Sunday, August 2, 2020

All Lewis Hamilton Does Is Win, Win, Win (No Matter What, What, What) :)

My husband, and especially my brother-in-law, used to race, so they watch Formula One races every year, and my husband is especially a Lewis Hamilton fan.






I don't usually watch them, because to be honest, it bores me, going around in virtually circles . 

It also kind of bothers me that today's Formula One is not only about how well you drive - but how good you look while doing it lol.

According to my husband, it wasn't always this way (i.e. Jackie Stewart, Alan Prost, Nigel Mansell) - but sometime in the late 1990s, when Formula One ratings/fan base began dropping, the sponsors began demanding physical attractiveness/photogenicity as part of the requirement - and coming from money helps, too.

Thus, it's true - since the 1990s and new marketing, unlike NASCAR, you will never see an ugly Formula One driver, ever again lol. 


I mean, don't get me wrong, hot men in fast cars IS sexy - and it worked to get more female viewers - but at the same time, I feel sad for all the great drivers who don't also meet the sponsors' "hotness" requirement - because no matter how skilled of a driver are, you will never be on a modern sponsored Formula One team if you also don't meet the "hotness" requirement.

Thus, in today's Formula One, poor Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell would never make cut, based on the sponsor physical attractiveness/photogenic requirement alone :(

And by the way - where are the women?

I didn't see a single one - driving, in the pit, or even as a commentator?

Sponsors, if you want to draw more female fans,  having a "hotness" requirement for the male drivers worked for you somewhat, but it only took you so far - you could also increase female viewership by including women, in any capacity - driver, pit crew, or even just as a commentator?


Otherwise, we almost feel like we're not welcome even as fans, just attending events or viewing -  like we're trespassing into a secret men's club without being invited.  Is that how you wanted us to feel, but you're just not saying it? 

Well, if so - that's just not good business, for any sport. You could make a lot more money if you at least had a female commentator, for the "camaraderie" draw.

One who isn't JUST "hot" eye candy for the men,  but also knows her sh*t about Formula One for camaraderie draw with women - she could be both hot AND skilled - you know, just like you require for the drivers? :) 

(On that note, oh, hush, more extremist types of feminists - I'm a feminist, too, but not the kind that wants women to rule the world, just more balance, nor am I the type to shame other women into choosing between pretty and smart.   There's absolutely nothing wrong with women being both being pretty AND smart.  Women shouldn't have to choose between their looks VS. their brains/skill any more than men  - and yet we are almost more guilty of forcing women into choosing between their looks and their skill, even than men do.)


I mean, as backwards as NASCAR is, women are at least present - many times as commentators and in the pit, but yes - we at least feel less out of place there and when viewing on TV.

Regardless, since Mark was already watching the British Grand Prix, and I had just finished making us blueberry pancakes on my new griddle/grill, I watched the last few laps. 

Okay, I have to admit - I have no skin in this game, but that WAS pretty exciting - his left front tire was vibrating, down on the rim, and I could actually see the sparks flying, and I was biting my nails for his safety, that it was going to fly off and he'd spin out and possibly crash, the final two laps - but he did it!

I have to say, I'm not the sort to automatically jump to "racism" just because someone doesn't like a sports player who is black.  There are lots of players I don't like, white, black, brown, red, yellow, purple, not because of their skin color or faith or even politics, but because stuff they do, either on and/or off the field (i.e. Kobe Bryant).

But in this case, it seems the only criticism for Lewis I've seen isn't about his ability OR his conduct, on or off the track, because he's pretty well behaved in both arenas.

Instead, the criticism appears to be about despite being British born, his decision not to live in Britain anymore because he didn't feel as welcome there (much like Megan Merkle)?

Also, not paying his taxes properly/holding a Swiss bank account?

Now, that last part, I agree with - pay your taxes, Lewis!  Pay your taxes, Trump!  Pay your taxes, rich people!


However, these things are always and only said by conservatives, which is weird, because they aren't fans of paying taxes anyway -  but curiously, they suddenly become fans of people paying  taxes, when it's a liberal, person of color's tax status that's in question!   ;)


Otherwise, these same people have nothing to say about Trump's strange tax returns or Swiss bank accounts, or especially his Deustche Bank account (bank notorious for money laundering), or any of the white Formula One racers, athletes, CEOs, musicians, actors, doing the same?

So, erm -  yes - I think any criticism of Lewis Hamilton that is not based on his actual ability to race, or his conduct on or off the track (which has actually been stellar) is based on 
nothing more than racism (irrational fear of people of color "taking over" things -  as per usual).

As well as plain old-fashioned jealousy - because you can never drive a car like that OR look like that  ;)

I've also seen (white) people say he's "arrogant" and "pretentious" - but when I've seen interviews, I didn't get that vibe at all?  Confident, yes - arrogant, no, grateful to Mercedes and his team, in fact. 

Thus, allow me to translate the "arrogant and pretentious" into  American speak for you - it's the the same thing as white racist Americans say "That uppity black man doesn't know his place." ;)

Because again, these same people never say Trump is arrogant or pretentious, though he is the most arrogant and pretentious POTUS we've ever seen -  and most British people appear arrogant and pretentious to us Americans lol.

And all the while, Lewis Hamilton just keeps winning for Britain - doing his victory lap as we speak, still on the worn tire :)

(No pictures yet, because he literally just won.)



G'on,  Lewis - you take that victory lap, you earned it - just keep smiling, staying positive, and winning anyway, despite people spewing their hatred at you - all you do is win, win, win, anyway - and I love it!

You have a brand new fan :)








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