Canadian Gran Prix
Wow! What an action-packed race. That has to be one of the most exciting races I've seen in a while.
Lewis was absolutely peerless out there today. He stayed cool, calm and collected and kept his car on the race-track when everyone else was detouring across grass, getting up close and personal with the barriers and spinning all over the place. That's the sort of drive you expect from experience F1 veterans not rookies in their sixth race.
And GOD. His sixth race and he won. And he not only won, he dominated. He'd build up a gap out front only to have it knocked down to nothing when the safety car came out and then he'd have to build it back up again... but he did. To be fair, Nick did a pretty good job of staying with him, but Lewis was clearly faster. He made it look so easy.
Robert's accident was scary, scary stuff. He hit the wall at speed, slewed across the track, rolled, hit the opposite wall and skidded along it before finally stopping - any one of the things would be a fair old accident... the combination was heart-stopping. That he has only suffered a broken leg is incredible - I am constantly amazed at how bulletproof these cars are. I'll miss him while he's healing, he's been good fun to watch this season - I hope he gets well and comes back soon.
Bloody hell, Taku! I don't know what he had for breakfast but he should definitely have it more often. He was on fire at the end of that race. I was excited and cheering when he overtook Ralf, and while I admired his attitude and relentlessness, I didn't think he stood a chance of taking Fernando. But he did. He overtook Fernando Alonso, two times world champion, leader of the current championship, driving a McLaren. In a Super Aguri. The man has no fear. That was a such a ballsy move and he did it beautifully. He's really matured from a liability to an exciting driver. Wow.
Nick did incredibly well to get second and Alex to come in third - I'm so pleased for them both. Nick's had a really impressive season so far so he deserves some podium time, and after five years out, Alex is long overdue a podium too! And Heikki came in fourth - also well deserved :)
Poor Jense, on the other hand, didn't get to play at all. What a disappointing weekend for him. Though given that Rubens came in last of those left... it's not like he missed out on much.
I was GUTTED for Nico and Fernando and their 10 second penalties :( Nico was having such an awesome race, he was up to fourth, ahead of both Ferraris, and looking good! Then the penalty :( Fernando was fun to watch coming back through the field but I would rather have seen him hassling Nick and Lewis up front.
It's races like this that make me wish for a change to the scoring system that would reward every driver who finishes. Because with only 12 finishers, it's something very definitely worthy of note - those guys did an incredible job to keep their cars on the track! But there are four young men today who go away with nothing.
And back in the Minardi days, they were tough little cars and they often finished, even if they were a few laps down. Through the simple act of consistently finishing races (which a number of front-running teams do not do!) they would have accrued a tidy sum of points.
ITV was shit today. They kept banging on about Lewis. It was Lewis-this and Lewis-that. SHUT UP NOW! Now I love Lewis to bits and pieces, I think he is awesome - I am amazed by his driving, impressed by his maturity and his attitude towards racing, and awed by his season so far. Fan club on one sitting right here. So what does it say that even I am getting pissed off by their single-mindedness. Quite frankly, it's boring. There are 21 other cars on that track. 21 other drivers. We'd like to hear about their days too, please.
Okay, we get the Lewis is amazing, we can figure that one out for ourselves, we have eyes, we're watching these races same as you. We realise he's had a pretty special season so far. Sure, point it out, but not every couple of minutes.
Obviously the ITV team must love F1 to be so involved with it; and it's clear that James 'Most Annoying Person Ever' Allen does love the sport. And you don't really love the sport and just follow one driver or just your countrymen, you recognise and appreciate talent where talent shines and you enjoy the racing no matter who's driving. So why can't they understand that a lot fans will tune in to watch ALL of the racing not just the Brits. I'm sure that there are a lot of casual watchers and there are people who will just support the Brits, and some who have been sucked into the sport by Lewis's success (great!). But also there are a lot of loyal fans who are passionate about the racing and all the drivers. It's natural that, as a Britsh broadcast, there will be a focus on the British drivers, and there should be; and with Lewis being so abolsutely amazing, it's natural that he will be the focus of lot of attention. But I feel they've taken it to far and it's insulting to those of us who are dedicated fans to assume that we don't care about anything or anyone else.
And James Allen - god! I swear he gets more annoying every race. He was banging on about how "Lewis picked a tough race to try and win". Moron. He's a racing driver, he races to win, that's what pushes him and inspires him and drives him. D'you think he woke up today and said "hmmm, maybe I'll try and win today" and he got up before the other races saying "well, I won't try and win today, I'll settle for second". He's always trying to win.
But I digress. It was one hell of an exciting race. And Lewis, Lewis, Lewis, you are amazing. Never change.
Lewis was absolutely peerless out there today. He stayed cool, calm and collected and kept his car on the race-track when everyone else was detouring across grass, getting up close and personal with the barriers and spinning all over the place. That's the sort of drive you expect from experience F1 veterans not rookies in their sixth race.
And GOD. His sixth race and he won. And he not only won, he dominated. He'd build up a gap out front only to have it knocked down to nothing when the safety car came out and then he'd have to build it back up again... but he did. To be fair, Nick did a pretty good job of staying with him, but Lewis was clearly faster. He made it look so easy.
Robert's accident was scary, scary stuff. He hit the wall at speed, slewed across the track, rolled, hit the opposite wall and skidded along it before finally stopping - any one of the things would be a fair old accident... the combination was heart-stopping. That he has only suffered a broken leg is incredible - I am constantly amazed at how bulletproof these cars are. I'll miss him while he's healing, he's been good fun to watch this season - I hope he gets well and comes back soon.
Bloody hell, Taku! I don't know what he had for breakfast but he should definitely have it more often. He was on fire at the end of that race. I was excited and cheering when he overtook Ralf, and while I admired his attitude and relentlessness, I didn't think he stood a chance of taking Fernando. But he did. He overtook Fernando Alonso, two times world champion, leader of the current championship, driving a McLaren. In a Super Aguri. The man has no fear. That was a such a ballsy move and he did it beautifully. He's really matured from a liability to an exciting driver. Wow.
Nick did incredibly well to get second and Alex to come in third - I'm so pleased for them both. Nick's had a really impressive season so far so he deserves some podium time, and after five years out, Alex is long overdue a podium too! And Heikki came in fourth - also well deserved :)
Poor Jense, on the other hand, didn't get to play at all. What a disappointing weekend for him. Though given that Rubens came in last of those left... it's not like he missed out on much.
I was GUTTED for Nico and Fernando and their 10 second penalties :( Nico was having such an awesome race, he was up to fourth, ahead of both Ferraris, and looking good! Then the penalty :( Fernando was fun to watch coming back through the field but I would rather have seen him hassling Nick and Lewis up front.
It's races like this that make me wish for a change to the scoring system that would reward every driver who finishes. Because with only 12 finishers, it's something very definitely worthy of note - those guys did an incredible job to keep their cars on the track! But there are four young men today who go away with nothing.
And back in the Minardi days, they were tough little cars and they often finished, even if they were a few laps down. Through the simple act of consistently finishing races (which a number of front-running teams do not do!) they would have accrued a tidy sum of points.
ITV was shit today. They kept banging on about Lewis. It was Lewis-this and Lewis-that. SHUT UP NOW! Now I love Lewis to bits and pieces, I think he is awesome - I am amazed by his driving, impressed by his maturity and his attitude towards racing, and awed by his season so far. Fan club on one sitting right here. So what does it say that even I am getting pissed off by their single-mindedness. Quite frankly, it's boring. There are 21 other cars on that track. 21 other drivers. We'd like to hear about their days too, please.
Okay, we get the Lewis is amazing, we can figure that one out for ourselves, we have eyes, we're watching these races same as you. We realise he's had a pretty special season so far. Sure, point it out, but not every couple of minutes.
Obviously the ITV team must love F1 to be so involved with it; and it's clear that James 'Most Annoying Person Ever' Allen does love the sport. And you don't really love the sport and just follow one driver or just your countrymen, you recognise and appreciate talent where talent shines and you enjoy the racing no matter who's driving. So why can't they understand that a lot fans will tune in to watch ALL of the racing not just the Brits. I'm sure that there are a lot of casual watchers and there are people who will just support the Brits, and some who have been sucked into the sport by Lewis's success (great!). But also there are a lot of loyal fans who are passionate about the racing and all the drivers. It's natural that, as a Britsh broadcast, there will be a focus on the British drivers, and there should be; and with Lewis being so abolsutely amazing, it's natural that he will be the focus of lot of attention. But I feel they've taken it to far and it's insulting to those of us who are dedicated fans to assume that we don't care about anything or anyone else.
And James Allen - god! I swear he gets more annoying every race. He was banging on about how "Lewis picked a tough race to try and win". Moron. He's a racing driver, he races to win, that's what pushes him and inspires him and drives him. D'you think he woke up today and said "hmmm, maybe I'll try and win today" and he got up before the other races saying "well, I won't try and win today, I'll settle for second". He's always trying to win.
But I digress. It was one hell of an exciting race. And Lewis, Lewis, Lewis, you are amazing. Never change.