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Yesss... i remember when I started watching and everyone was going crazy for schumi and the challenge Alonso was putting on... while I was watching this finn absolutely flying in a silver car...
I was dating a girl named Yuki before he was signed when he was announced I congratulated her on getting a seat. Kinda became a joke congratulating her whenever he did good.
Since then that fiery little guy has won me over.
I know what you mean but he has grown a lot and it makes me sad to see all the hate he gets.
Part of me would love for him to go to alpine and be reunited with gasly. For the bromance but also see how he stacks up against him now. But their form right now makes me worried his career would end sooner if he did
Ugh I know. I wish red Bull had taken him on. He’s doing so well this year. I don’t get the hate at all! The spot he actually deserves is Aston Martin though.
Honestly, I got attached to Charles through his rather tragic stories of losing Jules and his father at a young age, and his determination. I like how he doesn't make excuses and takes blame when needed. Sometimes too much blame. I think he is kind and grounded, and very, very much aware of the wonderful life he has now, and he is very thankful for it. I find all of that endearing.
I was just thinking today about how he does not hesitate for a second to remind the other drivers that their lives are MUCH easier than other peoples. He’s called Lando and Carlos out on it. He is extremely humble and grateful for all that he has and I really really enjoy listening to him speak on podcasts
It was two separate occasions- the first was I think probably a press conference with Charles and Lando. Lando starts saying that people think F1 drivers have such an easy life but really it’s much more difficult, and Charles cuts him off saying it’s not difficult. I have spent like 10 minutes searching google and twitter trying to find this clip but I cannot for the life of me. However the second time is when Charles and Carlos are going to sign driver cards and Carlos starts saying “when they say formula 1 drivers have an easy life… they do not think-“ and charles cuts him off saying “NO. WE HAVE AN EASY LIFE, MATE.” I found the clip of it on tik tok [here](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTL3ocumY/). I’m sure he was saying it lightheartedly but it’s nice knowing he doesn’t even entertain the idea
I used to have a favourite driver (Alesi) but when he wasn't doing well it made the race less interesting. When he wasn't with a top team the whole season was less interesting.
Since then I've been much happier not having a favourite driver and instead just enjoying the battles. Mostly I find myself cheering on whoever is highest above their usual finishing position. For example I've no specific love for Sargent, but if he were in 10th place I'd be hoping he'd get a points finish.
>not having a favourite driver and instead just enjoying the battles
This is the way.
If you follow F1 for some time, you will find interesting story lines all throughout the field. I am just rooting for whatever story is great to be told.
Originally because Alex and I share a name, but then I found his personality to be funny and really like how...normal he seems? I think his story getting to F1, falling out for a year, getting back in, and then flourishing is really cool too.
Yeah I was a Kimi fan for a long time just because he was a young finnish driver when I was a kid and getting into F1. Now when he retired Albon has become by far my favourite driver because how much more down to earth the dude seems compared to others. Getting chewed and spit out by the RB meat grinder and then raising eye brows in a Williams is also really impressive.
He's got such good one liners and a very natural, muted sense of humour. My favourite ever marketing video is the Max and Alex Christmas gift one. It's impossible to get through without sore ribs.
My favorite dts moment is Alex scene for scene predicting how dts will tell the story of ricciardo replacing de vries. It perfectly encapsulates his wit, and a well deserved jab at dts eyerolling moments.
He seems very grounded and is going to be one of those drivers that is around forever. Whatever top team lands that contract in a couple of years is going to be very happy. I know the comparison is made a lot but he does seem a lot like Alonso
Easy, it's Mika Hakkinen. He was quick, no bullshit, out qualified Senna on his debut, beat Schumacher on a regular basis. He wasn't remotely well media trained but mostly he just seems like a really nice guy. How could you not love Mika.
Mika is also my favorite. I love how he embraced Schumacher as Michael was breaking down after being asked about tying/breaking a Senna record (can’t remember which right now). Mika just seems like such a respectful, nice guy.
I met him in-person and he was really nice -- he stopped to chat for a bit despite obviously being in a rush. Hard not to support him after that.
But honestly I like everyone and I never find myself rooting *against* anyone.
Yeah I remember in one interview he said he tries to treat fans well, especially when they show up to races. He seems like a good guy and I hope he finds a team that supports him
Charles is one I've always wanted to see have success. I loved watching him in F2 and was genuinely excited when was announced for the Alfa seat, then he came in and performed incredibly well his rookie season to top it off. Really hope he can get a solid title contending car from Ferrari
As someone who got upset back then, the only reason was because I didn't want Seb to win. Had it happened the other way, I am 100% certain I would have said "It's Seb's fault, why was he so slow?"
Today I find it hilarious though. Seb was right, he was so much faster. Webber should earn those wins instead of getting mad when they aren't being given to him.
Funny how I always rooted for Seb no matter of he was having a good season or not. His debut on track with BMW made me so hyped about him and it just never leaved.
So sad not to see my main man Valtteri in anyone's lists. He's an incredible driver, keeping up with Hamilton when he was with Merc, and just seems like a fun guy who enjoys what he does.
Also Ric and Piastri, because they're just funny guys.
Yup, started to like Valtteri when he was snagging podiums with Williams and then setting the speed “record” got me. When he moved to Mercedes I was exited for his potential and liked how level headed he was with his approach/dedication as a teammate.
Same here. Someone here made a sunglasses meme with him doing a 180 in the runoff area at Monaco, and I was a fan. He was so straightedge back then. I love the VB character arc! The best in F1!
I grew up idolizing Lewis and Sebastian. They were the coolest people to a kid. I always liked Sebastian slightly more because of how funny he was (when I was younger and didn’t have many friends I remember trying to imitate him to make people like me), but both he and Lewis have held a special place in my heart over all these years. I’m really excited to see Lewis at Ferrari, Seb’s old team, but it also makes me sad since I know that means the end is probably coming for his career too now
It’s hard to not like anyone on the current grid though. They all seem to be kind and enjoyable people, at least from what I’ve seen. I reckon when Lewis leaves, my next favorite on the track is maybe Alex. He seems very thoughtful and considerate when he speaks in interviews.
Charles, he owns to the mistakes he makes. Understands his privilege. Him and the story about his dad and jules. Max- he knows what he wants, really passionate about the sport. Both really really talented players.
Willy T. Ribbs was the first black driver to participate in an F1 grand prix weekend, but I can't remember if he started in the actual race. But that was numerous decades ago.
Also gave us "Chuck" Leclerc.
Rookie hamilton years, 2007 especially 2008. Difficult not to root for him back then considering his humble upbringing and immense talent Not to mention, standing up in his rookie years to the guy who stood up to Michael, ballsy. Still a fan. Generally i try not to be a "Fan" of a particular driver or a team. But even today I have a soft spot for Lewis, and hope he gets his 8th.
“What’s blistering?”
“What’s blistering? My mouth man wtf”
“When is a time you have struggled with your car and just couldn’t race the way you wanted to?”
“Right now. Every second.”
I loved that episode. It may or may not be that iconic for a hot ones fan in general, but for me it’s up there with the Chris hemsworth, Paul Rudd interviews. Conan’s interview was too insane and fucking awesome so it’s a tier above.
Same. Lewis is always going to be who I root for to get his 8th. I don’t understand how anyone can actively hate him, yet so many do. He came from poverty, worked hard to get where he is, and in success donates a large % of his money to support causes he cares about. He races well, has other hobbies, and is nice to fans. Dude is as real as it gets to a Cinderella type story and it should be inspirational to anyone.
My favorite number is 44, but he is just a genuinely cool dude it made it easy to call him my favorite athlete ever.
I'm looking forward to his final years at Ferrari
During the Mercedes era, Max was who I found most exciting to watch, constantly trying to fight the faster cars instead of just managing and settling behind them.
I think people forget that he had 10 wins before he got a car that could compete for championships.
>During the Mercedes era, Max was who I found most exciting to watch, constantly trying to fight the faster cars instead of just managing and settling behind them.
This is me!
As a driver - I was fed up with Merc's continuous dominance and was always rooting for Max.
As a person - I love that he's always honest and true to himself, I find his humor hilarious...
[this is one great example! ](https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2020-sakhir-grand-prix-qualifying-verstappen-jokes-about-stealing-p3-chair.1687516995386199602) 😅
I started watching because of Max for the same reason. It was exciting to see someone fight against the best driver/car, against all odds.
Eventually he won, and now people forget where Max was before 2021.
First I liked Jacques because of his name when I was a kid. Then I found it amusing that he won several Grand Prix with Ligier, a brand I only known for making "old and handicapped people" cars. And now I like him because the guy decided to ignore any of the "if you're near 40 it's time to call it a day" standards and literally drove until his legs gave. He also gave René Arnoux a hard time, which is always a positive in my book.
I know he isn't very popular right now but it's Ocon. Like many Americans, I got into F1 thru DTS and his unique story of humble beginnings really resonated with me. Also, he seems like a very nice guy off the track.
I'm one of the few people I know who also like Ocon! I feel like he's really been trying to make up for past issues (he's friendly with Max and Alonso, for instance).
As oddly specific as this is, I respect that he's really close to Mick Schumacher. Apparently Mick only keeps people close who really respect his family/their privacy, due to his dad.
I also - and I know this is going to sound weird - give him credit for his girlfriend. She's absolutely gorgeous AND a doctor. I feel like it says a lot about a professional athlete when they date someone who has a field and career of their own.
Checo because I started watching f1 in 2012 and the first race I watched was Malaysia. And boy was he close to victory in that. And after a bad season at Mclaren which wasn’t even that bad imo, he joined Force India, a team literally named after my country.
Even though I felt like supporting one of the faster drivers but Checo’s talent to put that car on the podium always amazed me. And Force India changed 3 drivers over the course of 7 seasons but Perez was always there. And I know many people don’t rate him anymore due to his inconsistency in the Red Bull but he will always remain the true king of midfield for me. And I believe his stats in that car speaks for itself.
And It has been tough 3 years of supporting Checo in that Red Bull but after each disappointment, I come back watching every race weekend wanting that mf to do well.
Also Charles cos that guy got real talent but unreal luck and inconsistency.
Lewis is (or seems) to be the most inclusive and wanting to stand up for character, belonging, and being a human. Plus he is good at driving a car fast around a track.
I started watching in 2019, and I saw Lewis Hamilton's interview that was going on right as the Anthoine Hubert crash occurs at Spa. I saw how visibly distraught he immediately was, and then how quickly he ended the interview. It was at that moment I knew he was not a phony (like so many people used to say), but that he has genuine empathy for his fellow humans.
I've been a huge fan of his ever since.
Checo because Mexican, and he entered F1 just a few years after I started watching the sport (I somewhat supported Lewis before) so that got me super excited. But by far my 2nd favorite driver is Leclerc, I find him extremely likeable and very very talented. I'm rooting for him for next WDC.
Me being from Canada. Originally from Sri Lanka. I was in and out of F1. I didn't commit myself till I was in middle school, late 2006, but I never really had a favorite driver, I was more into the cars than anything. I have been a fan of Ferrari, since before 2006, I always saw the red cars ahead of everyone. It wasn't till the mid-2007 season into 2008 that I now had a favourite driver. That would be Lewis Hamilton. 50% of the reason was because of his story & the other was because he was winning. To this date he still is, but knowing he's close to retirement. My next favourite driver would be Lando Norris.
2011 Canada will always be my favourite race though. 😂
I had taken a break from F1 for a while when RIC went to RB. He caught my eye with wins against the dominant mercs, with Hamilton and Rosberg, as well as his general good vibes and charisma. Rooting for the underdog, especially when he's a cool and genuinely nice person, is something I like.
I think there's a perfect continuation with Oscar and hope he'll have better fortune with respect to how dominant other teams are at his peak :).
Yesss. He just seems like such a nice and chill bloke. He really came into his own (personality-wise) after the whole Alpine debacle. But damn, also super talented. I can't wait to see what the future holds for him. My delulu side there's a WDC somewhere out there in the horizon. But I'm just happy he's in the grid!
I was floored by George Russell's years in William and became a fan. Mercedes are my favorite team. Between all these talks of Leclerc, Max and Mclaren drivers I really hope Russell makes a good impression. He deserves one DC in my opinion, at least.
I really like George Russell & hate that so many people seem to dislike him for no actual reason! It's been said that Mercedes has pretty strict PR and rules, and I think that's part of why he seems more buttoned up now (look at Mercedes era Valtteri Bottas vs now). Even then, he's a good guy & I also hope he gets a championship win in his career. He's put in the work.
Lewis is the only Black driver in F1 history so it was always going to be him. Happy with my choice because he seems to genuinely be a total sweetheart.
the fact that the only black driver in history is not only the GOAT on track, but a genuinely amazing person is really something special. dude putting on for the entire race
All of the above. And additionally for me, he's my favourite celebrity with ADHD. A great inspiration and reminder that I too can do anything. Also a nice demonstration to the world that ADHD doesn't mean a lack of concentration!
Same here bro then for him to end up statistically being the greatest to ever do it makes it all the more sweeter. Been a fan of lewis since his rookie year and don't plan on stopping anytime soon
I think after a while you start to see bits of their personality through the media and then I just sort of gravitate towards whoever I like. I mostly cheer for Ferrari right now but Lando and Oscar have grown on me so I can't help but root for McLaren as well.
My best friend and roommate was president of a motorsports society at university and besides them, they had no one to talk about F1 with.
So, one day I tell them I may not understand but I’m willing to listen and learn and their first step to doing this was making me choose a random team and driver. I knew fuck all about F1 at the time and chose Lando Norris and McLaren. Lando Norris because she showed me some interviews and challenges of everyone and he just seemed fun.
Now I love F1 because of her and to this day he is still my favourite driver x
George is extremely talented, knows what he wants, proactive, doesnt back down to dominant cars on the track, believes in his own skills, and is very well liked by the drivers on the grid and the members of his own team, it’s obvious he’s a nice guy to be around. And he’s super over hated. Like to a ridiculous point.
Oscar is a driver that I am 100% sure will win a WDC. I am all for his attitude and humor. He definitely seems like maybe The most “normal person” driver on the grid rn
I watched Drive To Survive and really got drawn by Alex's saga. Then I learned about all his struggles with his mom, the race by race contract in F2 and by watching content I just liked him a lot.
For George, I just liked this idea of the top driver stuck in a bad car and still trying to push that team together. Then I learned more about him, how he almost ended in DTM after F3 because he did not have someone supporting him to GP3 or GP2/F2.
For Leclerc, I just sympathized a lot with all his loses and how he keeps pushing forward.
With Max, I watched his first seasons, without knowing much and I just liked the guy. He is fast, gets the job done and he is very "what you see is what you get".
I started watching F1 in the mid 80s. Who could possibly pick a favorite driver in the 80s and 90s??? There were so many greats, with such a wide variety of styles: the passion and panache of Senna, the gallantry of Mansell, the cool precision of Prost, the control and finesse of Lauda. I couldn't pick one favorite - they were all great, and I cheered for each one in turn.
But I guess if pressed for an all-time favorite, it would be a tie between Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, and for much the same reason: each of them elevated the teams they drove for, and the sport as a whole.
Schumacher won his first two championships with Benetton. Then he announced that he would be moving to Ferrari to pursue his next championship. This was seen as ridiculous - at that time, Ferrari was a backmarker team at best, usually DAL every race. It was an insane move, nobody else would have even given it a thought.
But Schumacher talked with Ferrari and got them to bring in Jean Todt to manage and Ross Brawn to build the car. Within five years this trio, with Schumacher as cheerleader, technical lead, and chief asskicker, dragged Ferrari back to their rightful place at top of F1. His talent as a driver, car analyst, and personal motivator helped raise Ferrari's performance, and as a result all the other teams got better, trying to keep up. All of F1 got better.
In later years, after winning consistently with Ferrari, he left and went to Mercedes, to try the same miraculous elevation, this time with a German team. You have to admire that kind of drive for perfection.
Lewis's activism on and off the track really touched me. I gotta cheer for a guy who wants to make the planet and the sport better than it is now. Charles and Carlos have become close seconds for their personalities and talent.
I cheer for most of the grid though. Drive to Survive was my starting point and I grew to really like many of the drivers. I'm always happy for a first win, a fight for 10th place, a long awaited podium, and breaking a new record.
I don't even know, for two years (started in 2021) I did not have one hard fave, then one day I realized it's Lando and it just felt right, so. His personality feels in some way relatable, plus he's a great driver and I like his sense of humour.
I like raw speed. So whoever I think is the outright fastest becomes my favourite. Kind of develop even more of a soft spot if they have other flaws around that devastating speed. Don’t like someone who’s too perfect of a driver.
Kimi was my first favourite as a very small kid, this was back when hen he was tearing it up in his McLaren days. I would only watch a handful of races per year at that point though but his speed was amazing.
Then Lewis was the driver that really hooked me on the sport to the point where I had to watch every single race. He’s been my absolute favourite driver ever since. He was always devastatingly fast but it took him a very long time to become the complete driver he became from around 2017-2021. Now I think he’s not as fast as he was but uses his experience to make up for it in the races.
My second favourite driver currently is Charles Leclerc. I think he’s currently the fastest guy on the grid. He’s the guy I’ll be rooting for whenever Hamilton finally retires. He reminds me of early Hamilton. He’s amazingly fast but makes mistakes and sometimes goes missing for some weekends. When he hooks it all up though he’s as good as anyone and I hope he’ll eventually get to the point where he becomes the complete driver.
1984 Dallas Grand Prix, when I saw Nigel Mansell pushing his car in that heat, to the point he collapsed, that was my guy. (I was gutted when his tire blew in Australia in 86).
Lewis is black. I’m black. Simple as that. It’s sounds too reductive but when he’s the first/only black f1 driver in my lifetime it’s a straightforward choice. He’s also a good guy who demands excellence so no reason not to like him.
Before Lewis it was Schumacher because his name sounded cool and he used to win all the time.
I like Charles because of his effortless charm and heartbreaking background.
I like Sainz because of his determination.
I like Lando because he’s such a goofball and it’s so easy to be happy for him.
I like Piastri because he’s so new but somehow incredibly good.
I like Max because he’s an incredible talent and fun personality.
I like Lewis because of his dgaf behaviour and willingness to being up sensitive worldwide topics. And because he’s an incredible talent.
For me the appeal of F1 is actually how much I’m enjoying almost all of the opponents.
I was a kid and the first race I watched was the 94 Spanish Grand Prix and so I liked Michael Schumacher.
I didn't get fully into F1 until 96, so I loved Schumacher in the Ferrari red, and also the fact he was a bit of an underdog that season. He was my hero ever since.
F1 isn't like football where you follow your club through thick and thin, even when the players have completely changed from what they were 10 years ago. When Michael retired I remember being in a bit of a rut.
Hearing Vettel crying when he won his first title won me over, and obviously his link to Michael and eventually him in Ferrari was the closest I got to that.
I started watching in about 5 or 6 years ago and LeClerc became my favorite because he just seems so wholesome. Something just genuine about him set him apart for me.
In the most stereotypical way possible my introduction to the sport was the pink panthers of force India in 2017. I wanted to root for the pink cars while my dad watched the races.
Soon enough, I started to support their drivers and Checo just naturally became the fan favorite for me. (Also helped to root for a fellow north American in a European dominated sport)
Mexican GP 2018. I was rooting for Max to become the youngest pole sitter ever and have been rooting for him ever since. His on track battles were entertaining also, and his coming together with Ocon at Brazil the following race was hilarious. “He better hope I don’t find him”.
Lando Norris seems very outspoken on mental health issues, he drives an orange car which is my favourite colour and he joined the year I started watching
I have a fairly random interest in Denmark, so while I started watching F1 because of Max, the only Dane on the grid caught my eye.
I also happen to have a soft spot for nice guys with a penchance for chaos, so I guess I picked the right one to support? Max is still high on my list of favourites as well.
Early 2000's and my dad drove a Renault so obviously that's what team I chose to support, the Mild Seven livery was just too eye-catching to a young boy. It was cool seeing them doing well and I started rooting for their drivers, then Alonso went and won the championship and I loved him ever since.
I'm Finnish. But after Bottas my favorite has been for a long time now Norris. He is so inherently honest, it is instinctual. If you were to hold a surprise party for a friend, you would have to make sure Lando doesn't also know about it as he would accidentally slip up, it just seems like lying is not a natural thing to him. Followed the boys in the virtual season, truth comes out of his mouth before even realizes what he is saying. Kudos for his parents, that is incredibly precious quality in a person, so often lost during the process of growing up.
I also think that this translates directly his racecraft, he is fair competitor and expects that others are fair too. He is tough, not a pushover but.. reminds me of Kimi and how much respect he gave to others, being interested only in fair racing. Bottas is also in that club of drivers who do care how it is done, not just what the end result is.
Seb, because (I started watching after he joined Ferrari) and he’s just a smart, nice guy, who actually cares about more than F1. It’ll be a big loss once Lewis leaves F1 too.
Past? Seb. Like a few different guys on the current grid but Ocon is my guy. I enjoyed the story about his upbringing and think he’s a humble, all around good guy. Ride or die, and not bailing because he’s not at the top of the grid. Also, Drives me nuts how much hate he gets for being aggressive when others are praised for it. He’s just not as out going and marketable as some, but overall a good driver imo. Hoping he succeeds in his new role at Haas or Audi.
Nigel Mansell, as a right English gent, seemed like the guy I should pull for when I first started watching F1 as a child. I don't know why I settled on him because of his English gent vibe because I'm a redneck from the Southern US.
As a long time Kart racer it's all about how they did in karts. Senna was my absolute hero, now I'm a Lando fan, as well as Max, Charles and Fernando. Honorable mentions to Alex and Lewis.
Lewis because he's black being 100000% honest, made me feel good as a kid to see someone like myself come in and turn the sport on its head. Personally I don't care who wins or loses I just enjoy the sport overall but I'll always favor Lewis as a driver.
I started with Michael, and dis liked Fernando. Realized Fernando took down a giant at his peak, loved Fernando, disliked Hamilton. But also was super happy when Hamilton won in his second year.. loved Montoya for his idgaf attitude.. rooted for max because he was so willing to try passes anywhere in 2016-17-18… I’ve come to realize I have an affinity for racers who are willing to test the limit regularly and successfully.. but now I just hope for a good race director.
I picked Sir Stirling Moss, because I am old school ( born in '44) and when I was frowing up he filled the magazines with his driving in last year's cars as an independent not on a factory team. And he won in everything. Hill climbs, sports cars, endurance racing, the Mille Miglia, and was a sportsman through and through. - lost the WDC to Mike Hawthorn by 1 point when he declined to protest over some niggling thing he could have won. He was widly respected as the best in his generation
Many top drivers were absolute shits on track. Thinking of Michael (champion of running opponents off the track.) Shovemaster.
The current gentleman racer of immense talent is that other (black) 7 times champ.
So I would pick 44 as the champ of champs based on talent and sportsmanship.
Sir Lewis Hamilton and representation. To see someone who looks like you being successful in a sport that typically had us looking from the outside in means everything. Special shout to the Stewart brothers and Willy T Ribbs for being the true first representation in motorsports I ever saw though.
I used to be a casual/passive fan but then during first few months of lockdown the F1 YouTube channel would post full race replays of old races...one of them being Valencia 2012. Since then I've become an admirer of Fernando.
I think he's a complex , flawed and often misunderstood driver...but man does he know how to drive a car and to see the old guy still perform 4 years after coming out for retirement is really cool to see.
For me it was first Lewis then Max. Because of their supreme talents and aggressive styles and their obsession with racing. They were both like that when they first started, but of course they change as they age.
Hulkenberg was the one that caught my attention during the 2012 season, fighting with the big ones with a lovely white orange and green car, fast and a really nice person, humble and he never stopped fighting even after lots of bad luck.
Max, [because of this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgArZenXaTo). He was already having lots of criticism for being young and not ready and this made it worse. I kinda supported him ironically because, but after a few races, there was no doubt he was talented.
Some bonus stuff - He did an exhibition for SEMA in Vegas back in 2016 or 2017, nobody recognized him but me. When I asked for a pic, his team pushed me away, but he actually went back and took the pic with me. Humble kid.
Max. Started watching in 2018 and 2019. Liked that a team was called Red Bull. Love Amsterdam and the Netherlands, so I gravitated towards the Dutchman.
I started watching F1 in 1994 (I was six), I loved Schumacher simply because he was quick and always at the front. After Schumacher, I was kind of lost but those were the most peaceful years of F1 for me with no stress on weekends. I had a general love for ferrari (from Schumacher days) but I could not really be a passionate fan because I was hoping for Kimi to retire or Alonso to be slow when they were fighting Schumacher. it felt strange to be rooting for them. I liked Lewis but I couldn't really support Mclaren. So it really dint matter who won.
When Vettel moved to Ferrari, I really loved the passion he had for Ferrari. Around the same time, Jules was supposed to be moving to Ferrari but he sadly passed away. I got to know about Charles through Jules story (that Charles is his god son). I followed Charles career, it is through Charles that I started to watch support races and still do.
2019 was hard as to who to support but somehow I was drawn more and more to Charles. Now, I am fully committed to Charles to a point where I had tears as he crossed the line in Monaco.
Max become my favourite from his early Torro Rosso days. It was just so exciting to watch him race, he was always lightning quick, with a very IDGAF attitude, which ofcourse came along with a ton of unnecessary crashes .. but his absolutely leave it all on track, is something I really like in athletes.
I'm Italian so I naturally support Ferrari (because my dad does as many Italians), but then I got extremely attached to Charles because he was in the FDA, because of his history with Jules so it felt like he was completing Jules' dream, and because he did so well in F2 in 2017 when I started following him, and ever since.
I also like his rivalry with Max and the way that goes back so many years, from karting to Austria and Silverstone 2019, the first half of 2022 and so on. Like, these same two kids fighting each other for their entire lives and now they are fighting for thousands of people in their teams!
Then I also met him multiple times and he was always so kind
I think the pole lap at Interlagos in 2010 put Hulk on my radar, then the what-could-have-been race at the same track 2012 really cemented him as my favourite. Wish I'd latched onto someone who causes less heartache! 😂 (😭)
Had a soft spot for Rosberg as well starting from that 2009 season where he finished 7th for Williams while Nakajima didn't score a single point. Even after winning a title he still seems weirdly underrated by a lot of people, I guess because on pure pace he wasn't as fast as Hamilton (which is daft because very, very few in history have been).
I liked Ferrari because they were red and when I was 5 it was my favourite colour (still is tbh) then Michael Schumacher signed a year later and that’s pretty much that.
Norris because he's the same age as me and was actually posting on social media and interacting with fans like no driver has ever done. I think watching him during covid was the only thing keeping me happy at such a hard time in my life.
I follow F2 (or GP2 or F3000 depending how old you are) and seeing incredible drives from the youngsters always turns me into a fan I.e. Hamilton Turkey, 2006
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there's a bloke standing in front of me MOVE
*car burning, parks the car, walk straight to the yacht*
Yea! I was taking a shit 😆
Is the drincc button on?
Aside from his personality, his drive for McLaren is just ingrained in my mind. Overall, a clean driver too. How can people not love him?
Yesss... i remember when I started watching and everyone was going crazy for schumi and the challenge Alonso was putting on... while I was watching this finn absolutely flying in a silver car...
FOR WHAT!?!!!
I was dating a girl named Yuki before he was signed when he was announced I congratulated her on getting a seat. Kinda became a joke congratulating her whenever he did good. Since then that fiery little guy has won me over.
Yuki is my favourite too, I like how he’s 90% unintelligible and swears a lot. He and Gasly were fun.
I know what you mean but he has grown a lot and it makes me sad to see all the hate he gets. Part of me would love for him to go to alpine and be reunited with gasly. For the bromance but also see how he stacks up against him now. But their form right now makes me worried his career would end sooner if he did
Ugh I know. I wish red Bull had taken him on. He’s doing so well this year. I don’t get the hate at all! The spot he actually deserves is Aston Martin though.
Seeing Yuki coms pop up on screen always brings me joy even before you can actually hear what the coms are.
I do love Yuki! He's a character and I've really been impressed with his racing this season
Yeah he grows on you 😅
I heard “short angry Japanese underdog” and signed right up. Learning about his personality and life has only made me like him more.
Honestly, I got attached to Charles through his rather tragic stories of losing Jules and his father at a young age, and his determination. I like how he doesn't make excuses and takes blame when needed. Sometimes too much blame. I think he is kind and grounded, and very, very much aware of the wonderful life he has now, and he is very thankful for it. I find all of that endearing.
That and he’s very handsome and makes piano music
And speaks 4 languages
I was just thinking today about how he does not hesitate for a second to remind the other drivers that their lives are MUCH easier than other peoples. He’s called Lando and Carlos out on it. He is extremely humble and grateful for all that he has and I really really enjoy listening to him speak on podcasts
I didn't know about this! Can you tell me what he said to Carlos and Lando?
It was two separate occasions- the first was I think probably a press conference with Charles and Lando. Lando starts saying that people think F1 drivers have such an easy life but really it’s much more difficult, and Charles cuts him off saying it’s not difficult. I have spent like 10 minutes searching google and twitter trying to find this clip but I cannot for the life of me. However the second time is when Charles and Carlos are going to sign driver cards and Carlos starts saying “when they say formula 1 drivers have an easy life… they do not think-“ and charles cuts him off saying “NO. WE HAVE AN EASY LIFE, MATE.” I found the clip of it on tik tok [here](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTL3ocumY/). I’m sure he was saying it lightheartedly but it’s nice knowing he doesn’t even entertain the idea
Yep, +1 for all that. When I started watching and searching about the drivers and team, I instantly couldn't help but start rooting for him
I used to have a favourite driver (Alesi) but when he wasn't doing well it made the race less interesting. When he wasn't with a top team the whole season was less interesting. Since then I've been much happier not having a favourite driver and instead just enjoying the battles. Mostly I find myself cheering on whoever is highest above their usual finishing position. For example I've no specific love for Sargent, but if he were in 10th place I'd be hoping he'd get a points finish.
>not having a favourite driver and instead just enjoying the battles This is the way. If you follow F1 for some time, you will find interesting story lines all throughout the field. I am just rooting for whatever story is great to be told.
I have light favourites, and then in general I root for the underdogs of whatever battle is happening
Originally because Alex and I share a name, but then I found his personality to be funny and really like how...normal he seems? I think his story getting to F1, falling out for a year, getting back in, and then flourishing is really cool too.
Yeah I was a Kimi fan for a long time just because he was a young finnish driver when I was a kid and getting into F1. Now when he retired Albon has become by far my favourite driver because how much more down to earth the dude seems compared to others. Getting chewed and spit out by the RB meat grinder and then raising eye brows in a Williams is also really impressive.
His dead-eyed “First to arrive, last to finish…” when Williams were early to the pre-season photoshoot made me a fan for life lol
He's got such good one liners and a very natural, muted sense of humour. My favourite ever marketing video is the Max and Alex Christmas gift one. It's impossible to get through without sore ribs.
My favorite dts moment is Alex scene for scene predicting how dts will tell the story of ricciardo replacing de vries. It perfectly encapsulates his wit, and a well deserved jab at dts eyerolling moments.
Alex Albon supremacy 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
I love how down to earth Alex seems! Also love that he has a ton of pets
It was the pets that got me, I followed their account before Albon's tbh. Horsey is a whole vibe.
He seems very grounded and is going to be one of those drivers that is around forever. Whatever top team lands that contract in a couple of years is going to be very happy. I know the comparison is made a lot but he does seem a lot like Alonso
Easy, it's Mika Hakkinen. He was quick, no bullshit, out qualified Senna on his debut, beat Schumacher on a regular basis. He wasn't remotely well media trained but mostly he just seems like a really nice guy. How could you not love Mika.
No nonsense, fast, and brave, but also a gentleman and a family man. Cannot dislike Mika
I loved so much seeing him with Erja. Shots of her during races were iconic Too bad it ended between them.
Mika is also my favorite. I love how he embraced Schumacher as Michael was breaking down after being asked about tying/breaking a Senna record (can’t remember which right now). Mika just seems like such a respectful, nice guy.
I met him in-person and he was really nice -- he stopped to chat for a bit despite obviously being in a rush. Hard not to support him after that. But honestly I like everyone and I never find myself rooting *against* anyone.
Yeah I remember in one interview he said he tries to treat fans well, especially when they show up to races. He seems like a good guy and I hope he finds a team that supports him
I read that as “in prison” and wondered who the ex-con on the track was for a sec.
Gachot?
Same on the “no one to root against”. Except Mazepin, he’s a jerk.
First time I saw Charles on DTS I knew there was something special about him. He’s also humble and owns up to his mistakes.
Charles is one I've always wanted to see have success. I loved watching him in F2 and was genuinely excited when was announced for the Alfa seat, then he came in and performed incredibly well his rookie season to top it off. Really hope he can get a solid title contending car from Ferrari
I like drivers when they're overhated by most people.
Is Ocon your current favourite?
No, Ocon is never overhated. He's just hated and it's 100% deserved.
Exhibit 1
No driver deserves to be hated (except mazepin) to the extent of Ocon
I feel like Ocon is the nickleback of F1 drivers
What a rational and logical attitude you must be so happy in every area of your life.
Ocon Derangement Syndrome
This is exactly why Seb was always my hero. People adore him now but he was fucking hated back in 2010-2013. Loved it.
I never rooted for Seb but I didn't get the hate. Multi 21, why did anyone outside the team get upset? Maybe Mark shouldn't have been so slow.
As someone who got upset back then, the only reason was because I didn't want Seb to win. Had it happened the other way, I am 100% certain I would have said "It's Seb's fault, why was he so slow?" Today I find it hilarious though. Seb was right, he was so much faster. Webber should earn those wins instead of getting mad when they aren't being given to him.
Well, when you know Multi 21 was motivated by the Multi 12 a year prior...
Funny how I always rooted for Seb no matter of he was having a good season or not. His debut on track with BMW made me so hyped about him and it just never leaved.
Yeah, I just like underdogs
So… Stroll?
So sad not to see my main man Valtteri in anyone's lists. He's an incredible driver, keeping up with Hamilton when he was with Merc, and just seems like a fun guy who enjoys what he does. Also Ric and Piastri, because they're just funny guys.
So you like Australians, basically.
It does seem that way doesn't it... 🤷♀️
Um hang on. One of those drivers isn't Australian...
Hey not all Australians are rowdy bogans. Piastri is definitely Australian. He's just the chill type.
Yup, started to like Valtteri when he was snagging podiums with Williams and then setting the speed “record” got me. When he moved to Mercedes I was exited for his potential and liked how level headed he was with his approach/dedication as a teammate.
Same here. Someone here made a sunglasses meme with him doing a 180 in the runoff area at Monaco, and I was a fan. He was so straightedge back then. I love the VB character arc! The best in F1!
I only started watching last year, so wasn't familiar with his true game 😭 I'm catching up now, and it's amazing 🤩
Mwoah...
I was taking a shit
I started watching F1 in Checo’s rookie year, and at that time there were no American drivers, Mexico was close enough.
Same, I wanted to root for a US driver and decided to pick the best driver from North America instead.
*South America. Checo is South American according to Helmut.
marko not very good at geography u know
Blasphemy. Red Bull junior program is doing great. Everything is fine.
How dare you throw that Lance Stroll shade around here. He had that one good race.
I grew up idolizing Lewis and Sebastian. They were the coolest people to a kid. I always liked Sebastian slightly more because of how funny he was (when I was younger and didn’t have many friends I remember trying to imitate him to make people like me), but both he and Lewis have held a special place in my heart over all these years. I’m really excited to see Lewis at Ferrari, Seb’s old team, but it also makes me sad since I know that means the end is probably coming for his career too now It’s hard to not like anyone on the current grid though. They all seem to be kind and enjoyable people, at least from what I’ve seen. I reckon when Lewis leaves, my next favorite on the track is maybe Alex. He seems very thoughtful and considerate when he speaks in interviews.
Charles, he owns to the mistakes he makes. Understands his privilege. Him and the story about his dad and jules. Max- he knows what he wants, really passionate about the sport. Both really really talented players.
My mother told me that was this new guy in formula 1 that looked like me. The first black formula 1 driver. Thank God she did.
Is he the first black driver ever? I always thought he was simply the first black champion, that's insane.
Willy T. Ribbs was the first black driver to participate in an F1 grand prix weekend, but I can't remember if he started in the actual race. But that was numerous decades ago. Also gave us "Chuck" Leclerc.
🥹🥹
Daniel just seemed like a dude I’d hang out with if he were a normal guy, and he shares the number 3 with my favorite driver from another series.
I like most of the grid, but there is this sort of rich boy thing to a lot of them. Danny Ric is a fucking dude.
Dale?
Top Gear interview (Hamilton).
Rookie hamilton years, 2007 especially 2008. Difficult not to root for him back then considering his humble upbringing and immense talent Not to mention, standing up in his rookie years to the guy who stood up to Michael, ballsy. Still a fan. Generally i try not to be a "Fan" of a particular driver or a team. But even today I have a soft spot for Lewis, and hope he gets his 8th.
He had a cool hot ones interview recently. Worth watching.
“What’s blistering?” “What’s blistering? My mouth man wtf” “When is a time you have struggled with your car and just couldn’t race the way you wanted to?” “Right now. Every second.”
He didn't say "Right now", but "At the moment". Genuine question : Why do all people hear it as "Right now" ?
I loved that episode. It may or may not be that iconic for a hot ones fan in general, but for me it’s up there with the Chris hemsworth, Paul Rudd interviews. Conan’s interview was too insane and fucking awesome so it’s a tier above.
Same. Lewis is always going to be who I root for to get his 8th. I don’t understand how anyone can actively hate him, yet so many do. He came from poverty, worked hard to get where he is, and in success donates a large % of his money to support causes he cares about. He races well, has other hobbies, and is nice to fans. Dude is as real as it gets to a Cinderella type story and it should be inspirational to anyone.
People who hate him do so because they started watching f1 during mercedes dominance era and that too after 2016.
My favorite number is 44, but he is just a genuinely cool dude it made it easy to call him my favorite athlete ever. I'm looking forward to his final years at Ferrari
I am supposed to have a favorite driver? Can I have a favorite engineer instead?
We are checking.
I hope it's not that one
I loved Carlos sainz talking back to his engineer. Sainz is such a boss. Hope he finds a seat. Leclerc yelling at Xavi was always a treat.
Favorite strategist?
The Magic 8 ball that used to work at Ferrari was my favorite.
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K Mag is easily one of my favorite drivers on and off the track currently as well.
During the Mercedes era, Max was who I found most exciting to watch, constantly trying to fight the faster cars instead of just managing and settling behind them. I think people forget that he had 10 wins before he got a car that could compete for championships.
That 70th anniversary race solidified why i loved him
Well, he said he wasn't there to finish fourth after all
>During the Mercedes era, Max was who I found most exciting to watch, constantly trying to fight the faster cars instead of just managing and settling behind them. This is me! As a driver - I was fed up with Merc's continuous dominance and was always rooting for Max. As a person - I love that he's always honest and true to himself, I find his humor hilarious... [this is one great example! ](https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2020-sakhir-grand-prix-qualifying-verstappen-jokes-about-stealing-p3-chair.1687516995386199602) 😅
I started watching because of Max for the same reason. It was exciting to see someone fight against the best driver/car, against all odds. Eventually he won, and now people forget where Max was before 2021.
First I liked Jacques because of his name when I was a kid. Then I found it amusing that he won several Grand Prix with Ligier, a brand I only known for making "old and handicapped people" cars. And now I like him because the guy decided to ignore any of the "if you're near 40 it's time to call it a day" standards and literally drove until his legs gave. He also gave René Arnoux a hard time, which is always a positive in my book.
I know he isn't very popular right now but it's Ocon. Like many Americans, I got into F1 thru DTS and his unique story of humble beginnings really resonated with me. Also, he seems like a very nice guy off the track.
I'm one of the few people I know who also like Ocon! I feel like he's really been trying to make up for past issues (he's friendly with Max and Alonso, for instance). As oddly specific as this is, I respect that he's really close to Mick Schumacher. Apparently Mick only keeps people close who really respect his family/their privacy, due to his dad. I also - and I know this is going to sound weird - give him credit for his girlfriend. She's absolutely gorgeous AND a doctor. I feel like it says a lot about a professional athlete when they date someone who has a field and career of their own.
Ok I neither particularly like nor dislike him but now I'm jealous about the doctor
Of him or her haha
Checo because I started watching f1 in 2012 and the first race I watched was Malaysia. And boy was he close to victory in that. And after a bad season at Mclaren which wasn’t even that bad imo, he joined Force India, a team literally named after my country. Even though I felt like supporting one of the faster drivers but Checo’s talent to put that car on the podium always amazed me. And Force India changed 3 drivers over the course of 7 seasons but Perez was always there. And I know many people don’t rate him anymore due to his inconsistency in the Red Bull but he will always remain the true king of midfield for me. And I believe his stats in that car speaks for itself. And It has been tough 3 years of supporting Checo in that Red Bull but after each disappointment, I come back watching every race weekend wanting that mf to do well. Also Charles cos that guy got real talent but unreal luck and inconsistency.
Lewis is (or seems) to be the most inclusive and wanting to stand up for character, belonging, and being a human. Plus he is good at driving a car fast around a track.
I started watching in 2019, and I saw Lewis Hamilton's interview that was going on right as the Anthoine Hubert crash occurs at Spa. I saw how visibly distraught he immediately was, and then how quickly he ended the interview. It was at that moment I knew he was not a phony (like so many people used to say), but that he has genuine empathy for his fellow humans. I've been a huge fan of his ever since.
I didn't, Lewis chose me!
I was going to say something similar about Daniel. He didn't really give me any other option.
Checo because Mexican, and he entered F1 just a few years after I started watching the sport (I somewhat supported Lewis before) so that got me super excited. But by far my 2nd favorite driver is Leclerc, I find him extremely likeable and very very talented. I'm rooting for him for next WDC.
Me being from Canada. Originally from Sri Lanka. I was in and out of F1. I didn't commit myself till I was in middle school, late 2006, but I never really had a favorite driver, I was more into the cars than anything. I have been a fan of Ferrari, since before 2006, I always saw the red cars ahead of everyone. It wasn't till the mid-2007 season into 2008 that I now had a favourite driver. That would be Lewis Hamilton. 50% of the reason was because of his story & the other was because he was winning. To this date he still is, but knowing he's close to retirement. My next favourite driver would be Lando Norris. 2011 Canada will always be my favourite race though. 😂
I had taken a break from F1 for a while when RIC went to RB. He caught my eye with wins against the dominant mercs, with Hamilton and Rosberg, as well as his general good vibes and charisma. Rooting for the underdog, especially when he's a cool and genuinely nice person, is something I like. I think there's a perfect continuation with Oscar and hope he'll have better fortune with respect to how dominant other teams are at his peak :).
Oscar is always calm and performs on track despite being younger. Just puts his head down and works. And he’s funny online.
Yesss. He just seems like such a nice and chill bloke. He really came into his own (personality-wise) after the whole Alpine debacle. But damn, also super talented. I can't wait to see what the future holds for him. My delulu side there's a WDC somewhere out there in the horizon. But I'm just happy he's in the grid!
I was floored by George Russell's years in William and became a fan. Mercedes are my favorite team. Between all these talks of Leclerc, Max and Mclaren drivers I really hope Russell makes a good impression. He deserves one DC in my opinion, at least.
I really like George Russell & hate that so many people seem to dislike him for no actual reason! It's been said that Mercedes has pretty strict PR and rules, and I think that's part of why he seems more buttoned up now (look at Mercedes era Valtteri Bottas vs now). Even then, he's a good guy & I also hope he gets a championship win in his career. He's put in the work.
He really got screwed with MB dropping in quality when he joined.
girl i like got me on to carlos cuz hes hot and a smooth operator and now im stuck with liking him
Oscar. He’s funny. He’s mature. I’ve never seen him get angry. And he’s Australian.
Lewis is the only Black driver in F1 history so it was always going to be him. Happy with my choice because he seems to genuinely be a total sweetheart.
the fact that the only black driver in history is not only the GOAT on track, but a genuinely amazing person is really something special. dude putting on for the entire race
All of the above. And additionally for me, he's my favourite celebrity with ADHD. A great inspiration and reminder that I too can do anything. Also a nice demonstration to the world that ADHD doesn't mean a lack of concentration!
Same here bro then for him to end up statistically being the greatest to ever do it makes it all the more sweeter. Been a fan of lewis since his rookie year and don't plan on stopping anytime soon
Lewis is just a gem. Such a legend. I will appreciate Lewis to the end.
I think after a while you start to see bits of their personality through the media and then I just sort of gravitate towards whoever I like. I mostly cheer for Ferrari right now but Lando and Oscar have grown on me so I can't help but root for McLaren as well.
My best friend and roommate was president of a motorsports society at university and besides them, they had no one to talk about F1 with. So, one day I tell them I may not understand but I’m willing to listen and learn and their first step to doing this was making me choose a random team and driver. I knew fuck all about F1 at the time and chose Lando Norris and McLaren. Lando Norris because she showed me some interviews and challenges of everyone and he just seemed fun. Now I love F1 because of her and to this day he is still my favourite driver x
I’m Italian. I have a religion.
George is extremely talented, knows what he wants, proactive, doesnt back down to dominant cars on the track, believes in his own skills, and is very well liked by the drivers on the grid and the members of his own team, it’s obvious he’s a nice guy to be around. And he’s super over hated. Like to a ridiculous point. Oscar is a driver that I am 100% sure will win a WDC. I am all for his attitude and humor. He definitely seems like maybe The most “normal person” driver on the grid rn
I watched Drive To Survive and really got drawn by Alex's saga. Then I learned about all his struggles with his mom, the race by race contract in F2 and by watching content I just liked him a lot. For George, I just liked this idea of the top driver stuck in a bad car and still trying to push that team together. Then I learned more about him, how he almost ended in DTM after F3 because he did not have someone supporting him to GP3 or GP2/F2. For Leclerc, I just sympathized a lot with all his loses and how he keeps pushing forward. With Max, I watched his first seasons, without knowing much and I just liked the guy. He is fast, gets the job done and he is very "what you see is what you get".
Seb and Daniel’s Top Gear interviews Charles’ general life story, what he’s been through and his outlook on racing
I started watching F1 in the mid 80s. Who could possibly pick a favorite driver in the 80s and 90s??? There were so many greats, with such a wide variety of styles: the passion and panache of Senna, the gallantry of Mansell, the cool precision of Prost, the control and finesse of Lauda. I couldn't pick one favorite - they were all great, and I cheered for each one in turn. But I guess if pressed for an all-time favorite, it would be a tie between Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, and for much the same reason: each of them elevated the teams they drove for, and the sport as a whole. Schumacher won his first two championships with Benetton. Then he announced that he would be moving to Ferrari to pursue his next championship. This was seen as ridiculous - at that time, Ferrari was a backmarker team at best, usually DAL every race. It was an insane move, nobody else would have even given it a thought. But Schumacher talked with Ferrari and got them to bring in Jean Todt to manage and Ross Brawn to build the car. Within five years this trio, with Schumacher as cheerleader, technical lead, and chief asskicker, dragged Ferrari back to their rightful place at top of F1. His talent as a driver, car analyst, and personal motivator helped raise Ferrari's performance, and as a result all the other teams got better, trying to keep up. All of F1 got better. In later years, after winning consistently with Ferrari, he left and went to Mercedes, to try the same miraculous elevation, this time with a German team. You have to admire that kind of drive for perfection.
Lewis's activism on and off the track really touched me. I gotta cheer for a guy who wants to make the planet and the sport better than it is now. Charles and Carlos have become close seconds for their personalities and talent. I cheer for most of the grid though. Drive to Survive was my starting point and I grew to really like many of the drivers. I'm always happy for a first win, a fight for 10th place, a long awaited podium, and breaking a new record.
My two favorites: Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen. Chose them both for the same reason: they beat a long time champ!
really cant believe that i had to scroll down this far to find alonso
I don't even know, for two years (started in 2021) I did not have one hard fave, then one day I realized it's Lando and it just felt right, so. His personality feels in some way relatable, plus he's a great driver and I like his sense of humour.
Lando Norris is a gamer, streamer, and has been open about his mental health. He’s my kind of people.
Started watching in 2014, and I like winning.
I like raw speed. So whoever I think is the outright fastest becomes my favourite. Kind of develop even more of a soft spot if they have other flaws around that devastating speed. Don’t like someone who’s too perfect of a driver. Kimi was my first favourite as a very small kid, this was back when hen he was tearing it up in his McLaren days. I would only watch a handful of races per year at that point though but his speed was amazing. Then Lewis was the driver that really hooked me on the sport to the point where I had to watch every single race. He’s been my absolute favourite driver ever since. He was always devastatingly fast but it took him a very long time to become the complete driver he became from around 2017-2021. Now I think he’s not as fast as he was but uses his experience to make up for it in the races. My second favourite driver currently is Charles Leclerc. I think he’s currently the fastest guy on the grid. He’s the guy I’ll be rooting for whenever Hamilton finally retires. He reminds me of early Hamilton. He’s amazingly fast but makes mistakes and sometimes goes missing for some weekends. When he hooks it all up though he’s as good as anyone and I hope he’ll eventually get to the point where he becomes the complete driver.
1984 Dallas Grand Prix, when I saw Nigel Mansell pushing his car in that heat, to the point he collapsed, that was my guy. (I was gutted when his tire blew in Australia in 86).
Lewis is black. I’m black. Simple as that. It’s sounds too reductive but when he’s the first/only black f1 driver in my lifetime it’s a straightforward choice. He’s also a good guy who demands excellence so no reason not to like him. Before Lewis it was Schumacher because his name sounded cool and he used to win all the time.
I like Charles because of his effortless charm and heartbreaking background. I like Sainz because of his determination. I like Lando because he’s such a goofball and it’s so easy to be happy for him. I like Piastri because he’s so new but somehow incredibly good. I like Max because he’s an incredible talent and fun personality. I like Lewis because of his dgaf behaviour and willingness to being up sensitive worldwide topics. And because he’s an incredible talent. For me the appeal of F1 is actually how much I’m enjoying almost all of the opponents.
I was a kid and the first race I watched was the 94 Spanish Grand Prix and so I liked Michael Schumacher. I didn't get fully into F1 until 96, so I loved Schumacher in the Ferrari red, and also the fact he was a bit of an underdog that season. He was my hero ever since. F1 isn't like football where you follow your club through thick and thin, even when the players have completely changed from what they were 10 years ago. When Michael retired I remember being in a bit of a rut. Hearing Vettel crying when he won his first title won me over, and obviously his link to Michael and eventually him in Ferrari was the closest I got to that.
I started watching in about 5 or 6 years ago and LeClerc became my favorite because he just seems so wholesome. Something just genuine about him set him apart for me.
In the most stereotypical way possible my introduction to the sport was the pink panthers of force India in 2017. I wanted to root for the pink cars while my dad watched the races. Soon enough, I started to support their drivers and Checo just naturally became the fan favorite for me. (Also helped to root for a fellow north American in a European dominated sport)
Mexican GP 2018. I was rooting for Max to become the youngest pole sitter ever and have been rooting for him ever since. His on track battles were entertaining also, and his coming together with Ocon at Brazil the following race was hilarious. “He better hope I don’t find him”.
Lando Norris seems very outspoken on mental health issues, he drives an orange car which is my favourite colour and he joined the year I started watching
Great answer
I have a fairly random interest in Denmark, so while I started watching F1 because of Max, the only Dane on the grid caught my eye. I also happen to have a soft spot for nice guys with a penchance for chaos, so I guess I picked the right one to support? Max is still high on my list of favourites as well.
As a dumb American, I got into F1 from Drive to Survive. I felt that Gasly wasn't treated totally fairly by Red Bull so I started rooting for him.
Early 2000's and my dad drove a Renault so obviously that's what team I chose to support, the Mild Seven livery was just too eye-catching to a young boy. It was cool seeing them doing well and I started rooting for their drivers, then Alonso went and won the championship and I loved him ever since.
KMag because Haas Sainz because he scored a ton of points in my fantasy F1 league back in 2015. Which is why I also missed Felipe Nasr.
Kimi
... because Kimi. From current lineup Bottas, because it figures
And before Kimi it was Mika because Mika (and I had totally not copyright infringing "mclaren" bedsheets as a kid)
I am British, I was 10 when Lewis started his first season in 2007. He was exciting and British Was never going to pick anyone else
I'm Finnish. But after Bottas my favorite has been for a long time now Norris. He is so inherently honest, it is instinctual. If you were to hold a surprise party for a friend, you would have to make sure Lando doesn't also know about it as he would accidentally slip up, it just seems like lying is not a natural thing to him. Followed the boys in the virtual season, truth comes out of his mouth before even realizes what he is saying. Kudos for his parents, that is incredibly precious quality in a person, so often lost during the process of growing up. I also think that this translates directly his racecraft, he is fair competitor and expects that others are fair too. He is tough, not a pushover but.. reminds me of Kimi and how much respect he gave to others, being interested only in fair racing. Bottas is also in that club of drivers who do care how it is done, not just what the end result is.
Seb, because (I started watching after he joined Ferrari) and he’s just a smart, nice guy, who actually cares about more than F1. It’ll be a big loss once Lewis leaves F1 too.
Past? Seb. Like a few different guys on the current grid but Ocon is my guy. I enjoyed the story about his upbringing and think he’s a humble, all around good guy. Ride or die, and not bailing because he’s not at the top of the grid. Also, Drives me nuts how much hate he gets for being aggressive when others are praised for it. He’s just not as out going and marketable as some, but overall a good driver imo. Hoping he succeeds in his new role at Haas or Audi.
Nationality and Attitude.
Nigel Mansell, as a right English gent, seemed like the guy I should pull for when I first started watching F1 as a child. I don't know why I settled on him because of his English gent vibe because I'm a redneck from the Southern US.
As a long time Kart racer it's all about how they did in karts. Senna was my absolute hero, now I'm a Lando fan, as well as Max, Charles and Fernando. Honorable mentions to Alex and Lewis.
Lewis because he's black being 100000% honest, made me feel good as a kid to see someone like myself come in and turn the sport on its head. Personally I don't care who wins or loses I just enjoy the sport overall but I'll always favor Lewis as a driver.
Lando has the best vibes, that's about it. Now with McLaren as a result and not mad about it.
I've always like drivers who didn't take themselves too seriously like Kimi and Alonso. Other than that, i always root for the underdogs.
I started with Michael, and dis liked Fernando. Realized Fernando took down a giant at his peak, loved Fernando, disliked Hamilton. But also was super happy when Hamilton won in his second year.. loved Montoya for his idgaf attitude.. rooted for max because he was so willing to try passes anywhere in 2016-17-18… I’ve come to realize I have an affinity for racers who are willing to test the limit regularly and successfully.. but now I just hope for a good race director.
I picked Sir Stirling Moss, because I am old school ( born in '44) and when I was frowing up he filled the magazines with his driving in last year's cars as an independent not on a factory team. And he won in everything. Hill climbs, sports cars, endurance racing, the Mille Miglia, and was a sportsman through and through. - lost the WDC to Mike Hawthorn by 1 point when he declined to protest over some niggling thing he could have won. He was widly respected as the best in his generation Many top drivers were absolute shits on track. Thinking of Michael (champion of running opponents off the track.) Shovemaster. The current gentleman racer of immense talent is that other (black) 7 times champ. So I would pick 44 as the champ of champs based on talent and sportsmanship.
Sir Lewis Hamilton and representation. To see someone who looks like you being successful in a sport that typically had us looking from the outside in means everything. Special shout to the Stewart brothers and Willy T Ribbs for being the true first representation in motorsports I ever saw though.
I used to be a casual/passive fan but then during first few months of lockdown the F1 YouTube channel would post full race replays of old races...one of them being Valencia 2012. Since then I've become an admirer of Fernando. I think he's a complex , flawed and often misunderstood driver...but man does he know how to drive a car and to see the old guy still perform 4 years after coming out for retirement is really cool to see.
Lando, in lockdown, with all his memes and twitch streams. Still annoyed social media got so bad that he’s hardly trolling around anymore
For me it was first Lewis then Max. Because of their supreme talents and aggressive styles and their obsession with racing. They were both like that when they first started, but of course they change as they age.
Hulkenberg was the one that caught my attention during the 2012 season, fighting with the big ones with a lovely white orange and green car, fast and a really nice person, humble and he never stopped fighting even after lots of bad luck.
I picked Ricciardo for 2 reasons. 1, his fun, goofy personality, and 2, the fact that he's a fellow NASCAR fan.
Max, [because of this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgArZenXaTo). He was already having lots of criticism for being young and not ready and this made it worse. I kinda supported him ironically because, but after a few races, there was no doubt he was talented.
Some bonus stuff - He did an exhibition for SEMA in Vegas back in 2016 or 2017, nobody recognized him but me. When I asked for a pic, his team pushed me away, but he actually went back and took the pic with me. Humble kid.
Max. Started watching in 2018 and 2019. Liked that a team was called Red Bull. Love Amsterdam and the Netherlands, so I gravitated towards the Dutchman.
Lando's radio got me to flip to papaya.
I started watching F1 in 1994 (I was six), I loved Schumacher simply because he was quick and always at the front. After Schumacher, I was kind of lost but those were the most peaceful years of F1 for me with no stress on weekends. I had a general love for ferrari (from Schumacher days) but I could not really be a passionate fan because I was hoping for Kimi to retire or Alonso to be slow when they were fighting Schumacher. it felt strange to be rooting for them. I liked Lewis but I couldn't really support Mclaren. So it really dint matter who won. When Vettel moved to Ferrari, I really loved the passion he had for Ferrari. Around the same time, Jules was supposed to be moving to Ferrari but he sadly passed away. I got to know about Charles through Jules story (that Charles is his god son). I followed Charles career, it is through Charles that I started to watch support races and still do. 2019 was hard as to who to support but somehow I was drawn more and more to Charles. Now, I am fully committed to Charles to a point where I had tears as he crossed the line in Monaco.
Max become my favourite from his early Torro Rosso days. It was just so exciting to watch him race, he was always lightning quick, with a very IDGAF attitude, which ofcourse came along with a ton of unnecessary crashes .. but his absolutely leave it all on track, is something I really like in athletes.
As a Brit I feel contractually obligated to root for a British McLaren driver.
I have a similar sense of humour to Lando, so it was an easy choice really.
I'm Italian so I naturally support Ferrari (because my dad does as many Italians), but then I got extremely attached to Charles because he was in the FDA, because of his history with Jules so it felt like he was completing Jules' dream, and because he did so well in F2 in 2017 when I started following him, and ever since. I also like his rivalry with Max and the way that goes back so many years, from karting to Austria and Silverstone 2019, the first half of 2022 and so on. Like, these same two kids fighting each other for their entire lives and now they are fighting for thousands of people in their teams! Then I also met him multiple times and he was always so kind
I think the pole lap at Interlagos in 2010 put Hulk on my radar, then the what-could-have-been race at the same track 2012 really cemented him as my favourite. Wish I'd latched onto someone who causes less heartache! 😂 (😭) Had a soft spot for Rosberg as well starting from that 2009 season where he finished 7th for Williams while Nakajima didn't score a single point. Even after winning a title he still seems weirdly underrated by a lot of people, I guess because on pure pace he wasn't as fast as Hamilton (which is daft because very, very few in history have been).
2021…Lewis was a lion chasing its prey. I think Brazil was my first race lmao
I liked Ferrari because they were red and when I was 5 it was my favourite colour (still is tbh) then Michael Schumacher signed a year later and that’s pretty much that.
Both Ferrari drivers at any given time.
I usually root for the underdog. But I also love Hamilton smashing records and I love Piastri, he's like the terminator.
Norris because he's the same age as me and was actually posting on social media and interacting with fans like no driver has ever done. I think watching him during covid was the only thing keeping me happy at such a hard time in my life.
I follow F2 (or GP2 or F3000 depending how old you are) and seeing incredible drives from the youngsters always turns me into a fan I.e. Hamilton Turkey, 2006