2007 Formula One Season - The Culmination!

I will begin with a cliche - 'What a season it has been!' .... There seriously isn't any other way to express it - we had just about everything - some breathtaking racing in stunning circuits and with gorgeous pit-babes for company, some absolutely maddening rain-races which have swung like a pendulum, a LOT of politics & controversies, and ofcourse a stunning 4-way in the drivers championships, where a rookie & a 2-time WC are neck-in-neck with each other. Incredible is the word to describe this season!

The exit of Formula One Legend Michael Schumacher was considered by many as a precursor to Formula One's decreasing popularity - in fact, its been nothing of the sort! It was considered the end of an era - it is indeed the end of an era - an era of absolute dominance & monotonous race victories. Diversity, truly the essence of life, is now in full-steam in Formula One, as we now see 4 equally capable and persevering contenders battling it out for every point.

All the fighting on & off track aside, all politics & gossip aside, it all culminates into tomorrow - the mother of all battles - Brazilian Grand Prix - the track notorious among the F1 community as for its bouncy & uneven surface, as it is for its thunderous weather. If it is going to be a rain-race, which it very well might be, it is going to be a perfect game of probability & chance - quite like a game of high-stakes poker.

All of the three contenders (Alonso, Kimi & Lewis) deserve to win - and to recite a typical phrase "but only one will walk away with the title". The question is which one? My heart says Alonso but the mind says Lewis - Kimi anyways has a remote chance.

With qualifying over & Massa taking pole with Lewis behind, Kimi on 3rd & Alonso a distant 4th, the stage seems set for an exhilirating Brazilian GP 2007! This is it - this is what all F1 fans have been waiting for - the moment of truth arrives at 21.30 IST Sunday!


EDIT:
I am pretty much chewing my hat now! If you notice the last line of the 2nd last para of the post, then you would know what I am talking about! Talk about the unthinkable / unexpected! Anyways, Kimi absolutely deserved the victory - kudos to him! And cheers to Formula One and mad racing! .... More on the phenomenal F1 Season 2007 to follow very soon - I plan to write a review of the season .... till then, congrats to all the Ferrari & Kimi fans - your dreams have been realized ;)

Schumi's Race-ituary!

There isnt much that I can say, that can fully capture this man, his persona and his accomplishments. So when he announces his retirement from active Formula 1, there isnt much I can say except offer a small tribute to him by writing a Race-ituary for him!

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Michael Schumacher

(1991-2006)

Beloved son of Rolf and Elisabeth Schumacher
Loving husband of Karina Schumacher
Doting father of Gina-Maria and Mick Schumacher


A 7-time Formula 1 Champion (can he make it 8? looks very much like it) with:
5 consecutive Championship titles,
90 GP victories out of which 71 were with Ferrari (Is that surprising? :P),
7 consecutive GP victories in the 2004-05 season,
8 victories on the same circuit - at France's Magny Cours track,
68 Pole Positions,
75 Fastest Laps,
148 points in a single season in the 2002-03 season,
43 Second places and a total of 153 podium finishes,
19 consecutive podium finishes in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons,
4726 laps as the leading car on track,
And a Grand Total of 1354 Championship points.
(Please remember, knowing him,
these statistics may very well change! :P)


A two-time Laureus Sporstman of the Year (He got nominated thrice),
A leading Spokesperson for the Road Safety Awareness Campaign,
A Special Ambassador to UNESCO,
And The only sportsman to have donated 10million $ to the victims of the
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.


A Demi-God for millions of Ferrari/Formula 1 fans and till recently for me.
A Pain in the Arse for: Flavio Braitore, Fernando Alonso and the rest of the F1 circus and since recently for me :P

has left the Formula 1 track for a homely abode on the 10th September, 2006. His departure was peaceful, but has left a void in all of our lives.
We all deeply mourn his absence on the track and we pray and wish him peace and success in what he does!

May the Lord be with him! And may he be with Renault! :P

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NOTE: All statistics and associated information has been taken from Wikipedia's page on Schumacher and a couple of other webpages, which are listed here:
Wiki's Schumi Page
Schumi in the GP Hall of Fame
Schumi's Profile on Yahoo/Reuters