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[What's Burning?]

I guess it's all about walking a mile in someone's shoes, but hey It's not my driver being booed so I'm okay with it. But again, I'm sure most of the grid would be glad to trade places with Vettle and his record book and put up with a little booing. It's not going to change, people like the spectacle, people like having a bad guy to root against and boo, it's why WWE has ratings. In any case, it doesn't seem to be bothering him, only the Vettel fans.

EDIT: appropriate read at ESPNF1

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Sebastian Vettel is "only human" and does not deserve the boos he has received on the podium at recent races.

Vettel has been booed on a number of occasions this year after winning races, including at the last two rounds in Italy and Singapore. After his dominant performance on Sunday night, Horner said it was wrong to boo his driver.

"Standing up on the podium all you can see is a small collective group and it's like a pantomime," he said. "I think it's so unfair because it's not sporting. The boy today has driven an unbelievable race. What you've witnessed today is something that I think is one of the best drives I've seen him produce in terms of raw pace and what he can deliver.

"I just don't think it's sporting for a driver who has put in a performance like that to not get the reception he deserves. Of course he says it doesn't affect him and he doesn't feel it, but he's a human being at the end of the day. And when you've driven your heart out and you get that reaction, to me it's not fair, it's not right and it's not deserved in any way. He's got a broad set of shoulders but like anyone he's got feelings and it's not right.

"He's a great kid and he's got a big heart at the end of the day. Of course he's ambitious and he's a competitor and he will push. He enjoys winning but it's a shame and I hope it will change in upcoming races."

The boos have only started since Vettel snatched victory away from Mark Webber at Malaysia by defying team orders, but Horner cannot see why that would leave such a lasting legacy.

"For sure Malaysia didn't help but it's been done, there's been an awful lot written about it and there were circumstances that were involved in that. When you have a serial winner, it's a little bit like Muhammad Ali, you want to see who's going to beat him. At the moment people want to see who's going to beat Sebastian, so maybe when he keeps winning people want to see who is going to beat him. But I still think it's not sporting and it's not fair not to recognise a sportsman when he delivers in the way that he has."

Horner said Fernando Alonso received similar treatment in the past but is now a fan favourite because he plays up to being the underdog.

"We've heard it with Fernando," he added. "I remember when I first came into the sport, Fernando, in the years that he was winning with Renault, he was booed everywhere he went. When he raced against Lewis Hamilton at McLaren he was hugely unpopular. Now he's the most popular drive in the pit lane.

"Everybody loves an underdog and of course he has now got that and he's working it incredibly well. Sebastian, I think, is delivering at a level that is a pleasure to see and I think it won't affect him."

[mnmracer]

In any case, it doesn't seem to be bothering him, only the Vettel fans.

If that's what you need to tell yourself to find it acceptable, go ahead.
But some people have morals

[Zekenwolf]

It's not going to change, people like having a bad guy to root against and boo

Hmmm, it is a bit debateable if the word "people" is applicable with such specimens. But Vettel is the 'Bad Guy' because he once disobeyed team orders or sticks up his finger? But the guy who is involved in and benefits from a teammate's orchestrated crash, the same guy who delays his departure from the pits to deny his own teammate another shot at pole, the guy who lies to the stewards supposedly on team orders or the guy who posts sensitive techincal information on Twitter are the 'good guys'?

It is a strage world we live in.

[What's Burning?]

I booed in Canada. It's just for fun, really. It has nothing to do with anything insidious.

[LRW]

Let's just keep it in perspective guys, hat tricks don't include likeability factors. Can you just learn to bask in the glow of four straight WDC titles? Who gives a rat's sphincter that he's getting booed?!?!? They won't be noted on Wikipedia, promise.

It doesn't mean we as a community should accept this poor behavior.
It doesn't mean that we as a community should condone the booeing of a day's hard work. Of an exceptional drive. Or even an 'average but nothing wrong' drive.
The drivers, team-bosses and pundits are making a stand against this and so should we.

A) is anyone condoning it?
B) How, as a community, do we go about not accepting it....?

[1Lemon]

It's not going to change, people like having a bad guy to root against and boo

Hmmm, it is a bit debateable if the word "people" is applicable with such specimens. But Vettel is the 'Bad Guy' because he once disobeyed team orders or sticks up his finger? But the guy who is involved in and benefits from a teammate's orchestrated crash, the same guy who delays his departure from the pits to deny his own teammate another shot at pole, the guy who lies to the stewards supposedly on team orders or the guy who posts sensitive techincal information on Twitter are the 'good guys'?

It is a strage world we live in.

I agree, I like Vettel as a racer and a person, I wouldn't boo him for him; I am not happy with how he just dominates everything though, it makes boring races, and if I were to boo him it would be for that.

Although I wouldn't because it just seems a bit harsh, it's not his fault he has the best car, let's boo Adrian

[Zekenwolf]

Although I wouldn't because it just seems a bit harsh, it's not his fault he has the best car, let's boo Adrian

Vettel probably has the best car but it certainly is not as far ahead of the other cars as his driving makes out. To put it simply

Vettel is NOT a second and a half a lap better than Alonso
Likewise, his RB9 is NOT a second and a half a lap better than Alonso's Ferrari.

By implication, it is the combination of the car and driver that is getting the results.

The buzz-phrase these days seems to be that the "playing field in F1 is not level" and everyone is talking about next year when that happens. Of course, if Vettel starts winning again, there will always be some new excuse to pull out of the woodwork.

But first let us look a bit more of how level the 'playing field' really was in the 'good old days' of the great drivers and 'proper racing'.

Fangio's Mercedes was said to be at least 2 seconds per lap faster than any opposition car and if he thought that his teammates car was better set-up, he demanded its use on the spot and threatened to leave the team if he did not have his wishes.

When Prost and Senna were winning everything under the sun in thr glory days of the turbocharged McLaren Honda (1988 & 1989), Nigel Mansell and others were driving around in significantly underpowered normally aspirated engines.

When Mansell won the WDC in 1992, his Newey designed (of course, no Brit wants to be reminded of the Newey connection with that domination) FW14B, his car had active suspension and all sorts of bells and whistles that none of the other cars had. Watch some of the old video-clips of that season; Mansell and Patrese not only got a lot of P1 & P2 on the grid, they used to race away at the start which makes Vettel's present day effort look pathetic by comparison.

And in all of the above and other seasons, there were no tyre restrictions or other electro-mechanical rules that really evened out the playing field like those that exist these days. By comparison therefore, Vettel is already competing with his contemporaries on a level field unlike many on his multiple-WDC predecessors.

[Hammer278]

It's not going to change, people like having a bad guy to root against and boo

Hmmm, it is a bit debateable if the word "people" is applicable with such specimens. But Vettel is the 'Bad Guy' because he once disobeyed team orders or sticks up his finger? But the guy who is involved in and benefits from a teammate's orchestrated crash, the same guy who delays his departure from the pits to deny his own teammate another shot at pole, the guy who lies to the stewards supposedly on team orders or the guy who posts sensitive techincal information on Twitter are the 'good guys'?

It is a strage world we live in.

Hey man, which is why Formula 1 could been a lot worse for me right now....if the Ferrari guy was in Vettel's shoes, I might be on depression pills.

Just kidding. But maybe not really.

[1Lemon]

Although I wouldn't because it just seems a bit harsh, it's not his fault he has the best car, let's boo Adrian

When Mansell won the WDC in 1992, his Newey designed (of course, no Brit wants to be reminded of the Newey connection with that domination) FW14B,

No doubting that, Newey always has been one of if not the best designer in the history of motorsports IMHO, and he does play a huge part in championships. My question to you is what do you have against Brits? Always going on about how the booing on Vettel is because he's German and it's all brits doing the booing and how 8% if Singapore is British so therefore that's where to booing came from.

[Zekenwolf]

My question to you is what do you have against Brits?

Absolutely nothing. Although I am not a Brit as such, I live here and am quite happy. In fact, there are times I think the average Brit does not appreciate how lucky he/she is to have things that others don't - the NHS for instance.

Always going on about how the booing on Vettel is because he's German and it's all brits doing the booing and how 8% if Singapore is British so therefore that's where to booing came from.

That was just a comment from a neutral outsider, if you like. I have noticed how the Brits like to criticise or insult most things German (except their cars ) eg the whistling at the German National Anthem during a soccer match etc. Also, if you read the users comments in the F1 column of the Daily Mail, Telegraph or even the main Motorsport mags, there is a lot of derogatory reference to "that German Vettel" and so forth. Don't take my word for it - take a look patiently yourself, if you want.

[1Lemon]

I think (at least I hope) a lot of the stuff that others would consider harsh that brits say to germans are just joking, all this stuff about "We won the war!" etc is more just sarcasm than anything. I think most brits like Germans it's just we like to have a joke.

Also please don't gather the Daily Mail's views as the majority of the nation's

[LRW]

My question to you is what do you have against British?

Absolutely nothing. Although I am not a Brit as such, I live here and am quite happy. In fact, there are times I think the average Brit does not appreciate how lucky he/she is to have things that others don't - the NHS for instance.

Always going on about how the booing on Vettel is because he's German and it's all brits doing the booing and how 8% if Singapore is British so therefore that's where to booing came from.

That was just a comment from a neutral outsider, if you like. I have noticed how the Brits like to criticise or insult most things German (except their cars ) eg the whistling at the German National Anthem during a soccer match etc. Also, if you read the users comments in the F1 column of the Daily Mail, Telegraph or even the main Motorsport mags, there is a lot of derogatory reference to "that German Vettel" and so forth. Don't take my word for it - take a look patiently yourself, if you want.

I don't know where you live or work, but i don't know anyone who 'like to criticise the Germans'. And if your only evidence to support this is football supporters, then that's a lame way to support your argument. Especially as I suspect most football matches don't involve booing Germans. I would guess that's only in Germany Vs England matches.

I just hate the way us Brits are getting labelled as German hating xenephobes.

I'll say it one more time. Vettel is getting booed because people dislike HIM, not because he is German. If they disliked Germans they would boo Rosberg too when he is on the podium. But they don't. As it's got nothing to do with being German.

[Hammer278]

Oh come on, he's boo'ed at Belgium, the heart of Italy, and now in South East Asia! Are these darn Brits all over the globe in drones??

[What's Burning?]

I blame Jeremy Clarkson... and coming to think of it, people dislike him as well.

[LRW]

I blame Jeremy Clarkson... and coming to think of it, people dislike him as well.

Ok. So now we are getting somewhere. So it's:

a) football fans at England Vs Germany matches
b) The Daily Mail
c) Jeremy Clarkson

So can we all now say that instead of just Brits.