Ricciardo agrees with Hamilton: Cheering crashes is childish

Matthew Scott
Friday 6 September 2019 11:26

Daniel Ricciardo launched an impassioned critique of fans who cheer when drivers crash during Formula 1 sessions, with Lewis Hamilton having done likewise after his shunt in Belgian Grand Prix practice.

Hamilton skidded into the wall during FP3 at Spa, with fans of rival squads perhaps revelling in the championship leader's error.

The mood at the circuit was to turn much darker later that day when Anthoine Hubert was killed in a crash during Formula 2's feature race and Hamilton posted on Instagram, saying: "If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe your [sic] hugely mistaken.

"All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough."

Ricciardo agreed with his racing rival, and said those who cheer in the immediate aftermath of the crash are guilty of childish behaviour.

"Whether you like someone or not, it is not nice to cheer for someone's downfall or mistake," Ricciardo said.

"He [Hamilton] thinks the crowd assume the crash happens and we are okay or whatever, and it is not like that.

"Every time we go on track there is a risk and every time we do hit a wall, whether we are okay or not, it still plays something on your mind when you crash.

"Every time you go back to that corner, maybe there is something psychological there. So it does have an impact one way or the other, physically or mentally and I guess that is where he was coming from with that.

"I do agree with him. But it is also so hard because the fan, unless you race and put yourself in that position, they never experience what we do.

"It is just the nature of being a fan of a sport you don't compete in. It is hard to grasp or understand.

"All we can ask for is that if you are a fan, then be a true fan and respect what we do: not only the skill but also the risk. That is probably all we can ask.

"I don't wish it [booing] upon anyone and I only knew it happened with Lewis because I read that he said it had.

"Having rivals and whatever, yeah, you don't have to like every driver. But to behave like that, you would expect it from kids but not adults. You would hope they would behave better."