A website by people with an incurable obsession with Formula One Racing
You be the judge …
Now can you guess the year and model of each car in that commercial? I’ll take a guess:
1. 1952-1953, 500 S4 (first Ferrari championship winner)
2. 1966, 312 V12
3. 1970-1971, 312B V12
4. 1997, F310B V10
5. 2003, F2003GA V10
6. 2006, F248 V8
Thoughts?
Formula 1 is an elitist sport. It features top car manufacturers, top drivers, and top locations. All this as a result of hundreds of millions of dollars trading hands, all looking to make a profit; whether that be in dollars or in points. Focusing on the drivers, it would be easy for one to say that they are quite posh. How many times have we seen driver interviews in the paddock where the driver is wearing sunglasses that practically scream expensive, trendy, and vain.
When it comes to Scott Speed, things are a bit different. No only does he not give the usual canned response, but he actually sounds like he’s enjoying what he’s doing. He is just a kid from the middle of nowhere (I drove through Manteca this summer, and believe me, it’s in the middle of nowhere) who’s doing something usually reserved for the elite. It’s hard for me to put into words how he does it. But I’ve always heard him talk with enthusiasm, and say something of substance. He’s just happy to be here and will fight like hell to stay. I hope Toro Rosso decide to keep him for 2007. They need guys like him. Hell, so does F1. Oh, he’s also a pretty damn good driver, too. If he’s not back next year, we won’t have more moments like this:
Furthermore to The anatomy of an overtaking maneuver posted recently, this next video shows the Brazilian Raikkonen/Schumacher battle in it’s 5 lap entirety - all footage is onboard from both cars involved! Theres nothing more to add that hasn’t already been said, so just enjoy!
In Brazil this year Michael Schumacher was forced to storm through the field following a tire puncture which relegated him to the back of the field very early in the race. With typical ruthless efficiency he dispatched one back marker after another until he was within the point paying positions. Even in the final eight positions some of the drivers like Kubica simply moved over for him. Then he was within reach of 4th place but in front of him was his replacement at Ferrari next year and Kimi Raikkonen wasn’t going to just move over.
As if to reinforce his run of bad luck in the last few weeks Nick Heidfeld had a big accident at turn 1 just as Schumacher was ready to catch and try to pass Kimi. Heidfeld’s accident meant double waving flags at the premiere passing spot on the entire track and so Schumacher was forced to momentarily pull back from his amazing run through the field. What followed next in the last 5 laps of his last F1 race ever was a perfect demonstration of this champions amazing ability to make an F1 car obey his every wish and beat any driver for position. My only wish after 16 years of watching Schumacher race is that I wish he hadn’t spent all those years in a dominant car. I wish he had to fight more for his glory because then we would have seen more of this …
With double waving yellow flags at turn 1 Schumacher was desperate to get passed Raikkonen so if turn 1 wasn’t available then why give up? So he tried a move on the outside at Cotovelo.
Turn 1 is now clear so just 2 laps after trying his move at Cotovelo Schumacher has a look on the inside down the pit straight but Raikkonen covers the line.
On the next lap Schumacher has figured out how to get by. He makes the same move to the inside and Kimi covers but then he moves back to the racing line to set up for turn 1 and to his great surprise Schumacher is still pushing down the inside. For a brief moment you can see Raikkonen is caught completely off guard and his car twitches as if he is about to close the door hard on Schumacher but he realizes the corner is lost and tries to out brake him into the corner but Schumacher has massive amounts of grip and easily navigates his Ferrari on the inside and gains the coveted position from his heir apparent.
I don’t care if you love him or hate. If you’re an F1 fan or not. That is just brilliant, brilliant racing.
All videos Copyright FOM and ITV
When I saw Massa stop and take a Brazilian flag from a marshal I was reminded of Senna doing the same in 1993 when he won his home race. I’m sure I’m not the only person but the image of Senna clenching a flag in his fist and waving it in victory is one of my fondest memories of him.
