Iconic Million-Dollar Voice of American Sports Michael Buffer Was Once Dubbed a “Bad Joke” by F1 Champion

The role of announcers in combat sports is immense. They introduce the fighters and hype the audience before the fighters come in. When they did it in the US Grand Prix in 2017, it was a breath of fresh air into the motorsport. The fans at the COTA cheered every driver as they made their entrance through the smoke.

The viewers watching at home got to witness something new as well. But one person who is not a fan of over-the-top introductions is Fernando Alonso.

During the 2017 US Grand Prix, the “let’s get ready to rumble” famed Michael Buffer introduced every driver as they made their way through the tunnel. Each driver had an audio-visual presentation which was played during the announcement before the drivers came in. However, the announcements at the US GP were a one-off event and weren’t continued in other races.

In 2017 itself, the then McLaren driver Fernando Alonso was asked, “In Austin Michael Buffer introduced the drivers, would you like to see it at more races?”

Fernando, who didn’t seem to be a fan of the larger-than-life entrance, said, “I didn’t like it. For me, it was a bad joke, a bad imitation of Indianapolis. It made no sense.”

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Michael Buffer is an iconic voice in the world of combat sports. Ever since he trademarked his iconic “let’s get ready to rumble” in 1992, Buffer has announced thousands of events, including NFL, UFC, and boxing.

Fans react as Formula 1 hints the driver announcements could make a comeback at COTA

Formula 1’s official Twitter handle recently posted the video of 2017 pre-race driver introductions. The ESPN F1 Twitter posted one as well. The netizens received positively the posts and felt the ceremony should come back this weekend.

While every other driver made a sober entrance, Lewis Hamilton dabbed as he walked in. Daniel Ricciardo too had a hyped-up strut on the red carpet. Between the entrance to the podium, Formula 1 presenter Will Buxton did a brief interview with the drivers. Here’s how fans reacted to the two posts.

One fan is eagerly waiting for Nicholas Latifi’s entrance on Sunday.

A fan who loved Lewis and the Honey Badger’s entrance wants the ceremony to be back.

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Whether the intros will be back, there is still a lot to look forward to in the race. Red Bull could take the Constructors’ Championship title at COTA. The battle for 4th and 6th in the constructors’ standings is on a boil. This one will keep the viewers on the edge of their seats.