Sir bones...sir I have a question👁👁 i keep seeing cool as fuck f1 clips on youtube...and ive seen like one yaoi post abt it....how do I get into the fandom?? Is there required reading/viewing?? Or common people?? No pressure responding!!
- rommy ( @rawme-price <<adding the tag so Ik if u respond)
I will never get used to the fact that you know of me, that I have been perceived by someone I look up to.
Okay, so, there are plenty of sites to pirate the races, but the people of tumblr and instagram do pretty well to clip the best moments from the press conferences, mini-shows, interviews, and everything else.
The basic thing to know in terms of actual enjoyment? Some names are dead people, some of them haven't been racing for years, and most retired drivers have had some part in the sport even after their retirement.
Things to know:
Most of the drivers live in Monaco (low tax rates and super small, rich country on Mediterranean sea) Lots of fics are set here, and have a very "small-town" feel. It's real. These drivers are just like, walking around there and most people do not care.
When it comes to shipping, almost everyone on the grid (current drivers racing) has been shipped together.
It's a rich sport, so most of these people are millionaires who have been karting since childhood (very competitive) A lot of them have known each other for years, the best example being Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly. Which leads me to the drivers.
Charles Leclerc. He's the sacrificial lamb of F1. Promised podiums and championships, but has still never gotten a season championship despite driving for Ferrari (generational greatness that used to dominate). Mostly commonly shipped with; Carlos Sainz (former teammate) [driver 55, team Williams], Max Verstappen (childhood rival and friend) [driver 33, team Red Bull], Pierre Gasly (childhood friend) [driver 10, team Alpine]
Max Verstappen. He's the bull, the villain of F1. He came in young, and made waves. He's been the world champion for the last 4 years, and people are hoping for a 5th championship this year (4 races left, slim chances, but possible). Most commonly shipped with; Charles Leclerc (childhood rival and friend) [driver 16, team Ferrari], Daniel Riccardo (former teammate) [driver 3, retired], George Russell (rival) [driver 63, team Mercedes]
Lewis Hamilton. He's the goat, the prized possession of Formula 1. He's the first black man to become a driver, currently tied for the world record concerning season championship wins, and was also knighted by the literal Queen of England (he's british). Personally, I don't know who else he is shipped with except for Nico Rosberg (childhood best friend/"everything but lovers"/former teammates/former friends) [driver 6, retired]
My personal favourite ships are:
Gabico. The ship is between Gabriel Bortoleto [a 21-year-old driver born in São Paulo, Brazil] and Nico Hülkenberg [a 38-year-old driver born in West Germany] who both drive for the same team currently. The ship is controversial for the 17 year age gap, and the fact that Nico is married with a daughter. (if you watch any clip with them in it, you will see why we ship them)
Strollonso. The ship is between Lance Stroll [27-yo, born in Canada] and his current teammate Fernando Alonso [44-yo, born in Spain] is also controversial due to their 17 year age gap, and the fact that Lance has stated multiple times that Fernando was a racing idol for him growing up.
Prosenna. The ship is between Alan Prost [retired driver, 70-yo] and his former teammate/rival/friend Aryton Senna [died during a crash in a race, was 34 when it happened]. The two of them raced together during the 80s and 90s, and are considered one of the older ships of the fandom.
My recommendation for getting into the fandom? Video essays on youtube. Watch the race highlights and the promotional videos, "Grill The Grid" is a great watch. Read the interviews from drivers, get a feel for their actual personalities. A general rule when it comes to supporting drivers? Don't support the team, just support the driver.
