Why do British fans Whine so much?

[Schumacher]

Silverstone 2001.

Another weekend for the British to do what they do best - Whine.
Over the years, it seems to me that nothing has changed at Silverstone. Whenever a race weekend starts the usual pitiful souls show up each year carrying anti-Schumacher banners. I dont expect everyone to like Michael which is fine however I do get angry when I see people draped in the British flag carrying banners such as this one "How about 2 broken legs this time Schumy"? Or the other extreme -banners making fun of his German heritage.

Thats simply low class behaviour. It's understandable that the British fans and media alike prefer to whine about Michael's driving rather than accept the fact that the Hills and the Coulthards are simply not good enough to beat the man when he`s even close to his best.

However whats not acceptable is behaviour such as this. Not that it would deter Michael - another pole and another possible win - that it's taking place in Silverstone should shut the British up for a while. However they really need to look at their behaviour - British drivers are not very popular outside their own country - maybe it's time they get a dose of their own medicine...On second thought - Nah.

I dont think any other fans can stoop so low.

[badoer fan]

Banners wishing harm on drivers are just awful, and have no place in F1, but British whining? THAT'S WHAT WE DO BEST!!!

[Valve Bounce]

Wishing harm on any F1 driver is sick, and these people need Psychiatric help.

[TimD]

I take it you have nothing to say, Schumacher fan, on the death threats that Damon Hill used to get at Hockenheim.

Xenophobia is ugly anywhere you find it, and it has absolutely no place at a race track. Any race track.

[Kenny W.]

Not to mention the death threats and banners DC put up with after the TGF/DC wet weather collision.

[R]

"How about 2 broken legs this time" - that's disgusting. However, I agree with Tim and Kenny, there are examples of other drivers being at the recieving end of such **** as well, not only TGF. So that argument falls short.

[Alan Jones]

Shumacher said:

How about 2 broken legs this time Schumy

The English, can't throw, can't bowl, can't play Rugby............



But they do have a sense of humour

[badoer fan]

Originally posted by AlanJones
The English can't bowl,

That not right, we won the world indoor bowls championships lol

[Minardi fan]

I was there and although I cannot condone in any way Anti-Schumacher banners, I didn't see one over the whole weekend. Probably a good thing because I'd have attacked anyone carrying something sick like that with my own flags.

Instead of being 'anti-so and so', why can people not show who they are PROUD to SUPPORT??? I wandered round with my Kimi, Fernando and Minardi flags on display for all to see - they're my team and drivers, and I'm going to bloody well support them.

[Tristan]

Hoo von zee var??? That's how many people still think in this country.....

It's not whining, it's thinly veiled jealousy.

[Sauber_16]

Hey Schumacher!

I don't believe us British whine, we're just proud of Silverstone being 'the home of British Motor-racing'. Personally, I support Schumacher greatly (along with 'Bern') and find any abusive or stupid comments about Schumacher either on flag or banner to be totally unfair and pathetic to be honest. But that is no different to the Tifosi cheering when Hakkinen crashes into the barrier head on during the 1999 Italian GP.

Silverstone I found, had a great atmosphere, considering the British drivers are pretty bad...people will hate my views on Hill and Mansell probably, so I'll not mention them now. And as for DC, if we want to support Schumacher and the 'foreigners' we will...why does he expect us all to be nationalistic??!

BLIMEY! I am finished!

See ya )

Sara

[Don K]

Originally posted by Tristan
Hoo von zee var???

The Soviet Union, I'm afraid. They tried to conquer half of Europe, and they succeeded.

[Schumacher]

Originally posted by Sauber_16
But that is no different to the Tifosi cheering when Hakkinen crashes into the barrier head on during the 1999 Italian GP.

Silverstone I found, had a great atmosphere, considering the British drivers are pretty bad...

Sara

I dont remember the Tifosi cheering when Mika went off but then again I could be wrong. Still, I doubt whether they were as loud as the folks over at Silverstone when Michael broke his leg in 99. They sounded more like rugby fans rather than F1 fans but anyway....

No argument about the British drivers being bad though Too bad Mansell put on a lot of pounds and could`nt fit into the Mclaren...cos he was the one British driver who was worth watching...the rest of them....Hill and Coulthard in particular....should've chosen alternate careers.... Personally I think they would've made great Undertakers.

[Liz]

I was at Monza in 1999 and I assure you that EVERYBODY cheered when Mika went off the road (and not into a barrier, just into the gravel). However, we all cheered for him when he came walking back past our grandstands, still sniveling, and in our area we were sincere.

Also everyone in our grandstand (and in the golds too) cheered this weekend at the Molson Indy Toronto when Michael Andretti went into the tire wall, and none of them cheered when he won. He is the most popular driver in Canada that nobody likes. :confused:

This is not confined to British fans, or to racing fans ... one of the best fights I ever saw at Madison Square Gardens was started when the Rangers goalie was being carried off on a stretcher and a dimwit in the stands shouted "I hope you die!" Three players from the Rangers came off the ice in response, and scaled several sets of concrete steps to explain to the guy why his response was inappropriate, ruining three sets of skates in the process.

Nevertheless, wishing someone injury or death is disgraceful and there is no excuse for it, no matter who won the war.

[botsquad]

god bless england

[ozywoodwards]

Cheering when the main rival to your favourite driver crashes is not a shamefull thing to do, especially when with modern F1 safety standards you wouldn't expect injury. If, however, you where still happy even after you knew TGF was hurt, that is shamefull.

[Minardi fan]

A lot of people are fickle - DC was cheered when he came out on the track throughout the weekend, yet when he retired he was also cheered by the same people.

[Sodemo]

In actual fact Brits are the most "non-fussed" country in the whole world. We are the most conservative nation there is, fact.
Perhaps not appliable to F1, but the British never kick up a stick.
We complain to ourselves but we never do anything about it.
The USA is the king of complainers.
I heard this when the fuel protests were on, saying that the USA public would never stand for High petrol prices, but the UK public just lumped it.

[Stephen Green]

I would like to make a few comments here as a volunteer race official.

Firstly, there were huge cheers when Hakkinen went off in Monza, it was even audible on the TV.

British drivers such as David Coulthard don't do themselves any favours when they refuse to acknowledge the crouds who have paid large amounts to come and see them race. I was marshalling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed the weekend before the British Grand Prix. On the Sunday, DC drove a vintage Mercedes up the hill. The tradition at Goodwood is that on the way back down the hill, the drivers wave to the marshals and the crowd. Two F1 drivers thought it beneath them to acknowledge the marshals, David Coulthard and Damon Hill.

It was much the same at Silverstone. I was marshalling at Vale and every time any driver went past on their slowing down lap, no wave to the crowd who were cheering them on. You can say what you like about Nigel Mansell, but the guy had the crowd on his side and ALWAYS waved as he went by, something a lot of modern day drivers could take note of.

It's not just in Formula 1 either, other race meetings where there are lots of smaller teams competing have the same attitude. The guy wins a race and all the marshals are clapping him on his slowing down lap. What's he doing, sticking his head up his backside and ingnoring everyone concerned. There's a lot to be said for Cart Racing in the States where they are expected to sign autographs and behave in a civilised way to the crowd!

Phew, that's got that off my mind!!!

Stephen.

[Airhead]

Originally posted by Minardi fan
A lot of people are fickle - DC was cheered when he came out on the track throughout the weekend, yet when he retired he was also cheered by the same people.

I would cheer anytime anything happened as well. Their ain't that much to cheer about these days so... Why reduce your chances

On the next issue - I think that the common courtessy of waving to the marshals and the fans should be observed.

[Total-F1]

Oh, come on, you have to laugh at the 2 broken legs one, but it's all harmless fun - it's when people get proper death threats - like the Tifosi - that it gets silly...you wanna get those chill pills out, boys...(and girls, before you get your obscene banners out)

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally posted by Schumacher
I dont think any other fans can stoop so low.

The examples I thought of have already been mentioned. At the 1994 German Grand Prix, as Tim mentioned, Damon Hill received threats from TGF fans telling him they would kill him if he qualified ahead of TGF.

It is not just British fans who behave this way, it is fans in all countries. And the people who carry sick banners like "How about two broken legs this time?" are not that common, nor are they to be taken seriously. They are obviously just very sad people.

[botsquad]

Originally posted by Sodemo
The USA is the king of complainers.

well..we are pretty *****y..

but only england could have produced 'the smiths'
a great band...and one that turned whineing into great art.

[Mania]

It's true that English fans are prone to whining when things dont go their way but they're not the only ones. The Italians are not too far behind. We Canadians though are still free from the curse. And thats pretty difficult to say since our friends across the border are as proficient in the art as anyone else!

[albert park]

The reason why they whine so much is simple.

They have absolutely nothing to cheer about.

1)DC losing again (not even a real Pom)
2)Henman (need I say more)
3)Cricket (as above)
4)Rugby (as above)

I think that may give you some idea.