(Note: The video linked above, and the rest of this post are only for serious F1 fans. Others shouldn't waste their time - you just won't get it.)
It might take some time to load, but you MUST watch this video as it is absolutely brilliant. It's more dramatic than most movies you'll see. In fact, some scenes - such as the one with a crew-member interrupting the Massa family celebrations, and proceeding to smash a glass pane - are so dramatic, they almost seem like they were scripted and staged! That's also the second reason to watch the video - it contains some behind-the-scenes footage you probably haven't seen before.
I remember the total confusion prevailing in my TV-room when Lewis crossed the line and the TV listed him at a championship-clinching 5th position. All of us, including the commentator, thought he was running 6th. I couldn't believe my eyes - it seemed like my prayers had been answered and a miracle had indeed occured (damn, I knew I should've wished for that Beverly Hills mansion rather than a title for Lewis). All the Ferrari fans around me (they were ALL Ferrari fans) didn't want to believe their eyes either, and immediately started crying foul. But in this video you can see that the McLaren camp - including a very visible Ms. Scherzinger - knew exactly what was happening during that final lap, long before the rest of the world realized it.
Another awesome piece of work is the soundtrack of the video. It starts with a song that goes 'No one's gonna take me alive... you and I must fight to survive...' as Lewis and Felipe are shwon shaking hands. The track changes suitably as Massa Sr. is informed about Lewis's hustle, and ends very appropriately, if somewhat cheesily, with Ms. Scherzinger's 'When I grow up...'
Not that the video is really necessary to build anticipation. This may be one of the most exciting seasons ever. There are at least 4 serious championship contenders - Lewis, Kimi, Massa, Alonso - 3 of whom have won it in the recent past - and 1 who lost by a mere whisker. With a host of new regulations coming in, we'll have to wait and see just how competitive each of these guys is, this time around. Anything is possible.
And there are several serious jokers in the pack:
- Vettel, who seems destined to win a title sometime, probably not too far into the future
- Kubica, who was a contender till very late last season
- Button, a highly rated driver who may finally have a good enough car, to realize his potential
These 3 are capable of competing at the very top, if they have cars good enough. The last pre-season test suggested Brawn had their noses ahead of everyone else - Massa went so far as to say that he wasn't in a position to challenge for pole, if Brawn could sustain the pace they had shown. Ross Brawn is no stranger to successful campaigns, and he even has Barrichello in one of the cars. The signs are ominous, but till the checkered flag is waved in less than a week from now, we don't know anything for sure.
I will continue rooting for Lewis, even though McLaren's performance in the last test suggests that he'll only be an also-ran through the early races at least. Doesn't matter. For me, he's still tha man. A true 'supporter' doesn't just revel in glory when it is achieved, he stands by his team/player through tough times as well. I plan to do just that.
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