Keith Collantine has done a brave thing over at F1 Fanatic - he has invited all his readers who use Facebook to become his friends. Well, not so much an invite but it amounts to the same thing. Don't be surprised if Facebook crashes today!
Illustration courtesy of Rob Ijbema
The real point of Keith's article is to point out the number of F1 groups on Facebook in case anyone is interested in joining them. Not being a great joiner, I don't think I'll be rushing in to sign up with those wanting Danica Patrick to drive for Ferrari or the "Bring Schumi back to F1" campaign but I do admit that I am still struggling with the whole concept of Facebook. I know it's about "networking", whatever that is, but I don't really see much point in finding out what my friend Cholomondeley had for breakfast or learning what Gertrude looks like.
I was introduced to Facebook a while back by someone that I barely knew but was flattered to be invited by. And, to be honest, I haven't done much with it since. It was the means of my reconnecting with a couple of old friends, I admit, but we haven't had much to say to each other since the first joyful moment of discovery. Life goes on and we get busy, I suppose.
It may be that blogging is what prevents me from seeing the value of Facebook. Through my various blogs I have contact with people that I have never met but count as friends even so. And, since we meet on specifically-targeted blogs, it is inevitable that we speak the same language and understand nuances of our subjects that escape others. I have no need of Facebook, apart from the occasional reminder of friendships long forgotten; my friends are in the here and now and in blogging.
Formula 1 bloggers are fairly exceptional in their community too. Although it could be said that we are all in competition for traffic, there is no shoving off at corners or barbed messages given out at press conferences; there is a feeling of community instead and we all read each other every day and participate in the conversations that develop. We might have very different views but everyone is accorded respect and their opinions are not denigrated. It's the love of the sport that unites us, I think.
How different that is from the actual F1 world, revealed as it has been in the past few weeks as a cut-throat business where any possible advantage is seized upon and used to full extent. There are still moments of true sportsmanship in F1 but they become more the exception than the rule and it is rare indeed for one of the great players to put the interests of the sport before his own. I know that there will be those that disagree with me (but equally, I won't be pelted with rotten eggs for saying it!), but I believe that Ron Dennis' decision not to proceed with the appeal against the Hungary GP stewards decision was based on a concern for the image of the sport.
So this post is really just a celebration of F1 blogging. For some time now I have felt strongly that, as a community, it has more honor and goodwill than the sport it supports. With Keith taking the bold step he has done today, it seemed time to express some of those thoughts. And may all F1 bloggers see their traffic constantly rising and their comments systems bulging to capacity! As they say in Australia, good on yer, Sport!
Illustration courtesy of Rob Ijbema
The real point of Keith's article is to point out the number of F1 groups on Facebook in case anyone is interested in joining them. Not being a great joiner, I don't think I'll be rushing in to sign up with those wanting Danica Patrick to drive for Ferrari or the "Bring Schumi back to F1" campaign but I do admit that I am still struggling with the whole concept of Facebook. I know it's about "networking", whatever that is, but I don't really see much point in finding out what my friend Cholomondeley had for breakfast or learning what Gertrude looks like.
I was introduced to Facebook a while back by someone that I barely knew but was flattered to be invited by. And, to be honest, I haven't done much with it since. It was the means of my reconnecting with a couple of old friends, I admit, but we haven't had much to say to each other since the first joyful moment of discovery. Life goes on and we get busy, I suppose.
It may be that blogging is what prevents me from seeing the value of Facebook. Through my various blogs I have contact with people that I have never met but count as friends even so. And, since we meet on specifically-targeted blogs, it is inevitable that we speak the same language and understand nuances of our subjects that escape others. I have no need of Facebook, apart from the occasional reminder of friendships long forgotten; my friends are in the here and now and in blogging.
Formula 1 bloggers are fairly exceptional in their community too. Although it could be said that we are all in competition for traffic, there is no shoving off at corners or barbed messages given out at press conferences; there is a feeling of community instead and we all read each other every day and participate in the conversations that develop. We might have very different views but everyone is accorded respect and their opinions are not denigrated. It's the love of the sport that unites us, I think.
How different that is from the actual F1 world, revealed as it has been in the past few weeks as a cut-throat business where any possible advantage is seized upon and used to full extent. There are still moments of true sportsmanship in F1 but they become more the exception than the rule and it is rare indeed for one of the great players to put the interests of the sport before his own. I know that there will be those that disagree with me (but equally, I won't be pelted with rotten eggs for saying it!), but I believe that Ron Dennis' decision not to proceed with the appeal against the Hungary GP stewards decision was based on a concern for the image of the sport.
So this post is really just a celebration of F1 blogging. For some time now I have felt strongly that, as a community, it has more honor and goodwill than the sport it supports. With Keith taking the bold step he has done today, it seemed time to express some of those thoughts. And may all F1 bloggers see their traffic constantly rising and their comments systems bulging to capacity! As they say in Australia, good on yer, Sport!