The British Grand Prix
The British have an irritating habit of being smug. They colonised the world and won't let us forget about it. They also invented most of the games played in the world, including the biggest, football, and have claimed a proprietary interest in the beautiful game ever since. Never mind that these things have little or no influence on Britain's bearing in the world, the British remain convinced of two things. First, they are the most important country in the world (they once colonised the USA after all). Secondly - notwithstanding only ever having achieved one world cup triumph (a decidedly dodgy one forty years ago) - they believe that they will win the world cup this year (as it happens, they believe this every four years!).
Living as an ex-colonial in this country is especially trying during the world cup. Memories of the last humiliation four years previously are conveniently erased and football hysteria of a nonsensical kind envelops the nation. England flags are flying everywhere in London as I write this - even from the tops of the Jags ferrying cabinet misters about. The Prime Minister has bought a white tie emblazoned with the cross of St George. And then there is the irrational faith the British always place upon solitary individuals. For the past fortnight people have been unable to sleep because they have been too busy worrying about the state of England striker, Wayne Rooney. The potato faced youngster broke some bones in his foot while playing a football game and, it was feared, would be unable to kick the goal that would win the world cup for England. Many tears have been shed over this. This morning, England woke up to the news that the youngster will indeed be playing in the latter stages of the tournament. The tears of woe have been mopped up and fresh ones - of joy this time - are dripping down English faces.
It is at times like this when one truly appreciates the British Grand Prix. The British do Formula 1 rather well. Formula 1 racing has always been primarily a British event. For years only Ferrari was not British. Now, even teams nominally badged as foreign, such as Renault and Toyota, are based in Britain. There have been some outstanding British drivers through the years. Remember the pantheon I spoke of a few weeks ago? Well, names like Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell have permanent places within it. The event is always spectacular. Silverstone is home to one of the great Formula 1 racing circuits. Like the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo and the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, you do not want to miss the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It is a circuit of tremendous speed, lots of overtaking opportunities and intense difficulty. It is also a fun race - both for the fans and the drivers. I have always loved Silverstone and warmly welcome the distraction from football this weekend.
British driver, Jenson Button, started his formula 1 career seven years ago showing great promise. He was prematurely described as the next world champion after Michael Schumacher. There has been much eating of humble pie since. Jenson Button has gone beyond 107 race starts without achieving a single victory. This does not always indicate a path to oblivion from here on; others have been late developers and gone on to be world champions (think Mika Hakkinen). The trouble is that Jenson seems to be sliding downwards. He has been outqualified and outraced by his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, too many times this season. But Jenson has the advantage of having had enough years to settle into the Honda team. Admittedly Barrichello is a more experienced racing driver than Button but this is his first season at Honda and he, therefore, has yet to get used to the manner in which it works. Button will not win the British Grand Prix on Sunday, of that I am certain. He may welcome the fact that impatient British eyes may instead be focusing their attention on the football field in Germany rather than on the hero who consistently disappoints.
To disappoint is one thing but to be labelled a cheat is quite another. Had he not been penalised, Michael Schumacher would have won the Monaco Grand Prix a fortnight ago. The drive he produced on Sunday when he raced from the back of the grid up to fifth ranks among his most outstanding performances. He had such raw speed and such immaculate timing that even at Monaco - the most difficult track in the world for overtaking - he was able to get past nearly everybody. There was absolutely no need then for him to have been worried about not achieving pole on the previous day. But worried he still was. So much so that he found it necessary to attempt to sabotage the flying lap of Fernando Alonso by parking his car at an angle on the side of the circuit. From observing Schumacher on Sunday, I am convinced that he would have won the race even if he had begun it from the third row of the grid. This tells you everything about Michael Schumacher. He may be the most talented, most gifted driver ever to appear in motor racing but he is also a mean, nasty, dishonest individual. As Chipo says, Michael Schumacher should be banned. Formula 1 will be better off without him.
Ironically, the race looks like it will be fought between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. The Ferrari-Bridgestone package is back to the performance levels we last saw two years ago and Schumacher is always quick at Silverstone. Renault have demonstrated themselves to possess a formidable all-round package. No circuit is too tough for them. Fernando Alonso has made no secret of the fact that he is going about motor racing ticking boxes. World championship - tick. Monaco- tick. Now he wants to tick the box marked "Silverstone". It is not an easy one - it took Michael Schumacher more than eight years before he got his first Silverstone tick - but I think Alonso is equal to the challenge.
I would have loved to see the McLarens in contention for this race. Juan Pablo Montoya's win last year was superb. But they do not seem to have the reliability this season. It was lovely to see Kimi Raikkonen going after Fernando Alonso in Monaco but - as has happened to him far more times than he cares to remember - his Mercedes Benz engine burst into flames and he was forced into retirement. It is a mark of the man that he did not go and sit in his hotel and sulk. Instead he got some mates and some babes and sat in his yacht in the bay watching the remainder of the race while soaking in the Monte Carlo sunshine and sipping champagne. Raikkonen typifies the Formula 1 driver of yesteryear. Chaps who lived glamorous lives on the edge. Chaps to be looked up to..
In the words of Texan tough guy, George Dubya Bush, "there's gonna be some action, folks". This is a crucial race. So, ignore the football, get yourself some London Pride Bitter and a couple of packets of pork scratchings and,
Enjoy Silverstone!
Gitau
8 June 2006
Living as an ex-colonial in this country is especially trying during the world cup. Memories of the last humiliation four years previously are conveniently erased and football hysteria of a nonsensical kind envelops the nation. England flags are flying everywhere in London as I write this - even from the tops of the Jags ferrying cabinet misters about. The Prime Minister has bought a white tie emblazoned with the cross of St George. And then there is the irrational faith the British always place upon solitary individuals. For the past fortnight people have been unable to sleep because they have been too busy worrying about the state of England striker, Wayne Rooney. The potato faced youngster broke some bones in his foot while playing a football game and, it was feared, would be unable to kick the goal that would win the world cup for England. Many tears have been shed over this. This morning, England woke up to the news that the youngster will indeed be playing in the latter stages of the tournament. The tears of woe have been mopped up and fresh ones - of joy this time - are dripping down English faces.
It is at times like this when one truly appreciates the British Grand Prix. The British do Formula 1 rather well. Formula 1 racing has always been primarily a British event. For years only Ferrari was not British. Now, even teams nominally badged as foreign, such as Renault and Toyota, are based in Britain. There have been some outstanding British drivers through the years. Remember the pantheon I spoke of a few weeks ago? Well, names like Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell have permanent places within it. The event is always spectacular. Silverstone is home to one of the great Formula 1 racing circuits. Like the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo and the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, you do not want to miss the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It is a circuit of tremendous speed, lots of overtaking opportunities and intense difficulty. It is also a fun race - both for the fans and the drivers. I have always loved Silverstone and warmly welcome the distraction from football this weekend.
British driver, Jenson Button, started his formula 1 career seven years ago showing great promise. He was prematurely described as the next world champion after Michael Schumacher. There has been much eating of humble pie since. Jenson Button has gone beyond 107 race starts without achieving a single victory. This does not always indicate a path to oblivion from here on; others have been late developers and gone on to be world champions (think Mika Hakkinen). The trouble is that Jenson seems to be sliding downwards. He has been outqualified and outraced by his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, too many times this season. But Jenson has the advantage of having had enough years to settle into the Honda team. Admittedly Barrichello is a more experienced racing driver than Button but this is his first season at Honda and he, therefore, has yet to get used to the manner in which it works. Button will not win the British Grand Prix on Sunday, of that I am certain. He may welcome the fact that impatient British eyes may instead be focusing their attention on the football field in Germany rather than on the hero who consistently disappoints.
To disappoint is one thing but to be labelled a cheat is quite another. Had he not been penalised, Michael Schumacher would have won the Monaco Grand Prix a fortnight ago. The drive he produced on Sunday when he raced from the back of the grid up to fifth ranks among his most outstanding performances. He had such raw speed and such immaculate timing that even at Monaco - the most difficult track in the world for overtaking - he was able to get past nearly everybody. There was absolutely no need then for him to have been worried about not achieving pole on the previous day. But worried he still was. So much so that he found it necessary to attempt to sabotage the flying lap of Fernando Alonso by parking his car at an angle on the side of the circuit. From observing Schumacher on Sunday, I am convinced that he would have won the race even if he had begun it from the third row of the grid. This tells you everything about Michael Schumacher. He may be the most talented, most gifted driver ever to appear in motor racing but he is also a mean, nasty, dishonest individual. As Chipo says, Michael Schumacher should be banned. Formula 1 will be better off without him.
Ironically, the race looks like it will be fought between Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. The Ferrari-Bridgestone package is back to the performance levels we last saw two years ago and Schumacher is always quick at Silverstone. Renault have demonstrated themselves to possess a formidable all-round package. No circuit is too tough for them. Fernando Alonso has made no secret of the fact that he is going about motor racing ticking boxes. World championship - tick. Monaco- tick. Now he wants to tick the box marked "Silverstone". It is not an easy one - it took Michael Schumacher more than eight years before he got his first Silverstone tick - but I think Alonso is equal to the challenge.
I would have loved to see the McLarens in contention for this race. Juan Pablo Montoya's win last year was superb. But they do not seem to have the reliability this season. It was lovely to see Kimi Raikkonen going after Fernando Alonso in Monaco but - as has happened to him far more times than he cares to remember - his Mercedes Benz engine burst into flames and he was forced into retirement. It is a mark of the man that he did not go and sit in his hotel and sulk. Instead he got some mates and some babes and sat in his yacht in the bay watching the remainder of the race while soaking in the Monte Carlo sunshine and sipping champagne. Raikkonen typifies the Formula 1 driver of yesteryear. Chaps who lived glamorous lives on the edge. Chaps to be looked up to..
In the words of Texan tough guy, George Dubya Bush, "there's gonna be some action, folks". This is a crucial race. So, ignore the football, get yourself some London Pride Bitter and a couple of packets of pork scratchings and,
Enjoy Silverstone!
Gitau
8 June 2006
posted by Gitau at 10:59 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home