abstain if you can’t take what you dish out.

            A constant I see in how people react to Max is that he is brutally honest and then people start assuming all kinds of devious motives, when a much more simpler explanation is sufficient. For example, in this case, Max spoke out against the booing, but noted that he can’t control the fans and many will do what they feel like, whatever Max thinks about this. This seems entirely correct to me and not at all disingenuous.

            This is then turned into all kinds of theories where people claim to know what Max is thinking and that he is being devious, which to me, says a lot about the people making these accusations.

            I’m not saying it’s Max’s responsibility, it’s about being disingenuous about it.

            All I see you doing is complaining that Max could do more and giving the example that Max should speak out against it, which he actually did. Thus I don’t see how you provided a serious argument that Max was disingenuous, but rather, are being extremely unreasonable.

            Of course, Max could personally talk to every fan that comes into the stadium, but then he wouldn’t have time to do his actual job. Max is not being disingenuous when he decides to do less than you want him to do.

            Anyway, like I’ve said many times I do like Max, have done for years, I love his driving and his no-nonsense attitude

            The latter would be more convincing if you would actually accept his attitude, rather than accuse him of being disingenuous when he acts and speaks in accordance with that no-nonsense attitude.

          4. What happened on July 18th was a racing incident. No more questions.

          5. “All I see you doing is complaining that Max could do more and giving the example that Max should speak out against it”

            Herein lies the problem. That’s not what I’m saying at all, nor do I want you to “stroke my ego”. I’m a grown man, not a child. I can reason with people should they not venture to polar extremes.

            Been on this site since 2008, never come across somebody as polarising. Maybe I could have worded things a bit better I’ll admit, but no I stand by what I say and it seems like below many people agree with me so I’m not some sort of ego attention seeking child that you seem to make me out to be. Max is not above criticism, neither am I, but I will reply when someone is insinuating that I don’t think for myself and being influenced by the media. That isn’t the case.

            “The latter would be more convincing if you would actually accept his attitude”

            I think this also sums up the problem, if you can’t see that then that really isn’t an issue from my side, sorry @aapje.

        2. Just to add, it’s kind of like some sort of cancel culture by even suggesting anything against Max at all, even from someone like me who really likes him, just gets shut down as “British Bias”.

        3. @aapje

          Mate, just accept that all those who “boo” Lewis are racist, and all will be well in the world again.

          When in doubt, just throw in the R word, seems to work.

    2. From a dutch F1 fan – @well said @john-h

    3. +1

      I personally don’t have a problem with booing opponents as long as it stays as boos and doesn’t cross the line into things like racist comments or throwing things from the stands. But that comes from being a fan in the US, where booing a competitor is pretty common in all the major sports. Stadiums are even built with acoustics in mind to funnel the boos and jeers down to the field so that opposing teams can hear them more loudly and be distracted by them. Recently, we even had a sports team with fans booing their own home team (NY Mets) which provoked the players to give the fans the thumbs down sign in return.

      So I don’t a problem with fans booing Lewis or any other driver but for Max to say well I can’t do anything about it because no one will listen to me is totally disingenuous. Some fans will listen to him and will respect what he says if they really are his fans. If they don’t listen to him at all, then they really aren’t his fans; they are just fans of being anti-Lewis.

    4. @john-h I think Max has been just as vocal, as referenced by Keith in the above article when he cites a previous article with quotes from Max saying booing is wrong and not nice. Exactly what more would you have Max do that other drivers who have decried booing haven’t? LH asked fans not to boo Nico. They did anyway. What else did LH do about it? What example from the past is there that Max should follow in order to dictate how fans should behave or react? Why is the onus on Max more than other drivers or F1 itself? Is booing new? If it isn’t why wasn’t it stopped years ago?

      You say of course he could do more. Well then I say of course all the drivers could do more, as could F1 itself. Have they? We have heard not just drivers, but post-race interviewers ask the crowd to stop booing. Has that worked? Has it been such a problem that F1 is willing to do something about it? What would that something be?

      I’m no condoning booing, but nor does it bother me, and nor do I think much can be done about it that would actually work. Nor do I sense F1 itself has a big issue with it. My bottom line on this is that LH himself has said that it fuels him when he gets booed, and that he doesn’t mind it and it means he must be doing something right. Why would I get outraged about something that doesn’t bother the very man to whom it presumably should affect the most? If anything, if it fuels LH you’d think Max would indeed be motivated to stop that small percentage of people from booing, yet he knows he cannot stop that anymore than other drivers and post-race interviewers in the past have been able to do.

      Aside from that, here we are expecting these drivers to be gladiators on the track, and the new regs are even meant to totally change the racing such that there will be even more close racing and teams closer to each other, a more driver vs driver series than an engineering team vs an engineering team series, and yet we expect fans to not be emotional about it? Methinks F1 would far prefer the emotion in it, even if that isn’t always pretty, over indifference and dictating how fans should behave, as long as of course they are keeping it verbal, and as long as it only fuels the one being booed anyway.

      Further to that, what is a little booing now and again amongst a setting, and I’ll say this with a more cynical hat on, of F1’s historic political gamesmanship, backstabbing, bending of rules, outright cheating, money grabbing, spying, conspiring, etc etc. Is F1 so squeaky clean that it or it’s drivers should dictate that a little booing now and again dare not happen? What is the ‘culture’ such that it can sit on it’s high horse and say no booing allowed? And again…if the very one who should be offended the most is only fuelled by it, perhaps Max shouldn’t have even been asked the question. If some are so offended by booing, when the very target is not, then perhaps those folks should take it up with F1 and let them figure out how they could possibly do anything about this. And what would that be?

      1. Nice and accurate reply to a lot of nonsense.

        1. Just try and open your mind like this “__” much.

          hurts hearing it? perhaps your can be more logical in your comments as well imstead of emotional.

      2. @robbie

        There is also an element of freedom of speech and class. The drivers and the media have the luxury of being able to express their individual views on camera, being given the sole attention of the broadcast. The plebs can only express their beliefs collectively and in a much more crude manner, but take that away and they are silenced.

        The elites have always been offended when the masses don’t support them. I think it is quite healthy that these people get confronted with the fact that despite all their power, privilege and narcissism, not everything they do is applauded or considered acceptable.

      3. I’m not saying that he has to do more @robbie. That’s not my point. It’s the bit where he says that he can’t do more.

        “Why is the onus on Max more than other drivers or F1 itself?”

        It isn’t, again I think you’re missing the point of my comment. He doesn’t have to do it, I’m not saying that he should.

        What is the ‘culture’ such that it can sit on it’s high horse and say no booing allowed?

        Well that’s me having an opinion about motorsport fans in a whole load of categories, respecting the competitors themselves and what they are putting on the line.

        Erkije, I’m not really sure what to say. I mean, we all know what you’re going to reply to every comment about Max regardless of what actually happens.

        1. Coventry Climax
          2nd September 2021, 20:11

          I fully agree with you, @john-h, and I was born dutch.
          I think people have a general lack in education these days, oh, they have degrees and all, but still. They confuse passion with decency.

          1. I’ve been a football fan since I was young. We booed the other team (opponents) when they were presented at the start of the game but afterwards we welcomed them with a warm applause. And then the game. There is nothing wrong with booing as long as doesn’t goes overboard. One enjoy booing the opponent trying to lower their “energy” haha. I also enjoy cheering. You like cheers? You should take the boos also. Its the natural balance. Ying yang. Black and white.

          2. Coventry Climax
            3rd September 2021, 3:30

            When were you young? 5 years ago? Football is the worst example you can give, because that’s where the mob-like disrespect started in the first place, ages ago. The things so-called fans sing collectively, it’s downright nazism sometimes. There’s all sorts of initiatives to turn it around, but it should never have started in the first place.
            Went to the movies a couple of years back, and the theatre was next to the stadium, where a match had just ended. Had to wade knee-deep through the pigsty mess and the loud and drunk pigs with it. And the sheer amount of mounted police! Ridiculous that that’s even necessary.

            Last Ying/Yang words about this:
            Sound and Silence.

      4. That whoosh that went past you just now @robbie…?

        Was you completely missing the point.

        It’s not the booing – it’s who it’s aimed at and what it leads to by a small minority then see it’s tacit approval to engage in other behaviour. It’s also something that can and is getting more and more prevalent in recent times.

        Further, that behaviour it leads to is something the whole sport is opposed to.

        You may have noticed a bit of a movement on that recently.

        Max has no responsibility to physically or verbally do anything as you say, but by actually saying he can’t do anything about it and engendering a ‘so what?’ attitude at his home race is being completely disingenuous.

        We all bear a responsibility to stop light hearted joshing from being a key to extremist behaviour by certain groups wherever they are and whoever they pretend to support.

        1. ”We all bear a responsibility to stop light hearted joshing from being a key to extremist behaviour by certain groups wherever they are and whoever they pretend to support”

          Worrying stuff to hear. This is exactly what dictators and bully CEO’s do. Forbid the lightest form of criticism since it just might become more and then be hurtful. Freedom of speech anyone? How and who is going to make the judgement that this classifies as light hearted joshing. Who is going to make the judgement whether it leads to extremist behavior. Might it not that silencing groups over and over creates extremism? Cheering and boo-ing go hand in hand. They are performing in front of an audience that pays their salaries.

        2. @drgraham I’m with Mayrton with his well summed up paragraph above. I actually thought this was an article and a conversation about booing, particularly about LH being booed as Max’s Championship rival, not as a person of colour. That you are making it about that is of your choosing and that would be where education comes in, and that is what F1, including Max, have been trying to do with their We Race As One motif. It seems to me Max was not asked about booing in the context you are extending, but rather just as regards LH as his Championship rival, coming into Max’s home turf, and of course it pertains to certain things that have happened such as Silverstone. It is not that I have missed a point, it is that you are assuming or asserting your own point.

          It is unfair of you to lay a ‘so what’ attitude on Max when he is clearly comparing booing to football, and please answer the question without dwelling on skin colour and tell me what any one athlete has done about what a crowd of people are going to do and have been for decades with respect to booing? Has anyone tried, or if they have, succeeded at stopping booing at sporting events? How about the sports governing bodies rather than laying this on one random driver who was asked and therefore seems put on the hotseat? What have the governing bodies done about booing in football or in F1? That is all Max is saying. He has no control over the crowd booing any more than LH did for Nico etc. As I say if you want to make this about skin colour then Max is indeed part of the We Race As One campaign. Since that campaign has been going on for a time now, and seemingly according to you that has achieved nothing to stop the booing that has a certain undertone to it, or might provoke a certain undertone, then your complaint should be lodged against F1 for not doing more, not one driver.

      5. There is also an element of freedom of speech and class. The drivers and the media have the luxury of being able to express their individual views on camera, being given the sole attention of the broadcast. The plebians can only express their beliefs collectively and in a much more cr-ude manner, but take that away and they are silenced.

        The elites have always been offended when the masses don’t support them. I think it is quite healthy that these people get confronted with the fact not everything they do is applauded or considered acceptable.

      6. There is also an element of freedom of speech and class.

        1. The drivers and the media have the luxury of being able to express their individual views on camera, being given the sole attention of the broadcast.

          1. The masses can only express their beliefs collectively and in a much more crude manner, but take that away and they are silenced.

          2. The elites have always been offended when the masses don’t support them. I think it is quite healthy that these people get confronted with the fact not everything they do is applauded or considered acceptable.

            PS. Sorry for the mess, I couldn’t get my comment to post in one go.

  7. I can remember back in 1989; in the Mansell, Senna, Prost era, when I went to the British GP Senna was the bad guy. My wife goes to me, ‘don’t boo when Senna goes past’. Well, I think I was the only one NOT booing. When Senna spun off on lap 11 due to a gearbox problem, the whole place cheered. Nothings changed.

    1. True, it’s horrible by the british fans, like with verstappen this year.

    2. When I think they’re people like that I actually like they lost the football final, and I don’t care about football, so being italian makes no difference to me, I actually wouldn’t have minded if england won, before seeing this behaviour.

    3. If a driver makes a mistake or has a misfortune which benefits the driver you are supporting, it is natural to cheer. That’s cheering for the success and good fortune of your driver, not for the misfortune of the other one.

      If, in football, the opposing team’s defender accidentally scores an own goal, you would cheer. In tennis, if the racket of your player’s opponent breaks at match point leading to your player winning, you would cheer. Misfortune for an opponent will be cause for celebration unless it could involve injury, like a serious crash: see the silence which came over Silverstone as soon as the audience could see what had happened, and which persisted until we could tell he was not injured.

      1. Do you think Silverstone was a racing incident? I think it still is.

    4. Coventry Climax
      2nd September 2021, 20:12

      your wife was right.

  8. Booing is just a low status thing afaic, makes me think less of those people and what or who they represent. If you don’t respect the opposition then it means less when you beat them. Obvious, you would think.

    1. The problem is that booing occurs everywhere, and there are plenty of examples where the British fans also booed Senna, Schumacher, Piquet, Rosberg, you name them.
      It is best to shrug it off and move on.

      1. Coventry Climax
        2nd September 2021, 20:13

        There’s the little kids ‘but he is doing it too’ argument again. Grow up.

        1. I would like to encourage some boo-ing more often. As so well said by this Brit
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiqDZlAZygU

  9. Really sad that there is such comments. No one was ‘dancing on Max’s grave’ at all, you’ve been reading too much of the gutter press for you own health and indeed ours.

    1. Not more “over the top” compared with all the anti ver statements in this topic.
      The ones you did not reacted on…

  10. Of course, he can’t. Fortunately, F1 and motorsport generally have a lot less booing than football. Another example is ice hockey, in which booing is also a common thing. Probably basketball, American football, and some others too.

  11. As Jimi Hendrix once said at a gig..” I don’t care if you boo, just boo in key”

    1. As Jimi Hendrix once said at a gig..” I don’t care if you boo, just boo in key”

      @hahostolze Jimi, did you really said that?? ;-)

  12. It’s a global sport, and not entirely serving the sensibilities of the UK. In most parts of the world, booing the opposition is considered part of the sport and a distinct “home field” advantage for the local participants.

    1. petebaldwin (@)
      2nd September 2021, 17:03

      @spencer – It’s only F1 where booing is viewed as unacceptable in the UK. If you look at football, they’re the only nation to boo any other national anthem.

  13. I’m sorry, but why should he? I think Verstappen has a legitimate beef with Hamilton over Silverstone, and will continue to do so. His fans will too. Now I may be forgetful, and please do correct me if I am wrong, but did his fans boo Hamilton before then? I thought it started at Hungary and then continued at Spa. Ergo, after Silverstone.

    The Dutch fans are annoying. They’re only in it for Verstappen. But those that do care, have plenty of reason to boo Hamilton as someone they feel did not act fairly on track. As long as we can be sure it’s not motivated by other issues, like race, then what’s wrong? Hamilton did speak up about the booing of Vettel and Rosberg previously, and perhaps cheers when Rosberg would retire at Silverstone – but those weren’t related to an incident. So on balance, why not?

    Yeah, this weekend is gonna be pretty pantomime from a Netherlands perspective. In a way, you’d hope Hamilton wins to shut them all up. But after Silverstone and the winning histrionics of Hamilton….

    1. But why do you think Max has a legitimate beef over Silverstone?….

      Initially, I felt like Hamilton was at fault too, but since discussing it with a relative who used to race competitively in go-karting, I’ve come to a different conclusion. His point was that from Max’s perspective, he could see that Lewis had come up on him and it was inevitable they would crash if Max turned in. Therefore, Lewis had made enough ground to warrant Max having to take a wider line or back out. And well, thinking about it that way, from Max’s cockpit, I have to say, I agree; and I now think the penalty was unfair and a result of the narrative around the crash, along with the heavy shunt that Max received from the barriers.

      I know it’s a very different situation, but imagine you were driving a street car and saw a car where Lewis was—you wouldn’t turn in. Yet if you did, the crash would be your fault.

      1. @f-wn glad to get your perspective, but you’re just wrong. Lewis was found predominantly at fault. Which he was. And Max retired, Lewis won. If that doesn’t leave a legitimate beef, then I don’t know what.

        1. “Lewis was found predominantly at fault. ”

          By the authorities, yes, he was given a penalty. However, the race stewards aren’t always perfect. Can you explain exactly why he was at fault, or link me to a previous comment of yours where you break down exactly why he was the guilty party and it wasn’t Max at fault or a racing incident?

          1. @f-wn Because it is exactly how the stewards said it. Max left more than enough room for LH and LH was unable to take and use that room on the inside that he was afforded by Max. Max didn’t ‘turn in’ on LH. LH had been left space and went in too hot to keep further inside where he had been left the space. As a result he hit Max. That is what the stewards decreed, and asking another poster to once again go over this is moot. It was up to the stewards to make a ruling using all the available info they had and that is why there are stewards in the first place. You know that another poster who disagrees with you, such as me, is just going to go by what we all saw and what the stewards ruled upon. If it was a racing incident they would have ruled it thus.

            “His point was that from Max’s perspective, he could see that Lewis had come up on him and it was inevitable they would crash if Max turned in. Therefore, Lewis had made enough ground to warrant Max having to take a wider line or back out.” Firstly, your karting relative is not one of the stewards. Secondly, why not look at it from LH’s perspective, and why just Max’s? If Max has done anything it is to prove throughout his F1 career so far to be fully on it and a take-no-prisoners kind of driver, just as WDC level drivers tend to be applauded for. Why was there no onus on LH to be wary of Max as he trailed him in that corner. And yet Max left him space. Thirdly, the very fact that LH only every trailed Max makes it an absolute joke for anyone to suggest Max should back out while leading. When has LH ever backed out when leading in and around a corner? I think LH, through his career long behaviour, and I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, has only taught Max how to own the real estate when leading around a corner. How to force the other driver to either go wide, back out, or hit him. Max did everything required of him in terms of his onus to the other driver involved, and it was LH that hit him and was deemed predominantly at fault.

          2. Thanks for your analysis, Robbie:

            To answer your question, the reason I picked out @hahostolze with regards to this question was because I have read his comments over a number of years and was interested to hear his particular opinion. I wasn’t choosing a random commentator.

            As to the stewards, I’m not sure that because they rule something one way or another that that makes their decision the correct one and closed to questioning. “If it was a racing incident they would have ruled it thus.” The stewards, in my opinion, have made many errors over the years, and I don’t feel they are infallible.

            Finally, if I maybe insinuated that it was all Max’s fault in my first comment, that was unintended. I wasn’t trying to say that Max should be penalised for his driving, but simply that Lewis shouldn’t be penalised either. For me, and harping back to my relative’s comment, this seemed like a classic racing incident. Certainly, Max left space for Lewis, but Lewis also didn’t give Max nowhere to go; Max had the rest of the track. If Max had driven a slightly wider line, there wouldn’t have been a crash—unless, of course, Lewis really did hog the entire track and force Max into the gravel. In such a scenario, then, yes, Lewis would be at fault.

            PS
            And just as a caveat, I like Max and Lewis equally as racing drivers.

          3. @f-wn Fair comment. I just respectfully disagree. Especially with “Lewis also didn’t give Max nowhere to go; Max had the rest of the track. If Max had driven a slightly wider line, there wouldn’t have been a crash…”

            I don’t think you are putting yourself in Max’s shoes. Max lead going into the corner and LH only ever very briefly put himself alongside Max, but sure enough he did, and at least had his front wing beside Max, and that afforded LH the right to be left space. That is where Max’s obligation ends. Space indeed he did leave. To say that “If Max had driven a slightly wider line” is not only to use hindsight, but is also putting the onus on Max do take extraordinary measures that would be unreasonable for him to have to take nor to expect to have to take. Once Max saw where LH was and left him space, there’s nothing more Max could have done nor should have had to have done, including given that indeed Max didn’t ‘turn in’ on LH. Even if he had, that would have been on LH of all people to be wary of, which is all the more reason he should have taken more of the space Max afforded him.

            Another way I look at these things is that to me very often, and I heard this years ago, I think from Brundle, is that it is the trailing driver that has the full visual of the situation and the greater control over it. Max had his vibrating little right-side mirror to see where LH was, and managed to acknowledge that, whereas it was LH that had the full view of what Max was doing and what he himself could do to prevent a collision. As I say, LH has countless times in his career proven, and again I mean nothing derogatory about it, that it is fair game and applauded when a leading driver takes command of the real estate, and while fairly and through hard racing gives his opponent the freedom to race, ultimately takes over and forces said opponent to either back off, go off, or hit me. LH chose not to back off nor go off, and rather, hit Max. Some such as Damon Hill pointed out after the race that LH indeed said ahead of the race he was not going to back down, or was tired of backing down, something to that effect, and highlights were shown of the times Max has forced LH’s hand earlier in the season and indeed LH backed down, and that this time he was simply going to be stubborn. When Nico decided to be stubborn against LH, he indeed hit LH and took them both out and was vilified for it. Of course some of that has to do with them being on the same team, but the point is there comes a point when a driver trailing needs to concede that he is not in the dominant position at that particular moment. At no point was LH in a dominant position to do anything other than take the space afforded him and see what he could do with it or back out. Never was the onus on Max to back out while leading. Never has LH backed out while leading. It’s while leading and fairly giving the opponent the space to race, that you have put the onus on the trailing guy who has the full visual and control over what happens next.

          4. @robbie

            Interesting, and I take your points on board. For me, the strongest case you make for Lewis being at fault is:

            “there comes a point when a driver trailing needs to concede that he is not in the dominant position at that particular moment. ”

            That dominant position was certainly not Lewis’, I would agree on that. I’m not sure that the reference to what Lewis said before the race, or what Damon Hill said Lewis said before the race comes into the equation however, but perhaps it does for some people.

            And I wonder if a lot of people wouldn’t class this collision as a racing incident were it not for the surrounding context: Silverstone, Lewis trailing Max halfway through the season, Lewis missing out on being in front, Lewis making said comments prior to the race, etc.

            I also wonder whether a lot of people are swayed in their opinion by the dramatic fallout of the collision, which was obviously extreme in its affects and worrying where Max’s well-being was concerned.

            Nevertheless, I take your point from a driving perspective on board. I’ll guess I’ll just have to go and have another look at those slow motion replays again—even if the fact it’s so debatable (in my opinion, at least) also lends this crash to being considered a racing incident rather than anyone’s fault.

          5. @f-wn Fair comment.

        2. @hahostolze Once again, ‘predominantly’ is not ‘entirely’.

          1. @f-wn @robbie

            Now, what’s all this? Reason, thoughtfull analysis, accepting the other person’s valid points, even politeness?

            Are you sure that you are supposed to be on the internet?

            (this was supposed to be a “thank you”!)

      2. Coventry Climax
        2nd September 2021, 20:17

        So max’s only option left was to not turn in and crash anyway? Thats B.S., in capitals.

      3. In my opinion it’s a racing incident.

    2. It was a racing incident. Remember that.
      Max to win Silverstone 2022 to prove it still remains a racing incident?

  14. During the worst of CV19 crisis F1 was unanimous that they could not wait for the fans to return.

    Since the fans have returned, they have been criticized for showing their emotions and F1 has contrived a race to avoid refunds.

    F1 did not want the fans back but their money back.

  15. I feel this is exactly the British narrative Alonso was talking about the other month.

    Of course Max could do more. Probably it would be best for the public opinion to at least attempt, an attempt which is possible futile. But if this headline, out of the entire conversation, is chosen as the general take away, you’re actually busier with keeping the media happy than to keep your own fans at bay. Of course fans opinions are based on what makes it to the news, but that counts for both sides.

  16. After the way Horner and Marko threw fuel on the fire after the racing incident at Silverstone, is it any wonder the more hard core fans are going to show poor sportsmanship. It would be helpful if Verstappen was to ask his fans to show some respect. But he takes his lead from the RB management and they’re happy to continue playing the blame game.

    1. This is how I see it as well.

    2. Don’t trust Horner and Marko. Trust Chandhok, Leclerc and Bottas.

  17. Massa showed the way when he was on the top step of the Brazil podium but lost the Championship to Hamilton. The crowed started booing but Massa waved them down shaking his head.

    He did the same thing at the Italian race where Hamilton had won (when the Italian motor racing paper reported the race and called him Shumilton).

    It is not just a British sporting culture which celebrates the skill and success of other contestants and their achievements.

    The respect and concern for their fellow drivers has been shown in many incidents from Lauda’s horrific crash to last weekend when Vettel stopped to check on Norris.

    The increasing vitriol in many posts (less here than other sites ) does not reflect the feelings of most drivers past and present. They might be aggressive on track, determined and fierce but when it all boils down they are a community of only 20 engaged in a very dangerous sport.

    They might speak clumsily or in the heat of the moment get angry and say or do something silly but they all understand what goes around comes around.

    Well most of them do.

    1. British fan “sporting culture” is racist, xenophobic and full of hooliganism and has NEVER celebrated skill

      1. You’ve obviously never watched Rugby or Snooker or Cricket or Darts or Athletics or…. And its well known that Eastern Europe and South America are now the hotbed of Football hooligans, but don’t let that spoil your narrative.

      2. I was dropped off very early outside the ground for the first rugby game I went to cover, and as there was a pub opposite I went in to get a pint and something to eat. It was crammed with the opposing team’s fans.
        The doors opened and some home fans walked in. What followed was a minute or so of “you’re rubbish, we’ll beat you, go home you’re wasting your time” followed by “nice you’ve come across, fancy a beer?”

      3. Awww bless. Xx

  18. British fans boo foreigners all the time, so it isn’t a big deal when they return the favour

  19. Why does the media not stop putting attention towards the topic. That would help. But now they will turn it around and blame it on Max.

  20. Bono, my booers are gone.

  21. Dutch booing makes go Hamilton faster. Max should know that by now.

    1. Interesting narrative..
      Until Silverstone no one was booing. So it wad the Mercedes there I guess :)

  22. Nothing more Verstappen can do, he has already adressed the question https://www.racefans.net/2021/07/31/booing-of-hamilton-not-correct-and-not-nice-says-verstappen/
    The one thing I’m concerned about is anti-Hamilton racism, so let’s hope booing is the worst we’ll see this weekend

    1. We already crossed that bridge.. Several Lewis fans suggested an orange colored racism. Thinking about it, quite racist remark BTW :)

    2. After what happened during Euro 2020 british fans should just shut their mouth once and for all.

  23. Im a Big lewis fan but Max is spot on! It’s all stupid pantomime and lewis is playing the role of the “baddy”. He will thrive on it. Boo, hissssss, hes behind you, oh no he isnt!, oh yes he is!…etc etc. bring it on oranj Army!!

  24. see the silence which came over Silverstone as soon as the audience could see what had happened,

    Interesting take… They cheered for the collision and the result. Some of them silenced when they understood what really happened and some cheered. Even from the stand with full view.
    I did not liked that, but it is expected with a group of Hamilton fans.
    Not nice, but that is the way things work.
    Celebrating the way Lewis did was distasteful but still not uncommon.
    So there is a lot to improve but the booing story is getting way to much press.

    1. To keep it simple.
      If no one is listening to the booing or does not make a fuss out of it, it looses all function.
      Like a 4 year old having a tantrum. Ignoring I often solves the ” problem” addressing it will cause more tantrums.
      We have several 4 year old here BTW.. :)

  25. Boo them all you want! Cheer for them all you want! We are here for the racing not politics. Hooliganism and Racism should never be tolerated but beyond that every one is free to express himself.

  26. One thing is certain. Hamilton is getting booed this weekend, whether people like it or not.

  27. If you get booed you should honestly take pride in it because it’s for a reason, your winning too much. Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson get booed or the two latter got booed up until their final year. In their final years fans cheered for them because the fans had respect for them all along. Lewis is one of the only athletes in any sport that I can think of that literally looks upset when he gets booed.

  28. HAM has been booed to varying degrees throughout his career and this does include his “home”, England. Being booed at home is mostly the direct consequence of its being a global sport. As the years have progressed, the boos have tracked perceived misconduct on and off track as well as perceptions of his being the beneficiary of favouritism. Factored into the increased incidence and intensity over the past couple of years is his fronting of BLM and what seems to be political activism.
    The boos will reach a crescendo with the Orange Army, fuelled by the fact that VER only has him to beat to claim a maiden WDC. Many will also still feel he didn’t get punished enough for Silverstone Sunday, despite being found to be primarily to blame for the incident that saw VER suffer a 51G race-ending impact.
    HAM probably knows he will be booed more than ever as his career draws to a close. As VER pointed out, the booing is natural. The question that should have been posed is whether he would condemn abuse that goes beyond run-of-the-mill booing. Specifically, the type of racist bile that turned from trickle to full-on torrent during and in the aftermath of Silverstone Sunday. I’m fairly certain VER would continue to raise his voice against those low-lives and declare he doesn’t need their brand of “support”.

    1. Initially I found Hamilton was at fault, but in the end it’s a racing incident.

  29. I clicked on this article for the ratio. I wasn’t disappointed.

    Now, who wants cheese?

  30. There’s always jeering and booing at Monza. It’s part of the colour and and passion which help make it one of the better events. Will that be frowned upon now in this new PC world?

  31. What I get about this stupid to boo or not to boo discussion is that we are lucky to do both. Think for a moment about all those countries where discussion and freedom of speech is forbidden. Enjoy the Grand Prix and may Alonso win.

  32. the world is slowly going mad. who cares if people boo. They are paying spectators. They can cheer/boo/sing/shout as much as they want!!! It is not a crime to cause offense. It is NOT A CRIME TO BOO!! I am 45 years old and when I was young one of the first things I was taught was ‘sticks and stones may brake your bones but names will never hurt you’. There is a whole generation that could do with being re-taught that!!

    1. Again you miss the point.

      It’s not the booing it’s what it leads to amongst a small minority.

      But not to worry because at his home race with emotions nicely stoked up by his team boss, Max can’t do anything to stop them

      Not even a few words along the lines of don’t encourage the idiots.

    2. Hear hear. Rowan Atkinson has made a (in my eyes) wonderful speech on this topic. Grow a thicker skin all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiqDZlAZygU

    3. Start at 3:35 for the lazy (or busy) ones..

  33. Reminder: What happened back in Silverstone was a racing incident. Don’t ask me why until July 16th, 2022.

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