DEAR BERNIE: re nationalism in F1

Counterfeit correspondence from a (parallel) F1 universe...

Dear Bernie,

Is it my imagination or is there an increasingly nationalistic air about Formula 1 these days? Looking down the 2010 entry list, many of the teams have marked national associations. First up there’s McLaren and Mercedes GP which, with their all-national driver line-ups this season, I am respectively dubbing Team GB and Team Germany. Further down we have Prancing Horse aka Ferrari, which has long been something of a national flag-carrier. Then there’s Force India, whose website proclaims: “With its name and patriotic logo now incorporating the colours of the Indian flag and its chakra, the team has become a sporting representation of the emerging generation of young, success-hungry, fast paced global Indians and the growing strength of India as a nation”. Meanwhile, one of the new F1 outfits recently changed its name to Hispania Racing, which reportedly “highlights the Spanish roots of the team”. On top of that, had they made it to the grid, we would have had a USF1 Team competing this year (a line on their website explaining that “USF1 is attempting to show that American technology is still the best in the world”). Perhaps it is inevitable that, in a tediously globalised world, sport becomes an outlet for national sentiment. Or perhaps it is just that a national identity is an easier commercial sell for sponsorship and brand placement etc. Either way, I am not sure it is an entirely healthy development...

A. Blogsworth

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