Good ol’ Formula One – Part 1
I started following Formula One at the tail end of the 2004 season, when I was 15 years old. The raw speed of the sport fascinated me. It was an experience like no other.
I was able to witness Ferrari and Michael Schumacher at the peak of their tenures. Being a rebel by definition, I’d be categorized as the viewer that would rather support the ‘challenger’ over the resident star. However, after watching Michael Schumacher
evidently drive the wheels of that Ferrari, I had no choice but to admire the German - the Ferrari monopoly felt justified.
The 2004 season saw Michael Schumacher claim the championships by a landslide. Ferrari complimented with the constructor’s title as Rubens Barrichello proved to be the perfect partner to Schumi, often treating the crowd to Ferrari 1-2’s.
That was when 2005 hit. I’d categorize it as the dark ages for the team and driver I admired to the core. Ferrari decided to feature their 2004 car for the start of the season, confident that the old-timer still had the drive to continue its spell of invincibility
from last season. It turned out to be a big mistake, a viewer so used to reading ‘Ferrari’ on the team’s panel on the front grid, reading a ‘Giancarlo Fisichella’ taking pole felt unbelievable; a little shocking even. What had Ferrari done? Was it a miscalculation
on part of the Italian team? Was it the first signs of complacency from the scarlet camp? Defeat felt like swallowing a bitter pill. All the expectations that Ferrari fans used to enjoy, made it an even higher fall - my team was actually dominated the entire
length of the weekend.
Things got worse. Despite launching the Ferrari 2005, the team continued to be dominated in the entire season. Renault’s traction control was like no other as the car was easily one of the fastest off the line and extremely quick on turns. While Michael
Schumacher was nowhere in sight, the opportunity enabled a certain ‘Kimi Raikkonen’ to make his mark and challenge the might of Fernando Alonso. Another reason for Ferrari’s lack of performance was perhaps the Bridgestone tyres that year. Apparently the reliable
rubber that had complimented the intricately fine-tuned Ferraris all these years had lost its X-factor. The McLaren, like the Renault, was also running on the better suited Michelin tyres. This meant that any tyre related advantage that the Renault could have,
would be shared with the McLaren.
With the Ferrari’s taking back seat, Kimi Raikkonen provided a title charge that saw McLaren in contention since the advent of two time world champion, Mika Hakkinen. Mika was regarded as mentor to his fellow countryman Raikkonen which further drew out comparisons.
Seeing McLaren’s form in the first three races – 6th being the best position on the grid it could manage - I’d have to admit I never saw them as contenders from any stretch of imagination. The car was reported to be too gentle on its tyres, with
the result that it was not generating enough heat to post fast qualifying times. However, the tide changed as McLaren claimed top spot in three consecutive races at San Marino, Spain and Monaco. The resultant saw Kimi Raikkonen a mere, 22 points adrift of
championship leader Fernando Alonso.
Here was when my ‘rebellious’ instincts kicked in. While I was still a Ferrari fan at heart, I started backing the challenger, McLaren to unsettle the team that had dared to claim the thrown occupied by Ferrari.
Kimi was easily the fastest driver on the grid, the McLaren on the other hand, not as reliable as the Renault. Beating local boy Alonso at the Barcelona Grand Prix felt strangely satisfying as the Finn totally dominated proceedings, and denied the Renault
driver to make any sort of inroads whatsoever in front of his home crowd – the ‘slightly’ dejected look on the Spaniard’s face on not occupying the top step of the podium was nothing less than cold revenge, putting out the fire Ferrari’s lack of performance
had started.
To be continued…
(The write up features an account of a Ferrari Formula One fanatic, troubled by the changes the motorsport has undergone in current times)
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