The Best of the Best in 2008

photo courtesy of Planet F1.com.

I am oh so thankful

Yes, it's the season of giving thanks, and I am indeed grateful for the Formula 1 season just passed. While it was Lewis Hamilton and company that won the title in such dramatic fashion, I feel like the person who won the prize. It's hard to explain, but watching Hamilton the past three years had built such a sense of anticipation in me that only the World Driving Championship could satisfy... and now he has it.

If I were Lewis Hamilton... well, that would be special indeed.

So I just spent part of today and yesterday re-living the series, courtesy of the phenomenal video library at the official Formula 1 website. Their race recaps are short, but they are beautifully rendered with great music and editing. Enjoy the season all over again.

Thanks to all the people who make Formula 1 the greatest motorsport in the world, thanks to McLaren-Mercedes and their numerous sponsors for fielding a tremendous team and thank you, Lewis Hamilton, for doing your thing.

Congratulations to the new World Champion!

Lewis Hamilton is the Formula One World Champion for 2008! He has set the bar as the youngest person to win the title. And it wasn't easy, according to this report from Planet F1.

Good job, Lew. Now take a break and go to the Bercy Supercross in France next week. While you're there, be sure to meet James Stewart... you guys could have a lot in common.

Montreal DNF: Talk about rookie mistakes!

Only eighteen laps into the Canadian Grand Prix, only two weeks after a great victory in Monaco, Lewis Hamilton unleashed a brain fart par excellence, slamming into the back of Kimi Raikonnen's Ferrari at the end of PIT LANE (story by Planet F1), taking them both out of the race.

And then a BMW won. Quite a day in Canada, eh?

Congratulations Lewis!

Hamilton gets the win in the rain at Monaco! Getdown Lew!

He said it was his "best win ever"... wow, I wish I could have been there.

My Dream Grand Prix: Monaco

I don't really know what it is, but it must be very similar to my fairly irrational love of Ferraris, this complete adoration I have of Monaco and its storied street race in Monte Carlo. To me, obviously a child of modern media, this race is the quintessential Formula One Grand Prix event... and I think a lot of drivers feel the same way.

Lewis Hamilton finished second to then-team mate Fernando Alonso at Monte Carlo last year, when a lot of folks were wondering just when would the man win his first GP (the question was answered in Montreal). Obviously Lewis is hoping to get the win this weekend to make it two on the season. Is the McLaren up to it?

Back on the Box

C'mon now.

Wow, I am Lame

But at least I was right about that last post.. it was indeed a new low.

I just watched the highlight reel of the race over at Formula1.com. I really gotta stop blogging about stuff I know nothing about...!

"Blah-rain"

And now, a new low.

First, I must admit I wasn't even paying attention, off with family and friends. Didnt' see the race, didn't track the laptimes or even follow the story from the blogs. I flat-out spaced it. And then I come to find out Lewis Hamilton spaced it, too. Thirteenth place in the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, his lowest finishing position to date.

And then something about a shunt with Alonso? Man, I need to pay more attention to this sport...

Before I forget... Ferrari went 1 and 2 with Felipe Massa getting his second win in a row at the Middle Eastern circuit. And BMW went 3-4 to shut McLaren out of the podium AND next-to-the-podium!

Malaysian Grand Prix Results

Results
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:03:18.555
02 R. Kubica BMW + 19.570
03 H. Kovalainen McLaren + 38.450
04 J. Trulli Toyota + 45.832
05 L. Hamilton McLaren + 46.548
06 N. Heidfeld BMW + 49.833
07 M. Webber Red Bull + 1:08.130
08 F. Alonso Renault + 1:10.000
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1:16.200
10 J. Button Honda + 1:26.200
11 N. Piquet jr. Renault + 1:32.200
12 G. Fisichella Force India F1 + 1 laps
13 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 laps
14 N. Rosberg Williams + 1 laps
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 1 laps
16 T. Sato Super Aguri + 2 laps
17 K. Nakajima Williams + 2 laps
Did not finish
18 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 16 laps
19 F. Massa Ferrari + 26 laps
20 A. Sutil Force India F1 + 50 laps
21 T. Glock Toyota + 54 laps
22 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso + 56 laps

And here's the race review from Planet F1.

More later...

Well, Blow Me Down... Mercedes McLaren team docked 5 positions on the grid!

That moves Heikki to 8th and Lewis to 9th... better 5 spots than 5 rows, eh?

So what gives? From this article at Planet F1.com, the two team mates were judged to be impeding BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Renault's Fernando Alonso, when they slowed while in the racing line, after they had crossed the line for the final practice session. Nick and 'Nando were just starting their final flying laps when they were "balked."

At least that's Nick's story. McLaren later issued a statement that read in part: "We accept the steward's decision but would like to add that neither Lewis nor Heikki impaired any of their competitors deliberately."

It's time to go racing!

Malaysian GP Qualifying: Ferrari Strikes Back as Massa Takes P1

Ferrari controls the front row of the grid for Sunday's Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, with Felipe Massa on the pole and Kimi Raikkonen in P2. Massa qualified on the pole for last year's race as well.

Mercedes McLaren hold row two, with Heikki Kovalainen third and Lewis Hamilton fourth.

Fourth? Well, all I have to go on is the commentary that comes with the official F1 live timing page, and the commentator noted that Lewis was "tussling with a Toyota for track space" late in the third qualifying session... let's see if Lew has something to say about it in the press later.

Now, THAT'S how you start a season!

I didn't watch the coverage on telly, but I did watch the live timer display courteously provided by Formula 1.com, and I would say that Lewis' win was "emphatic"... yet Hamilton himself said "Physically the race was a breeze..."

AND he's already selling wolf tickets for the next round, telling the press corps, "bring it on, I’m really looking forward to it.” Actually, he was referring to the heat, and his ability to withstand it due to his fitness. Isn't it fun to take quotes out of context?

In any case, qualifying on the pole and winning basically wire to wire... that sent a pretty strong mesage to the other drivers and teams. Let's see how they respond where it counts, on the track at the next Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Hamilton: "...to all the guys back home 'Good job'"

That's what Lewis said at the Saturday F1 press conference, as reported by Planet F1.

Now if I were Lewis Hamilton, I would have said the same thing. Very classy, Lew.

Australian Grand Prix qualifying results

These are interesting times... from this article on Planet F1.

Times
01. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.714
02. Kubica BMW Sauber 1:26.869
03. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.079
04. Massa Ferrari 1:27.178
05. Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:27.236
06. Trulli Toyota 1:28.527
07. Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:28.687
08. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:29.041
09. Glock Toyota 1:29.593
10. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari No time
11. Barrichello Honda 1:26.173
12. Alonso Renault 1:26.188
13. Button Honda 1:26.259
14. Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:26.413
15. Webber Red Bull-Renault No times
16. Raikkonen Ferrari No time
17. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:27.207
18. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:27.446
19. Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:27.859
20. Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:28.208
21. Piquet Renault 1:28.330
22. Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:29.059

Of course, the first question is what happened to the current World Constructor Champion, Ferrari? Well, the World Driving Champion's racecar failed in Q1, and the stewards didn't let Kimi Raikkonen go out in Q2, according to the article. Fascinating.

And It's On Down Under!

I have to admit that I am not adjusted to the time diffential, but here it is, the first Grand Prix of the year underway, under the way in Melbourne Australia.

Guess who's got fast time so far? Yep, Lewis Hamilton is leading the way after the second Friday practice (sheesh, it's still Thursday night here!), after finishing second to Kimi Raikkonen in the first practice.

Red Bull's Mark Webber was second fastest in Prac Two, followed by Felipe Massa in the other Ferrari, Hamilton's new McLaren Mercedes team mate Heikki Kovalainen and then David Coulthard grabbed fifth in the other Red Bull car.

Raikkonen could only manage sixth. And where was Fernando Alonso? All the way back in 13th! At least he was first Renault; his new team mate, Nelson Piquet Jr., turned a 1:29.518 for NINETEENTH PLACE, nearly three seconds slower than Lewis.

Beg Pardon... I Must Have Been Napping...

Actually, I've been paying most of my sporting attention to the U.S. Supercross series, which started right around the date of my last post here. I didn't have much to say, and I wanted to wait until the off-season, pre-season flying fur settled. Now, cars are being readied and it's almost time to go racing!

Here comes Melbourne! Wow, I'd love to be there for this race.

Hamilton signs 5 year deal with McLaren

According to this Autocar article, Lewis will get about $28 million a year until 2012, for a total of about $140 million.

If I were Lewis, I'd find something very interesting to invest in...