A little something for Formula One fans (you know who you are)
First of all, I'd like to say that I have always been a Ferrari fan. Even before Star Sports was even a gleam in the eye of the TV executives who brought it here. Even before Michael Schumacher inked the contract that has seen him become racing's most powerful force. I watched Formula One replays on channel 9 at my grandparents' house, back when their star driver was Jean Alesi.
I followed the races as best I could in 1996 when Schumi signed on (still no Star Sports) only to be depressed as hell when he lost to that arrogant prick Damon Hill, who turned out to be only as good as the Williams-Renault he was driving. I felt similarly depressed in 1997 when he lost to Jacques Villenueve, who turned out to be another Damon Hill (yet who still commanded a Schumi-ish salary for many, many years). I was practically tearing my hair out when he lost to Mika Hakkinen and Mclaren in 1998, particularly when backmarker David Coulthard braked too early and lopped off Schumacher's tire, possibly costing him the championship. In 1999, Michael broke his leg early in the season so I didn't feel too bad about his losing.
As you can imagine, the next five years were utopia for me.
All that said, Formula 1 is incredible to watch now. I say this because no one, from the avid fans I know to the usual F1 fans in the press, seems interested in the sport anymore, owing to the lack of dominance of a certain Scarlet clad racer. There are no clear favorites, the last race was a real nail-biter, and for the first time in awhile it feels COMPETITIVE. Sure, it was pretty exciting in 2003, but this time around seven races have come and gone and Ferrari has not won one of them.
What made Schumi's first Ferrari championship in 2000 so special to me was that it felt like he had spent a lifetime fighting for it. In terms of his tenure at Ferrari, this was exactly true. It didn't bother me at all that he ran away with the 2001 and 2002 tournaments because I felt it was payback for all of his almost-but-not-quite finishes. He had, to my mind, earned his years' worth of championships in all the years he had suffered defeat. And in 2003, he even had a good fight from Raikkonen and Montoya.
Last year, Ferrari's dominance took a little luster away from the sport. I mean, they won over eighty percent of last year's races, and while I was happy to see them win, I was a little bored by it as well.
This year, seven races in, the championship is still wide open. I know people don't find it quite as gratifying to watch without seeing the red car driven by the driver with the red helmet at the front of the order, but for me the uncertainty of it just makes it all worthwhile.
Though I'd be be glad to see Ferrari win races again, I feel that this is the way Formula One should be.
I followed the races as best I could in 1996 when Schumi signed on (still no Star Sports) only to be depressed as hell when he lost to that arrogant prick Damon Hill, who turned out to be only as good as the Williams-Renault he was driving. I felt similarly depressed in 1997 when he lost to Jacques Villenueve, who turned out to be another Damon Hill (yet who still commanded a Schumi-ish salary for many, many years). I was practically tearing my hair out when he lost to Mika Hakkinen and Mclaren in 1998, particularly when backmarker David Coulthard braked too early and lopped off Schumacher's tire, possibly costing him the championship. In 1999, Michael broke his leg early in the season so I didn't feel too bad about his losing.
As you can imagine, the next five years were utopia for me.
All that said, Formula 1 is incredible to watch now. I say this because no one, from the avid fans I know to the usual F1 fans in the press, seems interested in the sport anymore, owing to the lack of dominance of a certain Scarlet clad racer. There are no clear favorites, the last race was a real nail-biter, and for the first time in awhile it feels COMPETITIVE. Sure, it was pretty exciting in 2003, but this time around seven races have come and gone and Ferrari has not won one of them.
What made Schumi's first Ferrari championship in 2000 so special to me was that it felt like he had spent a lifetime fighting for it. In terms of his tenure at Ferrari, this was exactly true. It didn't bother me at all that he ran away with the 2001 and 2002 tournaments because I felt it was payback for all of his almost-but-not-quite finishes. He had, to my mind, earned his years' worth of championships in all the years he had suffered defeat. And in 2003, he even had a good fight from Raikkonen and Montoya.
Last year, Ferrari's dominance took a little luster away from the sport. I mean, they won over eighty percent of last year's races, and while I was happy to see them win, I was a little bored by it as well.
This year, seven races in, the championship is still wide open. I know people don't find it quite as gratifying to watch without seeing the red car driven by the driver with the red helmet at the front of the order, but for me the uncertainty of it just makes it all worthwhile.
Though I'd be be glad to see Ferrari win races again, I feel that this is the way Formula One should be.
posted by Jim Arroyo at 9:40 PM
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