Indian GP, Hamilton n Massa...

First up, I'm really happy that India now hosts our own F1 race, and that the event went off quite smoothly - one canine intervention aside. F1 is still pretty much a first-world sport involving big money and cutting-edge technology, and hosting a race weekend is a sign that India is arriving on the big stage. I'm happy and proud of this, but I'm sure enough and more has been said about this in many places, so I will not go on.

Though finally watching one in HD was nice, the race itself was mediocre and followed the usual patterns. Vettel - as usual - ran away at the front. Button - as is becoming usual - followed him in a strong second. Webber - as usual - found himself competing with cars he should really have been ahead of, and provided some entertainment. As usual, Alonso drove well to get a podium place his car didn't necessarily deserve. Also as usual, there weren't too many spectacular performances or exciting moments on track. And Massa and Hamilton crashed - and it is disturbing that this can also be classified as 'usual' now.

Now, it is no secret that I'm a huge Hamilton fan. I will try and be objective in my analysis of this situation - though I don't expect to succeed :)

Part 1: Lewis Hamilton

There is no denying that Hamilton is one of the more aggressive drivers on track, and some of his overtaking attempts are quite optimistic. When he pulls them off, they look spectacular, but when something goes wrong, he also looks quite idiotic. In both scenarios, he's generally had to deal with consequences - either finishing races higher than other most drivers would have in his situation, or having accidents, penalties and losing places. Increasingly, he has been accepting the blame and apologizing to everyone when something goes wrong.

I would think this is quite acceptable, and very entertaining, if also a bit frustrating. But a lot of people have been criticizing him very harshly and consistently. They don't seem to think he is human and can make mistakes, nor are they satisfied with the consequences he's suffered as a result of those mistakes. They seem to think that the way he races is fundamentally wrong and he needs to change. This I don't understand.

As I see it, he drives on the limit, tries to finish in front of everyone else, and is ready to take some risks in the process. Isn't that the way 'racing' is supposed to be? What exactly do people want to see him do differently? Drive slower? Simply follow other cars that may be ahead of him, even if they are slower? Not do anything that involves risk? Effectively become another 'shrewd' driver like Button or Alonso, rather than the 'spectacular' one he currently is? I guess this may help him finish more races, maybe score points more consistently (even if it's fewer points than he potentially could) - but it will rob him of character, the sport of excitement, and the fans of entertainment.

I think the real reasons he receives so much criticism are
(a) He is a McLaren driver. Followers of F1 are predominantly Ferrari fans, and McLaren is the one team that has consistently been the arch-rival they hate.
(b) Schadenfreude. He is the opposite of conservative, defensive, humble, modest or insecure. He lives a glamorous life. People like to see such individuals fall. Not nice, but it's human nature.

That being said, he does need to get his act together. While he doesn't necessarily need to change his driving style too much, he should try and learn from his mistakes and exercise better judgment particularly when it comes to where & when he makes his overtaking attempts.

In some other forms of racing, people race in lanes so you can't block others - that's considered unfair. In most other forms of racing, even when there aren't separate lanes, someone's who's quicker can go around the outside of someone they want to pass. There is an 'ideal' racing line, but going off it typically means only doing a few yards extra - which shouldn't be a problem if you're quicker and the race distance is long. In F1, however, overtaking is notoriously difficult because of the both the racing conditions and rules. Not only does this hurt the sport's popularity, it treads a thin line between 'challenging' and 'unfair'.

But the men in charge, particularly race stewards, care much more for discipline than fairness or competition or entertainment. So the fact is - overtaking in F1 is, and will continue to be, very difficult. Drivers in front will not always yield when they should. Lewis needs to accept this, and find ways to work around these restrictions, be a little more careful and avoid confrontations. F1 is a complicated sport, and it isn't always just about being the quickest out on track. People like Montoya and Raikkonen were also talented, but couldn't quite come to terms with all the demands of the sport. Hamilton has to avoid going the same way, if he wants to achieve much more than just one WDC title in his career.

Part 2: Felipe Massa


Frankly, I hope we don't see Massa next season. At Ferrari, he is a waste of a racing seat and they should replace him with a young talent who could get better results and potentially win titles once Alonso retires. Even if they don't want someone to seriously challenge Alonso, they can find a better #2.

Some of my friends are Felipe Massa fans and a lot of people think he's a pretty good driver. But he isn't, really. Massa is in his 6th season at Ferrari and he has finished with fewer points than his team-mate in all but one season - and that was the season where Raikkonen had a melt-down, losing his mojo, Ferrari contract and eventually his place in F1. People say the best yardstick for an F1 driver's performance is his team-mate's, and Massa has been outperformed by three different team-mates in his five years at Ferrari, and in recent times, Alonso has been totally mopping the floor with him.

Sure, he has won a few races in the past and got some good results for Ferrari but all that's happened in seasons where Ferrari had the quickest (or nearly-there) car. Of his 11 wins, 8 have come off pole, and the other 3 also off the front row. In these 3 races - in one, he beat Kubica into turn one off the line, in another he passed Kimi who had a mechanical problem midway through the race, and the third wasn't even a real win - Hamilton finished 1st but was given a 25-sec penalty later. The point is - he hasn't ever won a race starting behind the front row or doing anything special on track, something which the really good drivers like Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and even Jenson Button have all done. With so many young talented drivers around, and so few seats available, it's time Ferrari gave someone else an opportunity. They don't stand to lose much.

Of course, Massa could drive for one of the lesser teams next season - and this is most likely what would happen, but I wish it doesn't. I feel Massa in a slower car will become an even bigger problem. In a quick car, especially starting from the front row, he can do well - but he simply doesn't know how to race in the mid-field and is a risk to his own safety as well as others'. When under pressure, he tends to make a lot of mistakes - spinning when it's wet, hitting walls or kerbs trying to go faster in the dry. These are not 'racing' errors like Hamilton's - those typically involve wrongly guessing what the other guy will do - Massa's mistakes are generally basic driving errors of his own.

In the mid-field, I don't expect Massa to punch above the weight of his car and overtake lots of people because he's never really shown that ability in all these years. The biggest problem will occur when other people come up to overtake him.

There is a 'proper' way to defend a position on a race track. A good driver in a slower car can compensate for some lack of car performance with his own driving skills. He pushes his car as fast as it can go - braking late, using KERS etc. smartly, and taking lines that make it difficult for the guy behind to catch up and pass. Hamilton delivered a master-class in defensive driving in Korea. Even though Webber had a quicker car, he simply couldn't get past. Even when he drew alongside Hamilton - actually passing him once - Hamilton managed to get back in front by going quicker. That was skill. Vettel has shown the same defensive skill on several occasions, especially races like Monaco earlier this year, and Alonso is an absolute master when it comes to this.

But even with great driver skill, the car in front needs to be reasonably competitive - if it is slower by half a second or more, and the car behind has the DRS option as well, it is only a matter of time before he gets past. A sensible driver realizes this, and yields when he has to. Tough, but fair - that's the key.

Felipe Massa lacks the skill, the sense or the spirit to fairly defend his position against a quicker car. His 'defence' typically relies on physically impeding the other car, stubbornly sticking to the racing line, and not yielding space for the other guy to race. As it stands, Massa's defensive strategy works on the assumption that the other guy will always back off to avoid contact, and Massa himself owns no responsibility for the same. This is reflected in his statement after the Indian GP: "I simply stayed on the ideal line, braking on the limit and staying on the part of the track that was rubbered in. What else could I do?" This explanation simply ignores the fact that there was another car already on the same part of the track! Massa clearly doesn't know how to handle that situation, and in a mid-field car, he'll find himself in this situation often. I suspect he'll end up in a pile many times, taking down other quicker-but-unfortunate drivers with him, unless the rules change.

Mentally, as well - Massa doesn't seem to have recovered from his injury in 2009. He has simply not performed well, and does not appear to be confident or secure in his own position. He has had six incidents with Hamilton this year and one or two brushes with Webber as well. Even though he was in the slower car in every single one of these instances, he doesn't seem to think he was at fault in any way. In most of the incidents with Hamilton, Hamilton suffered damage, got penalized and fell further behind Massa, but finished the race well ahead of Massa each time. In two races - Monaco and India - Massa later made mistakes, damaged his car and had to retire, but even for that he blamed Lewis rather than himself.

After the last few races, Massa has whined about being denied potential podium positions. The fact is - Alonso has been performing at a much higher level to reach the podium, and Massa hasn't looked like getting there even if there weren't any incidents. His words just sounds delusional, and I suspect they are masking insecurity and frustration. I doubt if he can come to terms with the position where he finds himself now, or where he might find himself in the near future. I think he will become increasingly bitter like Barrichello has, and have lots of midfield accidents like Coulthard did, after they passed their peaks in top teams. So, I think it'll be best for everyone if his F1 career ended here.

For those whining about the F1 Indian GP

It seems to be the season of idiotic statements. There's been a steady stream from the likes of Digvijay Singh and Kiran Bedi, but as someone who only writes occasionally, I can't even try to keep up with them. I did offer my two bits about NRN's statements about IIT-ians, and am now writing again about something that I care a lot about, and which hopefully will NOT become an endless debate.

PT Usha made some stupid statements about F1 which received a lot of attention from the media, probably because they were consistent with the sentiment or ignorant perception held by a lot of people. In a poll run by Times of India yesterday, 61% idiotic/ignorant/communist people 'agreed with PT Usha that hosting F1 in India is a waste of money'.

The first counter-point I'd like to make is that no tax-payers' money is being spent here. In fact, the govt is earning a lot as they've not recognized this as a sporting event and offered no tax relief whatsoever. People have a right to approve/disapprove, and judge whether money is wisely spent or wasted, when tax-payers' money is involved as it was with the CWG, but F1 is private enterprise (and generally profitable). Why should private investors be denied a business opportunity if they consider it worthwhile? I haven't heard anyone complain about SRK spending Rs 175 Cr making Ra.One. So why the double standards?

The next argument is that we're an under-developed country and we don't need high-profile/hi-tech events like this. This reflects sheer ignorance of economics and the capitalist system. High-profile events like this generally involve construction of infrastructure, investment of capital, creation of jobs, a significant boost to tourism, and generally enhance the 'image' of the hosts if executed well. That is why other developing countries like China and South Africa want to host events like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. And in this case, the ordinary citizen is getting the benefits - whatever little they may be - at zero cost!

Another argument being offered is that F1 lacks mass appeal. So? Do people watch every game of hockey played by our national team? PT Usha says 99% Indians don't care about F1. I am sure there are more F1 fans in India than there are fans of athletics or archery or pretty much any sport other than cricket, tennis or football. Does that mean we should shut down all the other sports federations and cancel all other events?

The point is - any sporting event, or movie or TV channel or author or any product for that matter - does not need to be relevant or interesting for everyone. It just has to have enough 'consumers' to justify its existence and hopefully turn in a profit, without breaking any laws. F1 does that, and does it better than most other sports.

Another version of this argument is that F1 is an 'elitist' sport or a rich people's sport. Closer to the truth is that it is an intelligent, educated & patient people's sport. To really appreciate it, you need to understand the nuances and complexities of things such as pit-stop strategy, tire performance and 'balance' optimization for 1-flying-lap versus race-pace, and you need a lot of patience. If you 'get' it, it's very rewarding. It is not for everyone, but then you don't shut down your IITs or IIMs because 99% people can't get into them.

As for the 'rich people's sport' argument - yes, that's true if you want to own a team and host parties on your own yachts like Vijay Mallya. Otherwise, you just need to be able to afford a subscription to the 'Star Sports' TV channel. FYI - Vijay Mallya spent as much or more money buying RCB than he did on buying Force India. Also, monthly subscriptions to most cricket channels cost more than Star Sports. Yet I don't hear anyone calling cricket a rich man's sport.

PT Usha also cribbed about how corporates don't spend much on other sports. Why would they, unless there was something in it for them? Corporates don't spend on sports out of the goodness of their hearts - nor should they or will they. They do it because they expect returns on their investments (ROI). They can actually expect a positive ROI on their spends in F1 - in terms of brand image and prestige, if not actual profits. In most other sports in India, the money would sink without a trace. In fact, much of it would probably end up in the pockets of some corrupt officials.

Some people - including PT Usha - don't consider F1 a sport at all. They obviously don't understand either what sport is, or what F1 is, or both. You can look at any definition of sport - the common elements in narrow definitions are physical activity, fitness, competition and entertainment - and F1 meets all of these criteria. (In wider definitions, some aspects such as physical activity can be left out to include things such as board games, but you don't even need that for motorsport)

I think such statements typically come from people who think F1 is just like driving your car and not a physical activity requiring fitness. In actual fact, F1 - any motorsport for that matter- requires the drivers to be extremely fit, have great stamina, really quick reflexes and a great degree of skill & concentration. Physically & mentally, an F1 race is more demanding than almost any other form of sport. Read this for details.

Finally, it is all about entertainment. If someone can run a hundred meters or a mile faster than anyone else - it has no practical value to anyone. Professional sports exist because of the patrons - the ordinary people who enjoy watching sportsmen achieve records and win contests - are willing to pay for the experience. F1 delivers that. People like Usha should sportingly acknowledge that and try to improve their offerings rather than whining about corporate funds going to T20 and F1. And if they don't get it at all, they should just shut up, or be ignored if they don't.

More on Ferrari vs. Hamilton

Friend of mine said a few things on facebook, which I feel obliged to react to, but since facebook limits the length and format of comments, I'm continuing the discussion here.

"The deal is there is NO big deal about Hamilton. He benefits and loses just like the rest of them... He does not in any shape, form or spirit embody any kind of genius, excellence, or commitment. He is NOT in the league of a Schumacher or a Senna.

Which is why we don't make a big deal about Kimi or Massa. The TEAM is core and has always been since F1 started... We totally biased FERRARI fans take exception to the deification of a driver who is not exceptional unlike previous Ferrari alumni."

Let's take these points one at a time.

Ferrari have won 210 of 789 races - 27%. McLaren 163 of 662 - 25%.

Is that 2% difference really 'a gulf between the great and the ordinary'? Certainly not in my book. In terms of prestige and glamor, one name is definitely bigger than the other. That matters - I respect the Ferrari heritage, and if I could afford a sports car, I'd definitely prefer a Ferrari to most others.

But if that was all that mattered, Williams would have many more supporters today. When I watch sport, I'm interested in the skills, the commitment and - most of all - the achievements of the competitors. Winning matters - the MOST.

On these counts there isn't much separating the two - the facts speak for themselves. So, I don't much care for the 'team', or rather the 'brand' in this case, and I definitely do not agree with the notion that the team is the core in F1. Some others do. Good for them. No point arguing, since the interests are totally different, and one will never see, let alone accept, the other's point of view.

I would like to throw one question at them, though - if Schumacher and Montoya had traded places in the early-2000's, where would their loyalties lie? With Ferrari? Or with Schumacher? Think about it, honestly.

Now, I do experience a deep sense of anguish when credit is denied where it is due. One man holds the records for most wins, most podiums and most poles in his debut season. He outperformed a 2-time-world-champion (who, incidentally, had beaten the 'great' Michael Schumacher the previous year) in his debut season. He became the youngest ever F1 champion the next season. He has won races on street, and racing circuits. He has won - even dominated, sometimes - wet races, which are considered to be the greatest test of driver skill. He has consistently outperformed his team-mate in an identical car. He has pulled out some blinders in qualifying sessions. And he has beaten people on track - not just with a runaway quick machine, not just with pit strategy - but in genuine racing situations. All this within his first 3 seasons, at a young age, and not always the best car on the circuit.

Yet, he is described as completely ordinary. I fail to understand how or why. If the benchmark is 'exceptional Ferrari alumni' - they didn't win a single drivers title in 21 years between 1979 and 2000. The last among them - Michael Schumacher - couldn't get the better of Mika Hakkinen or Fernando Alonso a lot of the time. So just what was the big deal? What else does Lewis have to do? Get in a red car? Is that all that matters? In that case, wasn't Senna a great?

I hope someone has answers that make sense.

The Dream Trip - My English Summer Holiday, 2009

• Night out by the Thames with a couple of good friends, Turkish doner kebab and a lotta lager.
• Peeing by the roadside in London.
• Visiting a gentleman's club. Witnessing my friend getting rid of oncoming babe by saying 'Honey, I'm not your type' (clear gay implications!)
• Watching and T20 World Cup India game live at Trent Bridge.
• Traveling on the day's last train to London with Sunil Gavaskar.
• Standing on the Lords' balcony. Sitting in the 'spaceship' media center.
• Visiting the War Cabinet rooms (underground shelter) of Winston Churchill.
• Traveling on a Thames cruise boat. Returning on the same boat to the same point after an hour.
• Sitting by the Thames, close to Westminster Abbey, sipping beer and watching old couples walk around for an entire hour.
• Getting directions from hot blondes.
• Taking a picture of another hot blonde with her friend, and then having her take one of me.
• Eating roast chicken, half a rack of spare ribs, with fries and Stella Artois at Garfunkel's restaurant at Leicester Square.
• Surviving a whole week on just sandwiches for the most part.
• Watching a West End play. Horror, not musical. At a theatre that dates back to the 16th century.
• Walking tour of Sir William 'Braveheart' Wallace's trial and hanging venue, the supposed residence of Jack the Ripper, and Sweeney Todd's supposed barber-shop and the nearby human meat pie shop at Fleet Street.
• Viewing the crown jewels including the Cullinan and the Kohinoor.
• Guided tour of Shakespeare's Globe theater and the nearby Rose theater.
• Buying good clothes in London for less than they'd cost in India.
• 'London Bridge & London Tombs Experience'
• Watching the whole Silverstone F1 British GP weekend live.
• Maxing out the daily spends on Oyster each day for 6 successive days.
• Traveling in a London black cab.
• Living in a 'hole in the wall'. Sharing it with the host. Smoking out the little window. Leaving behind a huge pile of empty Carling Lager cans.
• Having strawberries and cream for breakfast one morning.
• Traveling on the Airbus A380.
• Going a whole week with more than 5km of walking each day and less than 5 hours of sleep each night.
• Getting through it all purely on adrenaline.
• Being completely happy.

Been there.

Done that.

Peace.

(Pix, Vids)

Frag the friggin FIA

First, they demoted Trulli to 12th, which was unfair. Then, they changed their mind and disqualified Lewis. Do these people have any accountability? They regularly impose harsh penalties on drivers and teams (with the exception of Ferrari) just because they can. WTF?!

Let's understand what happened in Melbourne. Trulli went off-track. Lewis overtook him, and this was legitimate. But McLaren weren't sure the FIA would agree. So they instructed Lewis to let Trulli past. Lewis disagreed. In the ensuing confusion, Trulli passed (or was allowed to pass) Lewis again. The way I see it, BOTH Trulli and Lewis were unsure who was supposed to take 3rd and who was to take 4th. Race Control, who were contacted by McLaren, were 'too busy' to clarify. Seriously?! When the safety car had been out for several laps, and everyone was peacefully following it, what could POSSIBLY have kept them 'too busy' to consider what was happening with positions 3 and 4? Also, they had access to all radio communication logs during, as well as after, the race. They also had access to speed trap recordings, to check if Lewis had indeed slowed down and deliberately let Trulli past. What is the point recording all this data, if decisions are to be based on interviews with parties who are directly and significantly affected by those decisions?

Here's the transcript that decided the issue finally:

Team: Lewis, you need to allow the Toyota through. Allow the Toyota through now.

LH: OK.

LH: He's slowed right down in front of me.

Team: OK, Lewis. Stay ahead for the time being. Stay ahead. We will get back to you. We are talking to Charlie.

LH: I let him past already.

Team: OK, Lewis. That's fine. That's fine. Hold position. Hold position.

LH: Tell Charlie I already overtook him. I just let him past.

Team: I understand Lewis. We are checking.

I don't know what you will make of it, but all I see is evidence that a driver and a team were completely confused, and seeking a clarification from Race Control (Charlie). And Race Control had this transcript all along. I do not see damning evidence of Lewis and/or McLaren cheating.

If I was one of the stewards, I'd see this as a couple of guys making genuine mistakes (Trulli and Lewis) and BOTH trying their best to avoid breaking any of my rules. I would use my judgment to decide who ought to be classified 3rd, and who ought to have been 4th. I would NOT punish either driver, and would own up to my responsibility for sorting out the situation. In stead, FIA decided that at least one of the poor guys was not going to get any points for the race. Simply because they can...

As the new season begins...

... there's no better way to build anticipation, than to watch the Brazilian GP video put up by Formula1.com folks here. 

(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.

F1 2008 Season - Endnote

Watching sport, you often hear some cliches done to death: 'this is going down to the wire', 'it isn't over till the fat lady sings (or 'the last ball', or 'the chequered flag', or 'the final whistle' - depending), 'he needs a miracle', 'it'll boil down to who holds their nerve'...

If you watched what went down yesterday, you'd know what all these phrases really mean. A championship spanning 18 races over 8+ months, was finally decided in it's dying seconds! The distance between agony and ecstasy, triumph and disappointment - was just 1 (final) corner. Neither the drivers, nor the commentators, and definitely not the viewers - were sure who was Champion till some time after it was really decided. A fitting end to a season where no one really dominated, and 4 different drivers held the lead at different points. For perspective, the top 2 constructors (had McLaren not been disq.) had a tally of ~420 in 2007. This season, their cumulative tally was down ~100 points.

I've been following F1 for more than 10 years now, and had completely lost interest when Schumi was challenging the 'theoretically quickest season win'. Ya, we like watching wonderful, dominant displays by great sportsmen, but there HAS to be a contest to truly enjoy. Those seasons were like Ali punching a bag, or Tendulkar scoring 400 against Bermuda. The last couple of seasons have witnessed real contests, and not surprisingly, revived F1 passions! I'd kinda expected this when Schumi retired, with Kimi and Alonso set to occupy the red and the silver arrows respectively, but was definitely not prepared for Lewis Phenomenon!

First, lemme address the conspiracy theorists:

1. Glock edged out Lewis in the pits once. If he wanted to let Lewis win, all he had to do was spend another tenth or two during his pit stop. He didn't.

2. The rain returned with 7 laps to go. Lewis was comfortably running 4th, and Glock was well behind in 6th. Lewis went in, along with the rest of the top 5, for wet tyres. Glock didn't. He tried to steal a few positions, and almost pulled it off. If he didn't really want to get ahead of Lewis, he'd have pitted for wets just like all the others in front of him. He didn't.

The fact is: Lewis was always set to finish 4th or 5th (which was all he needed). Glock's late gamble made it very exciting, way more dramatic than it really should've been. But in the end, his gamble just didn't pay off and the 'normal' result was registered. And Lewis won the Championship. Fair and square. Having done just enough, in a difficult car with a tired engine. Mind you, this is the same guy who tried many stupid stunts earlier this season. Running 4-5th, driving conservatively, and waiting for the last corner to seal it - are not things that come naturally to him. But he did the job he had to do. I hope some of you try and appreciate that.

Some of my friends don't like the fact that I switched loyalties from Ferrari to McLaren. Well, actually, I didn't. I was, along with the rest of you - a Schumi fan. Tell me honestly - if Schumi had switched to, say, Red Bull for his last season or two - where'd your loyalties lie? Alonso fans - did you ditch him when he left Renault for McLaren? 

My loyalties lie with the driver. I don't really give a damn which logo the car carries. And among the drivers -  Lewis is the one I chose to back, for he is bloody good and destined for greatness (more on this a little later). Raikkonen - was always too 'dry' for my liking. He has the talent, but not the head (as he demonstrated this season - somnabulating through most of it). Alonso - as a driver, I admire him a helluva lot. But when he speaks, I don't like the foul smell. Massa - was bested by his team-mates (Schumi, then Kimi) several times, and that's just not good enough. Yes, I respect him a lot for his showing this season, but he'll have to sustain this for at least another season or two to truly be considered a contender for greatness. The jury's still out on this one.

Now, back to Lewis. Let's consider what marked the greats before him - Senna and Schumi.

1. They won lotsa races and titles. Ya, sure. So did many others. Lewis is doing this too, and will continue to. But there's a lot more to it.

2. They were not popular on the track. Brilliant, but brash and ruthless. When questionable rules got in the way to victory, they happily broke them - and were penalized. They did whatever it took to stamp their authority on the track. Lewis does this too.

3. They pulled out the rabbits during qualifying, flattering inferior cars, and out-doing their team-mates. Lewis does this too.

4. Schumi was called the Regenmeister. And Senna, in a wet race, lapped Schumi despite a weaker car. In wet conditions, they showed their true class. Lewis does this too.

5. They consistently out-performed their team-mates, who had the same cars. Lewis does this too (he matched his 2-time world champion team-mate in his rookie year, and scored almost TWICE as many points as his team-mate this year)

6. They energized teams. They won races in cars that were far from the best, and somehow managed to ensure everyone around them rose to the challenge. Lewis does this too, and I'm sure it will become more evident in the future.

Among the current lot, Alonso is probably the only one who fits all the above criteria. But, he settles for risk-free points rather than going all-out for a win. He doesn't handle failures with grace, and doesn't always say the 'right thing'. Still, I believe this will be remembered as the era of Alonso and Hamilton. It's only begun.

Next year, we should have at least 3 competitive Ferraris/McLarens. We should have a competitive Alonso, probably in a Renault. We may see Kubica mount a serious challenge in his BMW. And Vettel - in a Red Bull designed by Newey with bottomless Red Bull cash reserves - may just be the joker in the pack. And of course, there might be a rookie somewhere - ready to challenge the established order from the word go (long shot, this one, though).

The last few seasons - the guy who won the first race in Melbourne - went on to take the title at the end! With KERS, and all the other changes lined up, and with so many drivers in with a real chance - I can hardly wait for March 26, 2009!

The Champ.. is... HERE!!!

Yeah, cheesy image, I know. But it is such a perfect symbol for the whole Lewis Hamilton she-bang (pun intended!)

And this is Lewis with his bro, dad, stepmum and Nicole. His mum, who was also at the race, is not in the frame. (Is it just me, or is that a weird bunch to have in such a snap!)

Detailed review of this race, and the whole season, will be up later today on this blog. I can't wait already!

SGP review

Yep. I was there. The first-ever F1 night-race at Singapore. Everytime I purchased anything (tickets, water bottles...), the organizers "thanked me for being a part of history being created"

The experience was truly awesome. With the incredible noise and blurred images of Formula 1 cars (see below), the backdrop of the Mandarian Oriental Hotel, the Bay Waterfront and the Singapore CBD skyline by night, and organization of the kind that only Singapore can manage, there was no way it could be anything but awesome!

We explored the circuit, tried out local food, and watched the support races on Friday. Saturday and Sunday - we just got there 2 hours before the F1 main events, and parked ourselves in a small spot between turns 16 and 17. As this was a street circuit, you couldn't see more than a short stretch from any one point. And we found that viewing alongside a straight was completely pointless, 'coz you could not really see the cars. Where we stood, we could not just see the cars, but also recognize the drivers by the colors of their helmets! We witnessed a few spins at turn 16 during practice, but no incidents during Qualifying or the race. By the way, Piquet crashed just after exiting turn 17 (we could only see it on the big screen).

Our view, and Lewis zomming past!

The race as such was disappointing in terms of the result. I don't like Alonso, and it was bloody frustrating to watch everyone else being held up by the 1-stoppers. Before Piquet's crash, it was shaping up so well. We first saw (and I don't mean on the screen) Lewis trail Massa by a bit, followed by Kimi a good while later. After about a dozen laps, we could make out Massa was ahead, and Kimi was had almost caught up with Lewis, and seemed much quicker. Kimi behaved strangely through the weekend - he seemed to be asleep most of the time. But when he did wake up (occasionally), he was visibly fast & furious!

Though I didn't like that Alonso had won the 'historic' race, I was pleased to see Lewis consolidate his lead at the top with a podium finish, while the Ferraris - yet again - screwed up big-time. This was a difficult circuit to drive, and offered no chances to those who made mistakes. So there was a great sense of relief (I'd been tense since Q2 - where Lewis almost failed to make the cut into the top 10 grid positions)

Anyone who plans to watch one of these live - feel free to ask for pointers, esp. about Singapore. I, personally, wouldn't wanna watch a race here again - only because I don't like the slow, narrow, unforgiving nature of the track and fortuitous nature of the SGP overall. I will, surely, watch more races live though - it's an awesome feeling. At least one of Sepang, Sakhir or Abu Dhabi next season. And Europe as soon as I can afford it!

The Ruthless edge

After the last couple of races (ya, this is primarily an F1 post), some people have called Lewis Hamilton 'unsporting' and a 'cheat'. I understand how they feel, and agree that Lewis may have crossed a few grey lines, but I have another point to make. True Champions - the ones that go down in history as the greats - always have a ruthless, somewhat-unsporting edge. This is what enables them to distinguish themselves from the also-rans. 

Let's face it. Cut-throat competition is a reality of life, and sport is no different. The ones who become 'great', begin with setting themselves lofty targets that border on the impossible. To achieve these targets, they have to try as hard as they can, and there is no room for sympathy towards their competitors. Roger Federer isn't expected to give away a few games or sets if he's playing against less-skilled players. He's thrashed people like Andy Roddick so bad, they've lost some faith in their own abilities. Sachin Tendulkar is expected to play big, destructive innings against Zimbabwe. Not to 'respect upcoming talent'. And in soccer - even the greatest players dive, pretend they didn't get the last touch, pretend the ball did not cross the side line... It's all means to an end, and no quarter's to be given. 

If you are competing at the highest level, you can not expect other people to 'be nice'. You have to be tough. Along with skill and self-belief, you need a touch of ruthlessness. Otherwise you simply don't belong at the top. All you need to ensure is that you stay within the letter of the law (and not the so-called spirit. If people were going to respect the so-called spirit, the law wouldn't be needed in the first place)

Even in Formula 1, two drivers are considered to be the greatest ever - with opinion divided evenly - Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Both were notorious for being tough on competitors and flirting with the law of the game. Senna took out Prost at Suzuka '90 and was penalized. What happened? Senna qualified on pole and Prost was 2. But, the pole and odd positions were marked on the dirty side of the track, and 2nd and evens had an advantage, starting on the clean side. Senna thought it was unfair, and as Prost came alongside at turn 1, Senna crashed him. And all the Ferrari fans would know about Schumacher's behaviour at Adelaide '94 and  Jerez '97 - both times Schumacher crashed his car into a rival's in a bid to retain the Championship lead he had before each race. Lewis may be an unpleasant bully on the track, but hasn't done anything as grave as the greats before him had done. Nakajima can be hated for recklessness and a misplaced will to dominate. But Lewis has the skill and the self-belief to command on the track. He IS superior to all his competitors, and I see no reason he should not try and crush whatever stands between him and the Championship - and greatness.

History - will remember how many championships were won - and the gaps by which competition was beaten. Not who was upset along the way...

The tragedy at Spa-Francorchamps

Finally, any F1 fan who missed the Belgian GP today, lost out bigtime! It was one of the greatest contests seen on track in recent years - with the top 3 being within 10 seconds of each other all the way! There were brilliant overtaking moves pulled off by Kimi and later by Hamilton, the little bit of pit-strategy drama, and a good amount of wheel-to-wheel racing. All this against the very picturesque Spa-Fracorschamps backdrop!

And the best part was surely the last 5 laps - Kimi and Lewis, less than 2 seconds apart, driving the wheels off their cars in increasingly wet conditions that meant no grip and little car control. They traded places, went off-track, slipped and slid, but didn't back down. One - or both - crashing out was inevitable. There's no way they could have carried on - in conditions like that, under pressure like that, at those speeds - for more than 4 laps.

Given that scenario, I'm glad Kimi crashed and Lewis won. Though I do feel terrible for Kimi - he deserved at least 8 points for his performance, and did NOT deserve to fall another 8 behind Massa. Had Alonso been involved, I'm sure he'd have taken 2nd behind Lewis/Kimi. But between these two, there was only one way the matter would be settled. And this makes Kimi a winner in my eyes - even though he was classified 18th with 0 points today!

Unfortunately, we may be looking back at this race as the tipping point, if Kimi decides to hang up his helmet a few months from now. That'd be a much bigger loss for any F1 fan, than having missed watching this race.

Added later: Now I read that Hamilton has been penalized and demoted to 3rd. Massa gets 10 points. Thats just so bloody unfair. 

For one, Kimi was leading when he made a mistake and crashed out. Lewis can't be blamed for that. And i don't think Lewis did 'wrong' even earlier. I'm sure McLaren will appeal, and hope they win.

After these two battled like true heroes and showed they belonged in a different class, that #$%$# Massa gets recorded as the winner. Massa just didn't do enough to deserve 1st. I'm disgusted.

F1 returns.. and weekends are fun again!

OK, that was one hell of a wonderful weekend.

Friday night - we headed off to Taika. The first time we've gone dancing in a while. Most of that evening was spent having good food, checking out a cute woman at the next table, chatting, and dancing towards the end.

Saturday, I spent cooking what was to be a lunch for 10 people on Sunday, to follow the F1  race. But it also Tushar's b'day, and since his Dad left early, we could celebrate in the 'traditional' bachelor manner. So the Great Indian Beer Review went International.



Happy B'day, Tush!

Unfortunately, I was cooking most of the time while Tush and Swap were imbibing and enjoying some cheap Ameesha Patel movie on TV. 

Sunday morning, some pals came over to watch the race. And what a race it was - people crashing and slipping all over the place, and just 5 people finishing. This is such a refreshing change from last year, when they might as well have let the Qualifying results stand as final for most races. And the icing on the cake was a Lewis Hamilton victory, with Alonso and Raikkonen salvaging no more than pride.

But the real fun began afterwards. See for yoursleves:



Everyone did the neo-native look.



And, as tradition has it at our place, everyone got merrily drunk!

I was planning to go to KL for the next race. But who needs to travel, when so much fun can be had right here at home!

Thanks, people, for comin over and keeping the 'spirit' so 'high'!

Cheers

(BTW - the food turned out so well, everyone loved it and said I could get any woman to marry me for it! Hot, single and hungry women of the world - are any of you listening?)

I'd mentioned in an earlier post that this F1 season may see a good contest between Kimi and Alonso, so much so that Schumi's absence may not hurt so much.

However' I'd not expected such a thrilling start. In most of the recent seasons, 1 driver has sat on 30 points after the first three races, though others have mounted a challenge later in the season. This time, we've actually had 3 different winners in the first 3 races, and a fourth driver - a rookie at that! - is tied for the Championship lead. Sweet!

It's impossible for even the wisest pundit, one with many grey hairs, to call this one. It really could go any way from here. I'd be cheering for Kimi though. Here's why.

Hamilton's start seems too good to last, and I'd be surprised if he got the better of Kimi and Alonso - in equally good or better cars - in his very first season. Massa also seems to lack that 'special something' that is the hallmark of a Champion.

The reason I dislike Alonso was re-affirmed in the last race at Bahrain. He tried to bottle Kimi up, and I'm sure he allowed Heidfeld to catch up with the pair so that Kimi would come under pressure himself, and give Alonso some breathing space. The move back-fired badly, and Alonso was taken by both of them. The thing i dislike about him the most - he settled for fifth. Hardly the inspiring stuff you expect of a Champion.

Contrast this with Kimi. Now here's a true-blood racer who always goes all out, and never seems happy with anything less than a win. He was clearly disappointed with 3rd place. My best memory from the last season was Kimi being taken by Schumi in the last race. You saw two men going all out - stretching their machines to the limit - wheels scraping and the drive edging on madness - and Schumi finally got ahead coz he had the better car. But it's Kimi's spirit and burning desire to win that makes him such a pleasure to watch.

I hope Kimi can win this one with the prancing horse, and bring the smiles back to faces of fans like myself. And prove to the world - Schumi IS replaceable.

Sporty Posty

It's been a while since i wrote about sports. This HAD to happen after watching Fed's demolition of A-Rod.

I'd bet money on Roddick beating Federer on current form. WTF was i thinking? This is Roger Federer we are talking about. A-Rod would be introspecting now. "Mommy, why, WHY did u tell me to take up tennis for a living? Someone shoulda warned me I'd run into Him!"

I used to wonder - what is the big deal about this guy? He seems to play fairly normal stuff, the opponents just give up and the commentators seem to make a big deal out of it. It was only when Fed had an off-day, and both he and his opponent made mistakes, did i realize tennis is difficult. And it's his greatness - that he makes it look so elegantly simple.

This year has been sad. Lotsa legends i've been admiring since time immemorial faded into sunset this year. Schumi, Zidane, Agassi, Warne... all my favorites from every sport i watch

However, I'm sure the new order beckons. Kimi, Federer... the fan within me shall be re-born soon

F1 Update

Background: Schumacher needs to win the Brazilian Grand Prix with Fernando Alonso finishing out of the top eight in order to secure the World championship. This is his last race before he retires.

Schumacher's formal stand: "To be honest, I don't think there's any chance left for the championship," he said after the race (the last race in Japan)
"We all know that Fernando only needs one point now. To assume that someone will not finish, or to plan on winning (the championship) on something like that, isn't a basis that I want to build upon. I've digested it already," he insisted.

Reactions: Former world champion Damon Hill said: "Michael said he's not thinking about the championship now - that's baloney. He never gives up."
"Don't ever write that guy off. He's going to go into that last race thinking 'how can I win this and Alonso not score anything?' That's the way he's going to approach it. Otherwise he's not Michael Schumacher."

Smoochy's stand: Hmmm. Interesting. We will look forward to this race, licking our lips in anticipation. Hope its not an action-less damp squib, like F1 usually is.

Alonso's an Ass

I, and I'm sure many other F1 enthusiasts, were quite disgusted by the recent display of 'poor losing' by Alonso and Renault.

First - lets look at what happened. Alonso got docked 5 qualifying places for holding up Massa. Now, these things often happen in F1. The decision is always tricky and very subjective. But people dont usually crib too much - they accept its a weak system where the authorities have a lot of discretion. And we all know how close the race is between Renault and Ferrari. The last car the Renaults would want to have such a situation with, is a Ferrari. Its a lot harder to believe a mistake is innocent - if it hampers your single most important opponent.

And what followed was simply incredible. Alonso's car failed and they said it was all cos he had to start lower down the order and push that much harder. But his fastest lap was more than half a second slower than Michael's. And thats a LOT in F1. If his car gives up before it is within half a second per lap of Michael, I dont think he had any hope of winning anyway.

Then they go on to claim the title has been decided around a table. The facts are - their car was not competitive this weekend and it failed to finish. Their car has been outperformed consistently and easily by Ferrari for several months now and the lead they had, has vanished slowly and steadily. But no, all this is irrelavant - they are losing the title only because of a 5-place starting penalty. Wat a load of bull crap I say!

Alonso then claims Schumi is unsporting and has been slapped with more penalties and sanctions by the FIA than anyone else ever. But he also claims the FIA helps him win championships. I dont get it - if they wanted him to win, why'd he have the most penalties?! Not only is Alonso being a bad loser, he's contradicting himself!

Schumi has been unsporting several times, but never denied it. He's also been punished unfairly the FIA a few times. But he's always answered them on the track. Not with disgraceful outbursts. I remember races where he was penalised and forced to start at the back in a tight title race. He never cribbed - just raced his head off and finished on the podium. Which is why he is loved and respected so much, and thats what great champions are all about. Alono will simply never get this - he doesnt have the mental bandwidth.

Raikkonen is another awesome driver. I liked him but was never much of a McLaren suporter. Now with Kimi going to Ferrari and Alonso goin to McLaren - the decision of 'who-to-support-after-Schumi' becomes a very easy one!

This has been a sad year - Zidane, Agassi, Schumi - legends i grew up watching have all retired. Fortunately, there are the Federers and the Raikkonen's to carry the torch forward. But somehow i dont think they have the charisma of the generation that is now fading into the limelight.

Tifosi at heart ... Rejoice!

I thot of starting with 'Yay' or 'Yippee' but thats sounds too lame. In fact i will not even try to capture the joy and elation of Italy's World Cup victory in words.. i cant!

The best team won! Not a bunch of mediocres who can only convert free kicks, not a bunch of jokers who call their tomfoolery on field 'samba flair', not a bunch of kids who play with a '12th man' at home, and NOT a team which disgraces the finals with a dive-earned-penalty and an inexplicable red card. Champions should be above all this.

They came in as underdogs blemished by a scandal, with an unknown striker and fewer stars than any Azzurri in recent history. In the end it wasn't about South American flair or European ruggedness, it was all about Italian pizzazz (forgive the pun). They played like champions - conceding only an own goal and a penalty that should not have been awarded in the first place, and scoring 12 goals with 10 different players (for perspective - the highest tally in these finals was Germany's 14). A solid team, with a lion-hearted defender who should've been the 'Man of the series', a keeper who is God, earned the place in history that they truly deserve.

I was there - in an Italy t-shirt, at one of only two tables supporting Italy in a coffee-shop with more than 100 people. Seeing 20+ tables of sad-looking people, I felt credit was not being given where it was due. So i am making up with this testimonial.

God bless the Azzurri! Yay? Nah.. too lame!