Comments on: National Anthem Upsets Germans

By: Shanghai 2009: Was The National Anthem Wrong On Today’s Podium? » BlogF1

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:12:29 +0000

[...] recently, German tabloid Bild raised the issue of McLaren’s anthem, claiming that as Mercedes own a large portion of the squad, the music played for the winning [...]

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:16:39 +0000

When was the German national anthem last played, followed by the Italian national anthem?

Aside from last Sunday, probably Michael Schumacher’s last win, which I think was China 2006.

By: rohan

rohan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:52:40 +0000

When was the German national anthem last played, followed by the Italian national anthem?

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 12:16:49 +0000

Thanks for the encouragement Akshay.

By: Akshay

Akshay — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:21:07 +0000

Hey Oliver, very well written. Especially the part about Michael Schumacher. As I was reading it, before I got to the Schumacher part, I was just thinking of the same thing that you’ve written. About them missing the anthem being played almost at every race. Hee hee. Really well written. Well done, mate!!

By: marc

marc — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:10:46 +0000

Geesh… call the Germans a Whaaaaambulance!

MeThinks they are suffering from an acute case of LSDS (Losing Schumacher Derangement Syndrome)

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:48:10 +0000

If that ever happened, there’d be ad breaks in the middle of the podium ceremony!

Hehe, don’t encourage ITV to show more adverts! Very true though, F1 is an international sport, hence why I wonder if the national anthems played for the constructors is a little antiquated.

By: Alianora La Canta

Alianora La Canta — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:12:17 +0000

The complaint about McLaren not playing the German national anthem is silly. If a piece of music truly representative of McLaren were to be played, there would have to be the British (for the chassis/part-owner), German (for the engine/part-owner), Spanish (for the driver), Bahraini (for the part-owner), Saudi Arabian (for the other part-owner) and Kiwi (for good old Bruce McLaren). If [i]that[/i] ever happened, there’d be ad breaks in the middle of the podium ceremony!

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:42:35 +0000

it sounds like a shot in a PR war between BMW and Mercedes

Yes, part of me agrees with this. Former F1 pilot and ambassador to BMW – Hans Stuck – has gone on record as backing Bild’s comments, believing that McLaren is a German car. Pitpass made a great comment where they listed the national anthems that would need to be played for Mercedes, Ron Dennis, Mansour Ojjeh and Mumtalakat if this was really taken seriously.

I like the post on Sidepodcast (linked above), speculating that this could be because of McLaren’s booting from the 2008 F1 Commission, and a possible relocation to Germany would reinstate Dennis’ voting rights.

By the way, in case anything untoward should happen in the future, BlogF1 is now registered in Liechtenstein.

By: Sidepodcast - Your Weekly F1 Fix » A Question of Nationality

Sidepodcast - Your Weekly F1 Fix » A Question of Nationality — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:47:46 +0000

[...] There’s been talk today about an article that appeared in Germany’s Bild magazine, that suggests some people were unhappy that the British national anthem was played after Alonso’s victory in Sepang last weekend. BlogF1 has more background on the story. [...]

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:43:45 +0000

As an atheist and republican it’s probably a good thing that I’m never likely to do anything to warrant God Save the Queen being played.

I doubt many Germans seriously expect their anthem to be played when McLaren win. Mercedes’ majority ownership of the team is immaterial in this regard. Perhaps I’m being cynical, but it sounds like a shot in a PR war between BMW and Mercedes.