Diecast Legends on Lewis

[GTP_rpm]

Why is it that when Damn Hill won, we sold six times as many 1:18 cars as we have done for Lewis this Christmas? And even in Michael Schumachers weakest year, we sold twice as many of his cars as we have of Lewis's. Of course, the state of Formula One is partly to blame. Last night I was at the Autosport Awards in London, and listening to Martin Brundle talking on the stage, you would think that F1 is a sport in the ascendancy. Clearly, it is not. Yes, the UK TV audiences have been good this year but with a British champion, that would be expected.

Brundle seemed to think that F1's spread to new markets was a sign of good health. But, in our view, this is just not the case. It is merely a demonstration of Bernie's shrewdness in seeking out markets and countries prepared to invest millions for a showcase TV spectacle. The reality is that F1 is not as popular as it was in Damon's days. But, at the same time, we cannot help but feel that Lewis has not really enthused the fans. Yes, he's popular. F1 drivers are celebrities and they will always have a posse of fans chasing them for autographs, but Lewis hasn't really been adopted by what one might term the ''real'' F1 fans.

There are, we could suggest, a number of reasons for this. Primarily, we think, it's because the public don't know who Lewis really is. We like our sporting heroes to be authentic, people we can identify with. Of course they can be flawed. In fact, often we like them more if they are, but we need to understand them and know what makes them tick. With Lewis, that's not easy. He's a racing driver developed, it would seem, by the central casting agency. Everything he says seems designed as a sound-byte. He says all the right things, but you get the impression that his strings are being pulled, that he's being controlled to an unattractive degree. After all, what could be worse than those contrived chats he has with Ron on the radio after a victory. "Thanks Ron for a great race strategy!" "Well Lewis, it just goes to show what you can do when you've got a great car beneath you". And so on.

It also has to be said that this precociously talented 23 year old seems to be poorly advised in terms of his PR. This is the humble lad from Stevenage who lives in Switzerland. This is the racing driver who loves his fans, but often won't sign anything because of contractual concerns! This is the hounded man who needs time away from the limelight but then turns up on MTV and runs around with a young pop diva on his arm. Even we, who have a great vested interest in seeing Hamilton become a global megastar, have been disappointed by him. In fifteen years, we can't remember any F1 driver who has ever refused to sign models and/or prints for us. There's not a single living F1 World Champion who has not signed gear for GPL. That was until Lewis. And it's not about the money. We pay all drivers the same, and we know what we pay them is peanuts given their wealth. But they do it as a way of giving something back to the fans.

We don't know who is making these decisions but there are many people out there who think it is just not acceptable for a champion to refuse to sign merchandise. It just wouldn't be accepted in NASCAR. Somebody put it to us that his advisors didn't want people making money out of his signature by selling signed goods on eBay. Well, if that's the case, it's pretty small minded. Instead, right now, the closest the fans can get to a signed model is a signed 1:8 car for £3,000; a figure that has already come down from an original asking price of £5,000, presumably because nobdy felt the original asking price was worth paying.

We congratulate Lewis on a great year. It's fantastic to have a British champion again. But this sport, this country, doesn't need a champion who seems more interested in celebrity than racing. You only need to look at Jenson Button to see how quickly you can lose your fan base when that happens!

Thought it was a good read myself.

 

[Roo]

In answering the first sentence, it's more than likely because in the current recession people haven't got >£45 to spend on a model car.

One other thing - click on Thread Tools, then select Move Thread, change the Destination Forum to Formula 1 and hit the Move Thread button.

 

[homeforsummer]

Why is it that when Damn Hill won, we sold six times as many 1:18 cars as we have done for Lewis this Christmas? And even in Michael Schumachers weakest year, we sold twice as many of his cars as we have of Lewis's. Of course, the state of Formula One is partly to blame. Last night I was at the Autosport Awards in London, and listening to Martin Brundle talking on the stage, you would think that F1 is a sport in the ascendancy. Clearly, it is not. Yes, the UK TV audiences have been good this year but with a British champion, that would be expected.

Probably a few reasons - models are expensive and not as easy to justify as they used to be. I remember when I used to be able to go into a model shop with either pocket money I'd saved up, or money I'd earned from my first job later on, and buy a 1/43 F1 car for about £15. Now, they cost about £23. That's a lot. Almost a 60% increase in 8 years ish. That's significantly more than inflation, and that's what all merchandise seems to have gone up by.

Next reason - I'd hazard a guess that computer games are partly to blame. They're more accessible now, audiences are larger (not just kids and teens, but the kids and teens who've grown up and still play games) so disposable income might go on an F1 game, rather than an F1 model. Personally, I can't afford either

Another possible reason - Damon Hill is likeable, and put up a damn good fight to one of the best drivers the sport has ever seen. Everyone knew who Schumacher was. Hamilton may have jumped straight in at the top of his game, but who's he racing against again? I'd be surprised if the general public have a clue who "Raikkonen" or "Massa" are if you posed the question to them. This lack of knowlege of the competition for a home-grown hero is less inspiring than Hill, the plucky Brit going up against the square-jawed German. Without chasing stereotypes, the tabloids love a good UK vs. Germany story. UK vs. Brazil only matters in football, and UK vs. Finland... well, doesn't really happen.

Lewis isn't really likeable either. I happen to quite like him, but a quick look around the internet reveals a hell of a lot of people who don't, to say the least. Maybe it's because, as GPL mentioned, the PR machine has sucked every ounce of personality away from him, so he annoys people simply with his lack of personality, and this lack of personality makes him look arrogant. I'm sure he's a lovely chap, but you don't really see that.

With Lewis, that's not easy. He's a racing driver developed, it would seem, by the central casting agency. Everything he says seems designed as a sound-byte. He says all the right things, but you get the impression that his strings are being pulled, that he's being controlled to an unattractive degree. After all, what could be worse than those contrived chats he has with Ron on the radio after a victory. "Thanks Ron for a great race strategy!" "Well Lewis, it just goes to show what you can do when you've got a great car beneath you". And so on.

Exactly. It's dull. He may have a sharp wit, like Damon (and indeed Graham) Hill did, but you wouldn't know it. I'm sure all the stuff with Alonso a few years back didn't help. Argueing like mad isn't exactly the most endearing feature for someone new into the sport. It made Alonso look like a whining baby and it made Lewis look arrogant and spoilt.

It also has to be said that this precociously talented 23 year old seems to be poorly advised in terms of his PR. This is the humble lad from Stevenage who lives in Switzerland. This is the racing driver who loves his fans, but often won't sign anything because of contractual concerns! This is the hounded man who needs time away from the limelight but then turns up on MTV and runs around with a young pop diva on his arm. Even we, who have a great vested interest in seeing Hamilton become a global megastar, have been disappointed by him. In fifteen years, we can't remember any F1 driver who has ever refused to sign models and/or prints for us. There's not a single living F1 World Champion who has not signed gear for GPL. That was until Lewis. And it's not about the money. We pay all drivers the same, and we know what we pay them is peanuts given their wealth. But they do it as a way of giving something back to the fans.

Another good point they make.

Hill, Mansell et al have all appeared, well, pretty much "normal" away from racing. They have normal wives, normal kids, do all the normal family stuff, and seemed quite down to earth despite their high-profile job.

Lewis away from the circuit is Lewis at the circuit, just in a different environment. He doesn't go back to a relatively humble home away from races (at the Isle of Man, like Hill and Mansell both did), he goes back to a swiss mansion, or spends 6.5 days a week on the PR machine. I would be very surprised if he doesn't just burn out in a few years, as often happens to young people thrust into the limelight of mass fame and hectic scheduling. If he doesn't burn out, fair play to him, but it might reassure people that he's actually human and not a robot that Ron has been developing for the last ten years.

***

That's what I'd say back to Diecast Legends!...

Thanks for posting. It was a good read, but unless they're doing it to fill column inches in their catalogue then most of their concerns are faily easy to answer...

 

[Open Addict]

Maybe people do not consider Lewis a Legend yet. I mean he's only been in for two seasons. Give him a couple more years and maybe a car that is not expected to win.

 

[Jack]

Why is it that when Damn Hill won, we sold six times as many 1:18 cars as we have done for Lewis this Christmas? And even in Michael Schumachers weakest year, we sold twice as many of his cars as we have of Lewis's. Of course, the state of Formula One is partly to blame. Last night I was at the Autosport Awards in London, and listening to Martin Brundle talking on the stage, you would think that F1 is a sport in the ascendancy. Clearly, it is not. Yes, the UK TV audiences have been good this year but with a British champion, that would be expected.

As said above kids dont want models they cant play with anymore. They want laser, crazy toys and playstations etc, not a model now. Prices arent what they were in Hills day and now people have less income to throw at models as they can just feed themselves.

Brundle seemed to think that F1's spread to new markets was a sign of good health. But, in our view, this is just not the case. It is merely a demonstration of Bernie's shrewdness in seeking out markets and countries prepared to invest millions for a showcase TV spectacle. The reality is that F1 is not as popular as it was in Damon's days. But, at the same time, we cannot help but feel that Lewis has not really enthused the fans. Yes, he's popular. F1 drivers are celebrities and they will always have a posse of fans chasing them for autographs, but Lewis hasn't really been adopted by what one might term the ''real'' F1 fans.

Well if you look at F1 as a sport and the viewing figure it will have gone down over the last 8 - 10 years. Since when Ferrari became dominant people got bored with Schumacher. Only his fans and F1 lovers watched on at he won 5 titles in a row. The average viewer didnt bother watching as they knew the outcome, as did many others. For racing fans it was a master class but no real excitement.

There are, we could suggest, a number of reasons for this. Primarily, we think, it's because the public don't know who Lewis really is. We like our sporting heroes to be authentic, people we can identify with. Of course they can be flawed. In fact, often we like them more if they are, but we need to understand them and know what makes them tick. With Lewis, that's not easy. He's a racing driver developed, it would seem, by the central casting agency. Everything he says seems designed as a sound-byte. He says all the right things, but you get the impression that his strings are being pulled, that he's being controlled to an unattractive degree. After all, what could be worse than those contrived chats he has with Ron on the radio after a victory. "Thanks Ron for a great race strategy!" "Well Lewis, it just goes to show what you can do when you've got a great car beneath you". And so on.

Again Im sure if you check the viewing figure from say 2004 to 2008, I reckon there would be an increase. He is a controlled sportman but this is happening everywhere now. Take football for example. They are buying young players to develop / train into becoming the best. Its a market system to make money and the best performer, it doesnt just happen in F1.

Good for the sport, maybe not, but doesnt stop the talent on the track / feild from shining through.

It also has to be said that this precociously talented 23 year old seems to be poorly advised in terms of his PR. This is the humble lad from Stevenage who lives in Switzerland. This is the racing driver who loves his fans, but often won't sign anything because of contractual concerns! This is the hounded man who needs time away from the limelight but then turns up on MTV and runs around with a young pop diva on his arm. Even we, who have a great vested interest in seeing Hamilton become a global megastar, have been disappointed by him. In fifteen years, we can't remember any F1 driver who has ever refused to sign models and/or prints for us. There's not a single living F1 World Champion who has not signed gear for GPL. That was until Lewis. And it's not about the money. We pay all drivers the same, and we know what we pay them is peanuts given their wealth. But they do it as a way of giving something back to the fans.

So they dont like it because he has a house in Switzerland and dates a hot young pop star. Can I see the article they have written on DC who dates a model, owns a couple of hotel in Monaco, has his house in Switzerland and hangs out with millionaires..... Owh my bad, they havent written one.

We don't know who is making these decisions but there are many people out there who think it is just not acceptable for a champion to refuse to sign merchandise. It just wouldn't be accepted in NASCAR. Somebody put it to us that his advisors didn't want people making money out of his signature by selling signed goods on eBay. Well, if that's the case, it's pretty small minded. Instead, right now, the closest the fans can get to a signed model is a signed 1:8 car for £3,000; a figure that has already come down from an original asking price of £5,000, presumably because nobdy felt the original asking price was worth paying.

Did he actaully refuse to sign them or could they not just track him down because hes so busy... Ive seen him signing stuff for fans no problem, but doesnt sound right to me?

We congratulate Lewis on a great year. It's fantastic to have a British champion again. But this sport, this country, doesn't need a champion who seems more interested in celebrity than racing. You only need to look at Jenson Button to see how quickly you can lose your fan base when that happens!

Sounds to me like the person / people that have written this article seem to be jealous of Lewis. Maybe its the chances hes been given and the lifestyle he leads, that they wanted to but didnt. Times have moved on and now with a big sporting role comes a world wide icon. I think hes a breath of fresh air for the sport and has gives that spark thats been missing to us. Excitement to those with watch it year in year out, and alot of new faces have appered on the scene. I guess you either love him or you hate him.....

 

[Alex.]

Not that I would want anything signed by Hamilton, but if he refuses to sign stuff that's just despicable. I'm not bothered what contractual obligations he may have, so they might make a few quid on ebay, which obviously means Lewis or his sponsors are losing money by signing it because they have their own ebay shop selling signed lewis models, trying to scrape in the pennies together because theyre that desperate for cash and someone else selling them is direct competition. Because Lewis, Santander, Mclaren, Vodafone, and all the other sponsors are skint.

Right?

 

[Pupik]

The failure to sign things is a minor issue in the States as well; most athletes/authors/actors of all types will sign things, but they are more likely to do so for a child or teenager, than the adult that brings a briefcase full of items to be signed. I can see where and why athletes draw the line at that. The single item is more likely to be treasured, the multiple items are going to be auctioned...there's no level of respect - either way - at that point. The same goes for the kid who merely pulls a receipt or scrap piece of paper out of their pocket: Most people realize that's just someone caught up in the hype.

With mounting and ever-present security, it's harder and harder for some one to just "get an autograph". Signing opportunities are limited to a select few, closed-off sessions, or as the trend in the past 20 years, the opportunity to pay to wait in line and "choose" the item that a (famous) ball player will sign for you. Many years ago, my friends and I went to the mall to meet a baseball player (I honestly forget which), but we were put off by the two-hour line and the fact you had to "pay" for a signature. We didn't bother.

One one hand, they do not have to sign anything. On the other hand, that's the value fans apply to the driver or athlete or actor (et cetera) themselves. If there's too many "personally signed items" out there, the best thing some athletes can do is sign and sign and sign, reducing the value of the auction market, and preventing those from "riding their coat-tails" from making as much money, in the process.

As a fan of F1 racing, but away from what's going on over the pond, I'd say Lewis is more of a media darling, and as others have stated, personality and insightful comments that the average person can relate to is hard to come by in modern-day F1, save the occasional sound-bite. We may be fans, but it's hard to formulate a life experience from car setup changes and tire choices in our day-to-day routine, without some really colorful and transcendental descriptions.

He's a talent, that's for sure, but there's a different sense of triumph at this moment. There's no from-the-back of the grid to the front type of opportunity like Mansell and Hill were over a few years, and no constant head-to-head competition. No common struggle, no failure and life-long adversity to combat, not at least one that we know about. It's a personal championship win, in the style of Schumacher, Senna, and Lauda, and dare I say it:

...Maybe it's because he's Black? The "average" F1 fan is not.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Not sure about Lauda (and I'm too lazy to "google" for it), but Schumacher and Senna came from the back of the grid. As did Alonso.

About the article, I don't agree that there's any Hamilton-specific problem or anything related to "central casting agencies". Kids nowadays are used to industry made-up popstars anyway, they wouldn't even know the difference. (and I think it's almost insulting to Hamilton's talent to be compared to some sort of a "Boys band" member).

The problem is F1.

 

[KSaiyu]

This is the racing driver who loves his fans, but often won't sign anything because of contractual concerns!

Eh? I remember the autosport issue after Goodwood 08 in which a mother wrote in to say how impressed she was with how Lewis conducted himself with fans. He would make it a point to look at the person who he was signing for and wouldn't rush off after only one or two autographs. In fact while I was at the same event I was lucky enough to be at a walkway he was passing and the security made sure the children could get to the front of the lines so as to have the best chance of seeing him and getting something signed - which he duly did.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Not sure about Lauda (and I'm too lazy to "google" for it), but Schumacher and Senna came from the back of the grid. As did Alonso.

About the article, I don't agree that there's any Hamilton-specific problem or anything related to "central casting agencies". Kids nowadays are used to industry made-up popstars anyway, they wouldn't even know the difference. (and I think it's almost insulting to Hamilton's talent to be compared to some sort of a "Boys band" member).

The problem is F1.

Schumacher didn't come from the back of anything. His first GP was in SPA for Jordan. That's the same race his teammate almost won. He then went to Benetton, another very good team if not at the time one of the very best, it was a race winner that year.

As for Lauda, he got loans from banks on the back of his family name to buy his way into F1 with BRM and did well enough to attract the attention of Ferrari.

Senna again had an excellent Toleman chassis to allow him to show what he had before going to Lotus.

Only Alonso has really started at the back and earned his place at the front in that sense.

Having said that, I don't think it matters in the least little bit how someone gets there as long as they are good enough to be there in the first place.