Booed and jeered

There are several threads on the RC forum about the recent booing of a certain driver at the F1 podium ceremony and there are posters that say that such things never happened before. Of course I immediately thought about several other relatively recent occasions like 2002 Austrian GP and the 2005 US GP.

But I also remember reading about Jackie Stewart being booed by quite a few fans at Brands Hatch in 1972 because of his outspoken opinions about F1 and safety. They even cheered when he crashed in practice http://edition.pages...76-9e87c1be3ad9 p. 100.

And somebody else remarked that Niki Lauda had told how much he was booed in Hockenheim in 1977 for being "the gravedigger of the Nurburgring". Documentaries about the 1976 season show the tifosi in Monza jeering at James Hunt after his crash in the second chicane.

I'm not starting this thread to discuss whether it's right or wrong to boo or jeer at some specific driver. But I think it's interesting to recollect if and when it happened before. Were there e.g. any occasions in sixties? Were the French booing after the finish of the 1914 Grand Prix or stood they just stunned in silence? 

Edited by scheivlak, 27 September 2013 - 21:23.

There are several threads on the RC forum about the recent booing of a certain driver

And somebody else remarked that Niki Lauda had told how much he was booed in Hockenheim in 1997 for being "the gravedigger of the Nurburgring". Documentaries about the 1996 season show the tifosi in Monza jeering at James Hunt after his crash in the second chicane.

And somebody else remarked that Niki Lauda had told how much he was booed in Hockenheim in 1997 for being "the gravedigger of the Nurburgring". Documentaries about the 1996 season show the tifosi in Monza jeering at James Hunt after his crash in the second chicane.

Oops, corrected - thanks!

Well, sprint car crowds are perhaps a little less restraint than GP spectators, but Steve Kinser has probably been booed as much as cheered in victory lanes all over the US! I think it's probably due to the "cannibal" syndrome, he simply won too much for the average fan's liking. Sammy Swindell was also known to have been an extremely unpopular winner at times, due to his "robust" way of driving. Just two examples, I'm sure there are many more.

Slightly off topic, but thats a popular misconception about Lauda and the Ring. In fact, the 1976 race was always going to be the last one held there, regardless of Lauda's accident.

I don't think so! They weren't booing Lauda for his accident, but for his leading role in getting the Ring axed! Then again, I'm not so sure Lauda was booed at all at Hockenheim, why would they? After all, if Lauda was effectively responsible for bringing the race to Hockenheim, they had actually reason to cheer him!

Which reminds me, I recall reading about boos at Monza in 1977, when Lauda had just announced he was leaving Ferrari.

Slightly off topic, but thats a popular misconception about Lauda and the Ring. In fact, the 1976 race was always going to be the last one held there, regardless of Lauda's accident.

That's my recollection too as regards the full Nordschleife. From memory, there was an article in Motoring News several months before saying that it was to be reduced to 5-6 miles via a link from Aremberg to Dottinger Hohe. A 14 year old, over optimistic, and much littler, Chris spent several days drawing potential routes from point A to B - shouldn't have bothered really given the complete f&ck up they made of it in the end   

I seem to remember reading that people booed and threw rocks at Prost at Monza after breaking down.

Things were rather different by 1989. I was in the grandstand at Parabolica for the GP. Senna was leading by a country mile ahead of Prost, who had signed to drive for Ferrari the following year. When Senna’s engine exploded on the run down to Parabolica, the crowd around me went wild, leaping to their feet clapping and cheering. I wasn’t sure how much of this was down to dislike for Senna or like for the new Ferrari man, but whatever, Prost was no longer their bogeyman.

At the height of Mansell Mania I recall some knuckle dragger waving two fingers at Senna on every single lap at Silverstone. Such was the suppport for the ..ermm.. People's Champion, as Our Noige was prone to calling himself.

The bearpit that was Brands Hatch in the 1970s is where I first remember some serious booing: for example Christmas 1971 and Gerry Marshall (good natured), 1976 GP and the Organisers (increasingly threatening!).  Scheivlak, yes I do recall Stewart getting some stick at Brands in 1972.  We were next to some Lotus/Fittipaldi fans at Clearways who were barracking Jackie before and during the race, plus waving  two-fingered goodbyes to Jacky Ickx as he lost the lead and headed for the pits.  I think the spectators in question might have had one or two warm cans of Ind Coope Pale Ale.

Edited by john winfield, 28 September 2013 - 07:21.

I take it NASCAR is excluded from this, as it would be too easy...

I take it NASCAR is excluded from this, as it would be too easy...

And here is Ernie Irvan from California...

The 1992 Bathurst presentation was a good example of how a crowd shouldn't behave...

Gentleman Jim lost his cool over that one.

I remember DTM AMG-Mercedes driver Klaus Ludwig being booed at the Berlin Avus race in 1991.

Mercedes were very busy in entertaining the spectators in the brake between the races in presenting old race cars, trucks road cars etc. on the track to promote their products while Klaus Ludwig was interviewed by the official commentator. Being asked what he is thinking about the Avus track and his battle with the dominating Audis he answered he is looking forward racing on a REAL racetrack the next weekend....well...no wonder the crowd (mostly Berlin citizens which wer proud of their city and racetrack) started booing on him.

I wonder what the Mercedes PR guys might have thought about their top driver throwing all the PR effort done the whole weekend in the bin in one second.

The 1992 Bathurst presentation was a good example of how a crowd shouldn't behave...

 

Gentleman Jim lost his cool over that one.

https://www.youtube....h?v=2jOqmjSk0mI

I hope the crowd at the Italian GP for the past two years have booed the winner for not being a Ferrari driver....

Well, sprint car crowds are perhaps a little less restraint than GP spectators, but Steve Kinser has probably been booed as much as cheered in victory lanes all over the US! I think it's probably due to the "cannibal" syndrome, he simply won too much for the average fan's liking. Sammy Swindell was also known to have been an extremely unpopular winner at times, due to his "robust" way of driving. Just two examples, I'm sure there are many more.

Someone used to always manage to get this message across every year at Knoxville, either by banner, sign or in this case scraped into the mud on the walls

No one was hated more than Darrel Waltrip during his time, he was regularly booed unmercifully. At one race during driver introductions the entire stands erupted in loud booing at the mention of his name. Waltrip shrugged it off and said "It is amazing how much noise three people can make". I always thought that was a good way to handle it.

Someone used to always manage to get this message across every year at Knoxville, either by banner, sign or in this case scraped into the mud on the walls

I think I remember reading about a banner hanging from a plane that circled over the track one year... same message! Boy, must that guy have been pissed off when Kinser still won!

At the height of Mansell Mania I recall some knuckle dragger waving two fingers at Senna on every single lap at Silverstone. Such was the suppport for the ..ermm.. People's Champion, as Our Noige was prone to calling himself.

Damon Hill waves to Schumi from the pit wall at Silverstone...

Damon Hill waves to Schumi from the pit wall at Silverstone...

1994 - if ever there was a time to boo

And here is Ernie Irvan from California...

  Ernie Irvan had some issues with his fellow drivers and some media types who went apey bananas, but I don't recall that level of booing from the crowds. Now, Jeff Gordon, yes. And, despite those who claim it's solely because he "was from California", I think much of it was a genuine backlash by spectators to being force fed Gordon in bludgeoning fashion. Then again, when the televising network is the one behind it and goes to the lengths of muting the boos or dubbing in cheering during telecasts, well...

The basic problem is some of the posters to that thread in RC are:

a. Are of the "nothing happened before I remember it...ever" mindset

b. Slavering fanbois

c. Nothing exists outside of F1. There is no other.

d. All of the above.

The basic problem is some of the posters to that thread in RC are:

 

a. Are of the "nothing happened before I remember it...ever" mindset

b. Slavering fanbois

c. Nothing exists outside of F1. There is no other.

d. All of the above.

Oh, how cruel!

(And how true...)

If he wants booing, this poster should go to any NASCAR or US dirt-track race, and look out for flying beer cans.

  Ernie Irvan had some issues with his fellow drivers and some media types who went apey bananas, but I don't recall that level of booing from the crowds.
 

Talladega in 1991. 

So it was before his big crash and comeback and before Jeff Gordon. 

It was Terry Labonte that Earnhardt took out. I think it was at Bristol.

Allan Moffat was booed by the crowd in the main grandstand at Sandown after the winning the 1982 Sandown 500 endurance race, especially when he gave the crowd the V for victory sign:

 

Better for a series to have fans booing that just not there at all - I'm sure plenty of racing series would love to have large passionate crowds.

Saw an SBK podium last year being briefly booed at Silverstone after Eugene Laverty's third place was re-awarded after a change of the red-flag countback.

Talladega in 1991. 

So it was before his big crash and comeback and before Jeff Gordon. 

Ah, yes...that would figure. I don't think the booing there was "California" related, but from Irvan triggering the incident at Darlington that led to Neil Bonnett's serious injury (and amnesia). Bonnett being part of "The Alabama Gang" and a local in particular would lead to booing there. Then again, being Talladega, who knows?

Someone used to always manage to get this message across every year at Knoxville, either by banner, sign or in this case scraped into the mud on the walls

 

Well, it's amazing what you can find on the innernet:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=xFv3l6y9yJs

Don't let the daylight confuse you, this is the 1980 Knoxville Nationals main event, postponed to Sunday afternoon when fog rolled in during the previos night, and yes, they are cheering Steve Kinser (driving the unfamiliar Trostle #20 because the Kinser #11 was in need of a bit of duct tape after Steve had "wrinkled" it on opening night) as he takes the lead from an Iowan, Mike Brooks!!!           

Edited by Michael Ferner, 08 October 2013 - 17:13.

Senna was booed on the podium at Silverstone in 1990.  I remember it shocking the 11 year old me.

The 1992 Bathurst presentation was a good example of how a crowd shouldn't behave...

 

Gentleman Jim lost his cool over that one.

Richards/Skaife were booed a few times after that as well. I distinctly remember it happening at the Sandown 94 event when they made the podium. The announcer had to tell the crowd to behave.

Rick Kelly was getting a fair spray after the way he won the 06 title, didn't help when he was pouring fuel to the fire with his comments.

 

Rick Kelly was getting a fair spray after the way he won the 06 title, didn't help when he was pouring fuel to the fire with his comments.

 What are the details behind this?

 What are the details behind this?

Edited by Zippel, 09 October 2013 - 22:52.