Hmmmph.

So. Ferrari won Sepang. Massa spilled himself messily somewhere along the line. Heikki came in an impressive third for McLaren. Hamilton crawled in 5th and Alonso babe (who's hitting the headlines again with subtle hints about a year-end break-up with Renault) came in a wonderful 8th in spite of his pitiful Renault.
I am writing off this race. Where were the thrills and spills, I ask you? And no rain either.
Kimi drove brilliantly start-to-Finnish (hahahahahaaaaa, Saab, you're funny!) and won. Yawn. Remember the good old days when this lad was with McLaren Mercedes? Vaav. McLaren still on top in the Constructor's but really, what a silly race. Bahrain better be better.

BMW, well done again. This year's podiums are all opened up. And Toyota..? Well, well, well Mr Trulli. *polite applause*
Force India, we're waiting.

Anyway. Hmmph.

Whadda race, whadda race!

I can hear Blur's Song 2 playing in my mind as I recap to myself what a bang-up race it was.
To begin with, heading furiously into Turn 1, here's the field:And in a split second.... Ta daaaaa: Followed by a magnificent toss-up, cars retiring, positions taking a dramatic turn and what-have-yous. And so it was for the entire duration of the race. Edge-of-seat gripping stuff.

And after many similar thrilling slips, slides, crashes, engine failures [ALL the Ferrari engines and a few others.... *snicker*], we come to a sexy Hamilton shower scene, stage right! VICTORY!!!!! Young Lewis drives a dream (he said it) and his teammate Heikki follows close behind in fifth. Almost fourth but that dazzling Alonso pulled some cheeky overtaking moves in Lap 50! But of course. What can he do if he's stuck with a substandard Renault engine this year?
McLaren off to a supreme start to the year.
Yay! *bhangra*


I say, this No-Traction-Control business is smashing. Definitely makes each race a whodunit. Can't wait for Sepang. Only 5 days to go...

F Briatore makes Alonso the offer

But only if the Sullen Spaniard is of a mind to stick it for the long-run. No half-hearted one year contract in the offing. Here's what the BBC has on that story.

Maybe, just maybe, Alonso will manage a third championship next year with Renault. Yay!
PS: Why was this year so lopsided? It was all Ferrari and McLaren. ALL...

Oh, and for the slow-pokes: He's through with McLaren.

The numbers game

What a race today. And look at the Drivers' points now: 107, 103, 100. Yeeesh.
Full low-down on the Chinese Grand Prix from the formula1 site.
Unfortunate and inexplicable end to Hamilton's Shanghai run opens up the whole board again. What was that?

Anyway, it's all down to Interlagos now, where, frankly, anything is possible. This is going to be one of the most eagerly watched races to ever close a season. On paper, each of the top three have a chance at making it to number one. The probability is still that Hamilton will take the Championship and go down in history as the first debutante to take home the grand prize, but Alonso and Kimi are on his tail and how...

The weekend from hell....

1. McLaren out of the Constructor's Championship. Grrrrr.
2. Pak lose to India after a gut-wrenching match with some atrocious losing tactics by the Pak bowlers. I could have killed someone.
3. Ferrari pull a one-two at the Belgian GP. Alonso limps in third.

My eyes!!! My eyes!!! [Pic stolen from here.]
And if that weren't enough, Alonso pulled another one on Lewis. Ye gods. What was he thinking? [Does he think?]

Saving graces:
1. Alonso and Hamilton still in the Driver's running. Four more races to go this season.
2. We'll have another India-Pak play-off, hopefully.
3. A very lovely time at Mad Nut's house, including a bizarre midnight romp last night. Snowflake is a dorrling. As is Nuts. *hugs*
4. Ramadan has been excellent so far. Three days down, and so far so good. Haven't ventured too off-track yet.
5. Cousin-fun at my place, as is usual on weekends.

Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

McLaren convicted of industrial espionage, fined $100mn dollars and thrown out of Constructors' Championship..... :( More.
Which means the Reds take home the Constructors'. Damn. Grrrrrr. I want to bite something.

Only light at the end of the tunnel: Both drivers given clean chit and are in the running for the Drivers' Championship. So what'll it be? Alonso first and Lewis second, or the other way round?
[That's for all you Ferrari freaks out there.....]

I am going to curl up and die now. Excuse me.