Heroes And Villians Are Relative

Max Verstappen isn't evil. He's not the worst person you'll see on TV. He's an incredible racing driver. However, the coverage of his ascent misses a key different between him and his former title rival, Lewis Hamilton. He is the son of an F1 driver. Born in Belgium, growing up next to Monegasque descendants. what most people miss is that there is more to like about someone making it from nothing than someone rising from the top to reach a level they barely started any lower than. 

Comparisons to American sports are helpful because of how much access we have to the lives of those athletes. American sports media is a 24-hour, internet fueled, thunderstorm. If you're caught underneath it chances are you're aware of its every move. Athletes in the U.s. are also often some of the most underprivileged people in our society. Some are the sons and daughters of former players, but others come from a truly deprived beginning to reach their goals. There likely has never been a more economically successful turnaround than LeBron James. His background brought him from sleeping in his mom's car to becoming the first active NBA player to breach the 1 billion dollar net-worth threshold. Though that in itself it's a milestone to b e longed for, it exemplifies the nature of how a young boy from an adverse situation becomes the 'King' of the United States' third most popular sport. 

Chances are, if you're reading this, you're far from a billionaire. In all honesty, most of us cannot conceptualize the idea of 'one billion'. Moreover, we've all likely made moves that have taken us away from our own maximum earning potential. Whether its taking care of a dying loved one, or simply pursuing a passion for the arts, there have been divergent points where we as people stop thinking about cash and starting thinking about what we want. Truly, the story of the rags-to-riches athlete is valuable insofar as it shows us the unlikely spark of two scenarios meeting. That is, someone followed their passion, and it somehow resulted in a massive financial outcome as well. In the words of former NBA champion Dennis Rodman, "I'd play basketball for free, they just pay me to deal with the b*llshit."

None of us are Formula 1 drivers. From the age of zero, most of us never stood a chance, but when someone, like Esteban Ocon or Lewis Hamilton breaches that barrier, it's worth being a fan of that. There's a propensity for jealousy when someone achieves a goal we feel like we might have done ourselves, but in reality there's no more uplifting storyline. 

The current media landscape surrounding F1 is obviously a whirlwind of trying to make a sport that meets once a week seem fast-paced and attention grabbing. It's hard work to be a journalist. That being said, it reduces our capability to really understand what is happening in the sport. Why are these drivers so important? Who are they? If anything, the so-called Twitch boys were so significant because it showed a part of living as an F1 driver that wasn't hectic. It was human, and people love it. 

Ultimately then, with the benefit of a zoomed-out perspective, it's worth noting that the man who 'won' the World Championship last year represents very few of us. None of us choose where we are born, but to celebrate the achievements of Max verstappen on the same plane as someone like Lewis is missing the point entirely. The paths they took could not be more divergent. Verstappen began the son of a millionaire F1 driver. He was entered into top-level leagues at a young age and raced alongside Monagasque title rival Charles Leclerc. 

Do not miss the forest for the trees. There are bigger reasons to support Ocon than Norris or Verstappen. The intent isn't to remove the joy of F1, but to see what really happens behind the curtains.