From TV Nostalgia to Family Obsession: Hamza's Evolving F1 Fan Journey
What drives a fan from casual curiosity to full-blown obsession?
In the world of human-centered design, few journeys are as rich, layered, and illuminating as that of a passionate sports fan. This is the story of Hamza, whose lifelong journey with Formula 1 offers profound insights for brands, experience designers, and sports marketers alike.
Childhood Exposure: F1 as Background Music
As a child growing up in the UK, Hamza's first interaction with F1 was ambient—a blend of Murray Walker's iconic commentary and the Fleetwood Mac theme song on BBC. While he wasn't a hardcore follower, the media experience planted a seed.
This stage of Hamza's journey is the basis for one of his current-day mindsets: Nostalgic TV Viewer. However at the time, as a kid, his mindset was Ambient Background Fan: drawn to the cultural backdrop of the sport more than the sport itself.
Mindset: Ambient Background Fan, exposed to the sport through social, cultural, familial interactions, but yet to engage analytically or form any loyalty.
Design Insight: Emotional imprinting starts early. Memory, sound, and setting matter more than specs or stats. This early fandom often shifts into another mindset later on in their journey.
You get these memories of Murray Walker... and those became iconic little reference points of F1 outside of the racing itself.
Reawakening: Family, Fantasy, and F1 Loops
The shift from passive viewer to active enthusiast was catalysed not by a single event, but by the compounding influence of children, fantasy leagues, and conversation loops.
This is where the Family Fan and Fantasy League Competitor mindsets intertwine, fandom becomes routine, shared, and gamified.
Mindsets: Family Fan + Fantasy League Competitor – shared, gamified, and conversational fandom.
Design Insight: Shared fandom accelerates engagement. Gamification and social loops turn interest into habit.
Attending the Races: Atmosphere Over Action
Eventually, Hamza made it to Yas Marina. Surprisingly, it wasn’t just the racing that blew him away—it was the surrounding experience.
He became a Trackside Explorer, finding value in the total event package: from pit walk challenges to after-race concerts and branded pop-ups.
Mindset: Trackside Explorer – seeking immersive, multi-sensory experiences.
Design Insight: F1 isn’t just racing. It’s music, atmosphere, social energy. The design of everything around the race can be the draw.
Sometimes, you make the decision to go to the F1 because of the concerts.
Modern Multi-Team Mania: Fandom Gets Complicated
Hamza's journey today? It's pluralistic. He roots for Mercedes, but loves Ferrari. Supports McLaren, but detests Red Bull. His loyalty is nuanced, ever-evolving, and story-driven.
This is the Multi-Team Supporter mindset—a complex, fluid state driven by narrative arcs, driver drama, and emotional resonance.
We support Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Williams... just not Red Bull.
Final Thoughts: Why Mindsets Matter More Than Personas
Hamza's fan journey isn't linear. It's cyclical, emotional, and shaped by social context. For experience designers, this is gold. It proves the power of mindset mapping and fan journeys over traditional personas, because real fans shift constantly.
Today, Hamza is a...
Multi-Team Supporter, Trackside Explorer, Fantasy League Competitor, Family Fan, Brand Affinity Builder, Nostalgic TV Viewer, and Team Fan.
What will he be tomorrow?
What are you doing to help your fans get to that next stage of their journey?
Let's chat.
Follow the Fan: Learn, Design, Evolve
Stay tuned as we uncover more real fan journeys. Want to design fan experiences people actually love? Start by understanding the mindsets behind the obsession.
