Identity and culture are often considered to be opposites, however, I believe that they rather complement each other. Through exposure to culture, someone’s identity is shaped and expanded, and Formula 1 (F1) culture has been the biggest shaper of my identity. I am not alone. Millions of fans over the last 74 years of the existence of F1 have been shaped by the scale and power of F1. As an identity evolves, so does F1, in the technology, and more importantly, the culture. What is the culture of F1? The culture of F1 is both beautiful and intense, and it allow for growth not only as a fan, but as an individual. F1 allows someone to release their worries and focus on 20 cars as they race on the asphalt to the checkered flag. F1 is a place where those divided by country, nationality, and religion can come under one culture and flag, the checkered flag, and that is what F1 culture is: the blending of every fan around the globe. F1 has a rich history, and the impact of culture on its identity and the identity of its fans is apparent with one of the greatest stories of the 2021 season, which brought every fan to a standstill as the finale of the 2021 Abu Dabhi Grand Prix ensued to see two drivers battle to be crowned the world champion. In essence, I want to discuss complex nature of F1 culture, explore how the culture has impacted fans of the sport, and discuss one of the greatest stories of F1 as we explore how a motorsport has united the globe under one culture and how it has shaped identities.
F1 has not been a part of my life for long, but it has certainly been one of the most important parts of my life and identity. I got into F1 back in September of 2023, around the time of the Singaporean Grand Prix. As many people are in their teenage years, I felt alone, and I did not feel that I belonged to any group, until I found F1. I watched the highlights of the Singaporean Grand Prix as I have always loved cars and I wanted to see if watching a race would make me feel better, but I was not ready at all. Watching Carlos Sainz in the scarlet red Ferrari, with Lando Norris in the McLaren right behind him, fight together in order to battle the two Mercedes' who were racing for the podium, in all honesty, changed my life completely. It was a whole new world. An entire community who was divided by country, but united by this one sport, and I fell in love with F1. From that point on, I was a F1 fan. F1 was my life, and it completely changed my identity. If I had to describe how my identity had been changed, I would say that it was in how I perceived the world. Now, I was not the kid who didn’t feel like he belonged, but the fan who was a part of one of the largest and best communities in the entire world, and I could not have been happier. F1 had given me something that was worth looking forward too, and these past few months waiting for the 2024 season to begin have been so painful, yet I know that it will be worth it. Connecting with those in my area through F1, I have made meaningful ties with many people, and I have created a lot of new relationships through being an F1 fan. F1, being a global sport, has changed how I view other areas of the world. Instead of thinking of them as foreign, I think of them as the next venue for F1, and I believe this has made me a less judgmental individual, and overall, a better person.
It’s not just me who believes that F1 has changed their perception of the world. In an interview with one of my friends, Raj, I learned something really interesting about why he got into F1. Raj had personal ties to F1, as his father was born in Bahrain, which is the venue for every season starter race. This personal connection inspired him to watch the races, and eventually, become a fan of the sport, and this is what I believe F1 is about. The different stories of individuals finding a collective outlet of enjoyment and satisfaction is what creates F1 culture. In turn, this causes for the shaping of individuals. Raj states that, “I became an f1 fan because my dad was born in Bahrain, and they aren’t really known for anything and then I found out about a huge race that happens there and I was like damn that’s awesome.” Through F1, Raj was not only able to find something he enjoyed, but he was also able to unite himself with his roots which he previously was not as well connected with, and this created a unique identity for him.
Trying to define F1 as a tangible object is difficult, as it is a motorsport, but for me, one of the most important artifacts would be the LEGO collaborations with F1. These collaborations are essential, as it allows fans of the sport who want something F1 related that they can own in order to feel a deeper connection with the sport. One of my favorite F1 related LEGOS would be the LEGO Mercedes AMG Petronas W11. Building this car allowed me to feel a stronger connection in the world of F1, as that world was able to be in my space. Even though this seems very unconventional and perhaps even a bit humorous, it has gone a long way to shape my identity and my sense of belonging to the community and the world of F1 has increased, as someone in Japan could own the same model, and it allows me to know that there are others such as me who feel as strongly for the sport as I do. As an avid fan of the sport, this model seeks to remind me why I love F1 and its culture.
The 2021 season, and more specifically, the Abu Dabhi Grand Prix, was the real test of F1 culture, and perhaps the identity of all F1 fans. The Abu Dabhi Grand Prix was the culmination of the heated season between the underdog Max Verstappen and the legendary Lewis Hamilton. This season was filled with intense moments, with near death experiences, and an insane amount of energy. The Abu Dabhi Grand Prix was the peak, with both drivers being points away from the championship, and a win here would allow them to take the entire season. However, this race was filled with controversy due to some safety car mishaps that caused for Hamilton to lose his race pace, and it ended with Verstappen taking the race and the entire championship. To quote the official decision of the FIA, “The decision to only allow the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen but not others was described as a ‘human error’” (Morlidge, 2022). This human error was due to the safety car decisions made by race leader Masi, who was later fired for his decision. This has caused for a major divide within the F1 community, with those who believe Hamilton should have won the race or the championship, and those who believe Verstappen’s win was justified. This race, even if I was not a fan at the time, carries into today’s races, where there is still debate of what should have happened. The F1 community, divided country, united by the sport, has been divided over this race for over 3 years. However, I believe that it would not break the community, as the culture of F1 is unity, and this has shaped the identity of all F1 fans to respect and unite under the sport, and it has shaped my identity the same.
F1 has not only impacted my identity, but the identity of an entire country. The United States has not been the biggest fan of F1 due to other popular motorsport within the country such as NASCAR and the F1 inspired IndyCar, but this has changed in recent years. With the release of the critically acclaimed Netflix Docuseries Drive to Survive, F1 viewership has increased in the US from 500,000 viewers in 2017 to 1 million viewers in 2022 (Shea, 2023). F1 culture is all about the unity of fans, and this is proven as the United States joins the culture and unity of the sport. Another group who has been previously excluded from F1 who have now joined F1 culture would be women. F1 has always been a male dominated sport, but in recent years, due to a few female voices on the internet, F1 has expanded in its female viewership. Cristina Mace, an influencer, defines this increase as, “‘In the case of Formula One, we're all watching the same show; your friend recommends something, and you of course end up having to watch it with her because she's obsessed with it. It's one of those things where we just work together, and we enjoy things together’” (Allen, 2023). With the primary characteristic of F1 culture being unity, having female interaction within the sport and having F1 shape their identity allows for F1 to continue to unite by not just country, but also gender, and shape the identity other all other fans. In short, F1 can be summarized in this quote from an article on Medium, “‘I’m not saying it’s the best — and it’s not my favorite, but it has qualities that I don’t think any other sport has in its arsenal’” (Charlie, 2023). This quote really brings together what the culture of what F1 is. What other sport can bring together fans all over the world like F1 can. The unity of F1 is what makes F1 culture so rich, and that richness is what shapes my identity and the identity of those all around the world.
However united F1 culture may be, there are those who may believe that the F1 community and its culture may be a cult. To debunk this claim, I sought to interview those who weren’t within the sport to see how they viewed F1 culture. Vibhor, someone who has only watched a few races of F1, described the fanbase as “really liking racing”. However, Raj disagrees with Vibhor’s claim about F1 fans, rather, he claims that F1 fans can be “super-rich and entitled”. In the middle of these two claims, I interviewed my friend Phoenix and he stated, “Some good, some toxic (the atmosphere), but they can be too hardcore about the teams they support.” I believe that with this evidence, we can state that while there may be those fans who are not the most desirable to be around, most fans respect each other, and ensure that the community of F1is thriving. Those who are “toxic” do not represent the culture of F1, and they are not united with the rest of the fanbase, and therefore their identities are not represented by real F1. Those who ensure that they are united by F1 have authentic identities that promote the unity of the sport.
Other than F1, the other big part of my identity has been science fiction. Science fiction culture is as rich as F1, with a history just as extensive. From the early science fiction pioneers such as Dune in 1965, which set forth what would be the precedent of sci-fi, to Ender’s Game in the 80’s, which gave the genre its dystopian identity, to now, with the release of books such as Ready Player One, science fiction has been a part of my life for as long as I could read. The culture of science fiction is complex, with themes of pushing boundaries, but also teaches us that sometimes, pushing boundaries too much is not the best way to move forward, which is demonstrated by Skynet in the Terminator movies. This pairs well with the other major player in my identity, which would be school culture. School culture has many parallels to science fiction culture, as with science fiction, boundaries should be pushed, but not too much, school is academic pressure to push to achieve, but if I push too much, I will fall flat on my face. Balancing the perfect school balance has been tough, but it has been critical in shaping my identity. Science fiction and school culture have taught me to balance life, and along with F1 culture, have allowed me to become the person I am. I am able to enjoy life and still succeed due to these cultures shaping my identity.
In essence, F1 hasn’t been a part of my life and identity long, but it has certainly affected it drastically. From watching my first race, I entered the world and culture of F1, and discovered how rich it was. The culture of F1 can sometimes be toxic, giving it a bad reputation, but with unity, the fans stay strong, and identity and culture continues to grow. As I stated previously, culture shapes identity, and F1 culture has been a major part of shaping mine. Along with F1 culture, science fiction culture and school culture have taught me how to balance life properly. Along with F1 culture, these cultures have helped me learn to enjoy life, and I feel like I belong with others. This sense of belonging is what I was striving for, and with F1 culture, I believe I have achieved it. What is the culture of F1? The culture of F1 is unity. Unity between gender. Unity between religion. Unity between nations. And for me, unity with others. I have found my place with F1, and F1 is my identity.
References
Allen, J. (2023, October 25). Who are the new F1 fans and how does the sport make sure it keeps them? Motorsport.com.https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/who-are-the-new-f1-fans-and-how-does-the-sport-make-sure-it-keeps-them/10537082/
Charlie. (2023, June 27). Why you should become a Formula 1 fan - Charlie - medium. Medium. https://itischarlie.medium.com/why-you-should-become-a-formula-1-fan-b9b665117803
Morlidge, M. (2022, December 12). Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton: One year on, relive Formula 1's most dramatic title decider in Abu Dhabi. Sky Sports. https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12748685/abu-dhabi-gp-as-lewis-hamilton-and-max-verstappen-return-relive-f1s-most-dramatic-decider
Shea, B. (2023, September 5). F1’s ‘Drive to Survive’ effect: Inside the show’s ratings and its impact on race viewership. The Athletic. https://theathletic.com/4402239/2023/04/13/f1-formula-one-drive-to-survive-ratings/
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Southwell, H. (2021, June 3). Why F1’s top two drivers don’t do track walks. The Drive. https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/40909/why-f1s-top-two-drivers-dont-do-track-walks
Love this article! Glad to see some motorsport content on Foni!