Alex Jack, Channel 4
For years, British driver Lewis Hamilton was the big man in Formula 1, but two years ago Max Verstappen took over his role as the sport’s figurehead. The British public did not appreciate him for that. He was booed during the drivers’ parade – a ritual before every Formula 1 race – at the British Grand Prix.
However, Alex Jack, Channel 4’s Formula 1 commentator since 2021, believes British racing fans now respect the 26-year-old Limberger. “The majority of British Formula 1 fans would like to see their drivers Hamilton, Lando Norris or George Russell constantly fighting for victories,” says Jack. “But the Brits love a real racer and I don’t think anyone can say anything about the sheer talent and skills we have seen from Verstappen.”
Formula 1 is no longer as exciting as it was in the 2021 season, when Hamilton and Verstappen fought for the title until the last minute. This led to a decline in the popularity of this sport. “But if you had a season like 2021 every year, it wouldn’t be special,” Jack says.
Kay Ebel, RTL
Brilliant pit reporter Kai Ebel of German broadcaster RTL was already in the world of Formula 1 in 1992. He took part in hundreds of races, until the sport in Germany – traditionally a motorsport nation – disappeared behind a paywall. “Germans don’t have a good relationship with pay TV,” Eppel says. According to him, Formula 1 in Germany never reaches more than a million viewers.
Ebel says that public opinion in his country is divided regarding Verstappen. “One half loves Max, the other is against him,” he says from his garden in Mönchengladbach. “Even with Schumacher, there were people who opposed him. But in Germany, many people also respect Max.”
Eibel sees similarities between seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and Verstappen. “Sooner or later, they’re going to dominate their sport with their talent, and that’s a good thing,” Epple says. “This is how champions are born. Max is what Michael was to Germany. He has shaken up the motorsport community in the Netherlands.” Ebel refers to Verstappen’s mobile army of supporters. At that time, Schumacher’s fans also traveled all over the world. “I called it Schumacher tourism,” says Ebel. “Whenever I went somewhere in recent years, whether it was Europe or Texas, I always stood at the airport among the Max Verstappen fan club.”
Champions are the ones who make the sport, Ebel says. “There are always times when teams dominate, it’s the same in other sports and anywhere where a lot of money is involved.”
Luigi Perna, Gazzetta dello Sport
During the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Verstappen was recently shouted at. But that was a minority, says Luigi Perna, a Formula 1 journalist for the Italian sports newspaper since 2001. La Gazzetta dello Sport. The majority of Italian fans respect Verstappen, who also won the race at Monza. Perna: “He’s a driver who does things you can’t ignore.”
That’s why Verstappen is also so popular in Italy, according to Perna. “Especially among young people. The fans in Italy have a real passion for motorsport. They understand when a driver is a champion and they can appreciate what he does.” However, Verstappen also remains a rival to the Italian. Perna: “Because he doesn’t drive a Ferrari. Ferrari is our national team, just like the Italian national football team.
Some people find it annoying and boring that the same driver always wins, as Perna knows. “But the growth of Formula 1 on television, websites and social media channels has been very significant over the last three to four years.” According to Perna, even in countries without a tradition of motorsport, such as the United States, the popularity of the sport is growing rapidly. “The dominance of Verstappen and Red Bull doesn’t change that.”
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