Drivers And Fans

Despite the sport having more exposure than ever, the distance

between drivers and fans is arguably greater than ever. 

Most driver interviews, strictly media-managed by team

communications and PR people, fall far short of revealing a real

personality. Some drivers are using social media to cut

through the superficiality. Fernando Alonso recently admitted he

uses twitter to speak directly to his fans, instead of having

himself 'filtered' through traditional media sources. 

Lewis Hamilton explains his direct approach in his twitter

profile: 'Life is a journey & i wanna share mine with you, my

passion, my drive, my ups & downs & my quest to be the best.' 

Hamilton's boyhood hero Ayrton Senna offered thoughtful insights

into the relationship between drivers and fans...

Ayrton Senna: "We must remember that the fans are interested in

the drivers more than just the cars. The drivers are the ones

that by their personality, by their character, end up making the

show boring or exciting. People are interested in everything

about the driver: the way he looks, not only physically, but the

way he looks through his eyes, the way he speaks, by his voice

being soft, sharp. The way he makes his answers, the contents of

his answers, the enthusiasm he passes on, the instincts of

fighting, all those things.  

"And we are all different. Therefore what holds people, what gets

people and holds them in admiring you, is what you are.  Not just

because you win. They are after winners of course, and there are

several winners in a season. But there are maybe one or two that

really shine and the rest are just winners.  There is a

difference between a true champion and just another champion, The

true champion who shines is one who people love to see, love to

know, love to think about and to be with in their minds. 

"To have lots of people after you and showing that they admire

you and they like you makes me feel embarrassed and humble. It

does, because it shows how much you can touch people without

knowing, without ever talking to them, just by your behaviour

publicly.  What they see on TV, what they hear you saying

personally in some interviews, what they read about you. 

"In many ways we are a dream for people, not a reality. That

counts in your mind. It shows how much you can touch people. And

as much as you can try to give those people something, it is

nothing compared to what they live in their own mind, in their

dreams, for you. And that is something really, really special for

me."

- interview with Senna (by f1speedwriter) excerpted from the book

Grand Prix People, Revelations from inside the Formula 1 circus.

     

Senna understood fans (profile: dianefineart.ca)