Enrico shark wrote: ↑03 Sep 2017, 19:40
I apologize if my previous posts sounded too much like the ones of a frustrated fanboy but I was just trying, without succeeding, to make you understand why we are so whole-heartedly passionate about Ferrari.
Not at all, I well appreciate your honesty.
I just wanted to add that I believe Hamiltons problem is that he has effectively become a "brand", no different than Roger Federer and other very big sports personalties. This may be good overall for the sport, but it leaves a sour taste for those that follow the sport closer IMO.
That - in my opinion - makes drivers like Vettel and Schumacher be more likeable to many. Most who follow F1 can easier relate to them, because they seem more human, more flawed. And at least in Vettels case, well, after 4 years of Mercedes dominance, he's somewhat the underdog and everyone likes that.
Anyway, unfortunately I think there are two different things at play here. "Hamilton the person" and "Hamilton the brand". When you watch the interviews (the english ones), you can very well see Hamilton the person. When you read the sensationalist media, follow his Instagram, Hamilton the brand shines through. There's a lot more depth to Hamilton the person once you can see beyond what he is being portrayed as and once you look past the bling he wears. The good thing about Vettel (and others) is that he is just a F1 driver. He has a quiet life outside of F1 and I think deep down, most people would prefer that and easier relate to that kind of a driver than the extravagant type. I still maintain though, Hamilton the person isn't quite as extravagant as his image suggests.