Before the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix, AS+F magazine ran a popularity poll. Mika came in first again, and Michael came second. Here are some reader comments (on why they chose Mika) :
"I love him just because I love him!"
"He drives so fast, has so much grit, and that refusal to lose is just incredibly cool."
"What do I like about him? He's fast, dashingly handsome, and above all, incredibly sweet to us fans."
"In my book, it's a given law that 'loving Mika is just common sense.'"
"That sheer endurance of waiting and waiting, and waiting yet again."
"With that driving style, that face, and that personality, even as a guy, I'm totally wild for him. Wow, I just can't handle it!!!"
"He's always so positive and forward-looking, which is truly amazing."
And here are some reader comments (on why they chose Michael) :
"I love Schumacher's butt."
"He has a long chin like a banana, he's an absolute genius and lightning-fast, yet he's never arrogant!"
"My reason for liking him is that love-to-hate quality (he's got a bit of a charmingly wicked side)."
"He has a cute smile and always delivers. The goal is to break out of 8th place (Round 1)!"
"I love his eyes. His gaze is so sharp and determined, as if he's looking at something hidden from everyone else."
ps: from what I can tell, unlike other magazines at the time that were all about data analysis, this one took a more human-interest angle. They put together all kinds of fan events, which meant their readership was younger and even leaned more female. There's no need to take this poll result too seriously.
