My tryst with Formula 1 over the years

My first impressions of Formula 1

I had adored many formula 1 greats as my favorite, but somehow I could not fall in love with the game like I had with Cricket or Football or even Tennis. It might be because I know I can never able to play that sport.

Unlike Cricket or Football, Formula1 was not easy accessible to working middle class. And for some reason, we don’t even consider this as a sport at all. These factors might be the reason why I don’t follow the sport just like Cricket or Football. For all my bias towards Formula 1, I had never been short of favorite drivers in Formula1. My experience with Formula 1 started during 2000s when I started reading newspapers while Schumacher started winning.

Michael Schumacher and Ferrari

Michael Schumacher

Schumacher and Ferrari. The match made in heaven. What a time that was! Whenever I looked at sports column who had won that week’s GrandPrix, I used to see Schumacher mostly in podium. Schumacher won so much that many consider Formula 1 as a race in which 19 drivers (remember it was only 20 drivers during that time) race to finish 2nd behind Schumacher.

The results of championships followed a similar pattern. The guy always at top is Schumacher. Some of the drivers who came 2nd like Ralf Schumacher, David Coulthard, Rubens Barrichello could have been champions and had a great careers had their career not coincided with Schumacher’s.

Lewis Hamilton fan

Lewis Hamilton

When he retired in 2005, I lost interest in Formula 1. But my exile did not last longer. Soon I was back watching Formula 1 vigorously supporting Hamilton. What a way to start your Formula 1 career. I don’t how Hamilton felt when he lost the title to Kimi Raikkonen in the last Grand Prix of the season. He was leading Kimi by 10 points and he just needed to pocket a point to win the title. Kimi won that Grand Prix and title on account of having won more Grand Prix that season.

The following season is THE best Formula 1 season of all time. The kind of competition it had. It all came down to final Grand Prix. This time again Hamilton was leading by 5 or 6 points over Massa. To clinch the championship, Hamilton just needed to finish in top 5 if Massa wins the GP. It all went smooth for Hamilton although Massa was leading, he was in 4th place. Last season ghosts came back to my mind when Hamilton was in 5th position.

The drama

Suddenly with 2 laps to go, Hamilton was 6th. Massa wins the Grand Prix and Massa camp started celebrating. In a dramatic twist, Jonathan Trulli who was driving at 5th started slowing down because of an engine problem, letting Hamilton pass him. Yes! He did it. Hamilton had finished 5th in the end and won the championship.

Jenson Button won the championship the next year. Button and Hamilton lead McLaren charge in Formula 1. Vettel was making stellar progress in a Torro Rosa car.

Switched loyalties

Sebastian Vettel

I usually don’t get predictions correct. But I thought Vettel will become great when he was in Torro Rosa itself. That’s why I chose him to partner Hamilton in my fantasy team. The next season he makes the switch to Redbull.

If my childhood was spent in admiring the Ferrari and Schumacher partnership, my adulthood was spent in admiring Vettel and Redbull partnership. Not for nothing Vettel is called ‘Baby Schumacher’. They also come from the same country- Germany. But like Schumacher in 2000s, Vettel started breaking all records in front of him in a blistering pace.

Vettel will retire as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. Even Schumacher comeback stint did not stop him from winning. He has already won 4 titles in a row and all set to win many more. He is now currently 4th in all time most championship winners and he is all set to end up in 1st place dethroning Schumacher from his place.

More Competitive

Some people may question the future of this sport on the note of seeing Vettel making this sport as a one man game. For them, it was at least more competitive than during Schumacher’s time. When it can survive that period itself, it can surely survive this time also.

Instead of criticizing Vettel, just enjoy his sheer dominance of the sport. Because we are lucky to live at this time. The time of Vettel, Messi, CR7, Sachin, Bolt, Phelps, Federer, Nadal. It won’t come back. So for the moment let’s stop criticizing and start enjoying.