Parasocial Relationship in F1 Are Getting Weird

Formula One is bigger than ever. Team and drivers have a huge social media presence and Drive to Survive having huge success. The sport is now facing a very different problem, however, parasocial relationships.

We all want to root for our favourite drivers, and we feel a disappointment when they don't qualify well or DNF. A parasocial relationship takes things a step further. These are unhealthy relationships that can turn into obsessions. Fans will will read into every move or interaction with a driver. They believe that they have a special link to that person that goes beyond the screen.

A parasocial relationship is defined as a relationship where someone feels a connection between themselves and someone they do not know, e.g. a celebrity or athlete.

Drivers have given us an inside look into life off-track more than ever before. They're their own brands and use their social media to show how they train, their holidays and snapshots of their personal life. Interviews and Drive to Survive then give us an up close and personal look at how the drivers cope with the season. The emotional highs and lows, and the vulnerability some of them feel.

All together, that has given some fans the feeling of a personal connection with the driver. As if these small insights have allowed us to know exactly what the driver is thinking and feeling at all times. When instead, all we have been given is a very small glimpse into their lives. A glimpse that we aren't entitled to by any means.

But those experiencing parasocial relationships can take it too far. It can become an invasion of a driver's personal space and privacy. Fans feel that because they have shown their support for a driver that the drivers owe them something. Whether that's their time, attention or more access to their lives.

Upset and anger is evident when the drivers behave in a way that the fan might not agree with. And you can see evidence of that strewn across social media. I've seen it happen most frequently when a driver is rumoured to be in a relationship, or is pictured with someone. Vitriolic hate is aimed at the partner is question. Harassing them in an attempt to break up a couple that might not even exist. Fans posting that they've had panic attacks, cried or stopped watching the sport altogether because their favourite driver has gotten into a relationship.

Part of the marketing of Formula One at the moment is trying to bring the everyday fan closer to the sport, whether or not you're at the track. But it's caused a big issue where some fans cross a line and forget that these drivers are human. They are their own people and don't owe us anything, especially not access to their personal life. And instead of brining the drivers closer to them, all these fans are doing are causing drivers to pull away from any kind of media. It can be a frightening thing to see online, when fans forget that there are boundaries that should be respected but it doesn't seem like a problem that's going away any time soon.