Interlagos: a nation waits
You will not be thanked for mentioning the word “Brazil” anywhere near the White House for a long while. Barack Obama – a man who had been persuaded to believe he walked on water – felt certain a few weeks ago that his global appeal was sufficient to swing anything. He had convinced himself that his unquestionable star quality was enough to convince the members of the IOC to ignore Rio de Janeiro and choose his home city of Chicago as the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Obama’s political advisor, a wily cove called David Axelrod, probably took a look at pictures of the Brazilian president, imagined him standing next to Barack Obama and thought “no contest here, man, Rio’s goose is stewed!” It is not difficult to follow Axelrod’s reasoning. While Barack Obama is tall, athletic-looking, young and handsome, Luiz Inácio da Silva (Lula) is short, stout, hirsute, old and repellent. He looks like the sort of evil loan shark you find in a dark, smelly, pawnshop when you are on the bones of your arse and prepared to sell your soul for a bit of cash.
What Axelrod had not reckoned upon were the pictures of beautiful, bikini-wearing Brazilian maidens (this is the home of the Brazilian wax, remember) gambolling along Copacabana beach which the Brazilian delegation had plastered everywhere they could in the IOC meeting hall in Copenhagen. What Lula da Silva and his mates had planned was the inevitable consequence: the good gentlemen of the IOC positioned their brains firmly a few inches below their belts and reached for their pens. To a man they awarded the 2016 Olympic Games to the ladies of Copacabana…I beg your pardon…to the city of Rio de Janeiro. Barack Obama was forced to climb the steps of Air Force One thinking murderous thoughts of David Axelrod.
The Formula One action this weekend is in Brazil but not in as scenic a location as Rio de Janeiro. The Interlagos circuit is old, shabby and located next to a sprawling slum with a propensity to release unpleasant things like stray dogs in the path of screaming F1 cars (which isn’t exactly in keeping with the prestigious traditions of Formula One, but there we are). Still, there is something to be said for a “jua kali” (panel-beaten in the baking noonday sun) circuit. Unlike modern computer generated circuits which completely ignore the natural lay of the land and require heavy bulldozing and expensive concrete work to accomplish, Interlagos follows the natural contours and twists of its home.
This gives you an uphill starting grid, roller-coasteresque drops, odd bends and generally a really fun day (if you’re watching, that is!). Add in rain and the woefully inadequate drainage of Interlagos and you have a circuit designed in hell for drivers and crafted by angels for spectators. Who can ever forget the chaotic, rain-sodden 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix when a torrent of rain water came sweeping downhill and caused half a dozen cars – including that of rain-expert, Michael Schumacher- to aquaplane helplessly and crash into the barriers?
Interlagos was not renowned as a world championship deciding location until the 21st century but it has now taken over from Suzuka as the place where, in mafioso parlance, champions “get made”. The last two new champions, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, achieved immortality at Interlagos. Alonso by finishing third in 2005 and Hamilton by causing hearts to stop around the world and scraping fifth place at the last corner of the last lap of the last race of 2008. Since neither of these chaps had been champion before, you could argue that the omens look encouraging for the boy from Frome, Somerset, Jenson Button.
Button alone among the three title contenders has the luxury of not having to go hell for leather. Each of Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello know that to be world champion they will have to win in Brazil. For Vettel, winning the championship in 2009 at the age of 22 would be very handy as it would allow him to eclipse Lewis Hamilton as the youngest ever Formula One world champion. Nevertheless, I don’t expect too many tears from the young German if he is unsuccessful. After the troubles he has had this season, I think he will be delighted to say at the end of it that he kept himself in the running until the bitter end. For Barrichello, the story is very different.
Interlagos is the circuit closest to Barrichello’s home. He cut his racing teeth there. It is, bizarrely, plagued by bad luck for Barrichello. He has had all manner of mishaps on his way to victory at home – including running out of fuel in 2003 while leading the pack to a certain win. I hate to think what is going through his mind now. Since the death of Ayrton Senna, Brazil, a sports-obsessed nation has won the football world cup twice but had no Formula One world champion. An emotional people were brought, as one, to their feet as Felipe Massa won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix but ended up heart-broken when seconds later an Englishman took the bigger prize as world champion.
This year, Brazil suffered the emotional torment of seeing a near repeat of Senna’s horrific death in a crash at Imola in 1994 when Felipe Massa was horrifically injured in Hungary by a loose part from the car of – wait for it - Rubens Barrichello! Barrichello, an emotional man, was friends with Senna and was deeply affected by Senna’s death. The Massa crash shook him but probably intensified his focus on the challenge he faced.
Brazil wants, nay, needs a world champion. The country will not rest easily if, yet again, defeat has to be conceded to yet another native of Her Britannic Majesty’s dominions. In the awful knowledge of all of this and the fact that 2009 is his last ever chance of being the new Brazilian F1 hero, Rubens Barrichello would happily donate his left bollock to science if it would guarantee him the prize which has for so long eluded him.
The prospect of rain at Interlagos has been mentioned by some. This is splendid news. It would, therefore, be unwise to make any plans for Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Settle down somewhere comfortable, instead, and,
Enjoy Brazil!
Gitau
16 October 2009
Obama’s political advisor, a wily cove called David Axelrod, probably took a look at pictures of the Brazilian president, imagined him standing next to Barack Obama and thought “no contest here, man, Rio’s goose is stewed!” It is not difficult to follow Axelrod’s reasoning. While Barack Obama is tall, athletic-looking, young and handsome, Luiz Inácio da Silva (Lula) is short, stout, hirsute, old and repellent. He looks like the sort of evil loan shark you find in a dark, smelly, pawnshop when you are on the bones of your arse and prepared to sell your soul for a bit of cash.
What Axelrod had not reckoned upon were the pictures of beautiful, bikini-wearing Brazilian maidens (this is the home of the Brazilian wax, remember) gambolling along Copacabana beach which the Brazilian delegation had plastered everywhere they could in the IOC meeting hall in Copenhagen. What Lula da Silva and his mates had planned was the inevitable consequence: the good gentlemen of the IOC positioned their brains firmly a few inches below their belts and reached for their pens. To a man they awarded the 2016 Olympic Games to the ladies of Copacabana…I beg your pardon…to the city of Rio de Janeiro. Barack Obama was forced to climb the steps of Air Force One thinking murderous thoughts of David Axelrod.
The Formula One action this weekend is in Brazil but not in as scenic a location as Rio de Janeiro. The Interlagos circuit is old, shabby and located next to a sprawling slum with a propensity to release unpleasant things like stray dogs in the path of screaming F1 cars (which isn’t exactly in keeping with the prestigious traditions of Formula One, but there we are). Still, there is something to be said for a “jua kali” (panel-beaten in the baking noonday sun) circuit. Unlike modern computer generated circuits which completely ignore the natural lay of the land and require heavy bulldozing and expensive concrete work to accomplish, Interlagos follows the natural contours and twists of its home.
This gives you an uphill starting grid, roller-coasteresque drops, odd bends and generally a really fun day (if you’re watching, that is!). Add in rain and the woefully inadequate drainage of Interlagos and you have a circuit designed in hell for drivers and crafted by angels for spectators. Who can ever forget the chaotic, rain-sodden 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix when a torrent of rain water came sweeping downhill and caused half a dozen cars – including that of rain-expert, Michael Schumacher- to aquaplane helplessly and crash into the barriers?
Interlagos was not renowned as a world championship deciding location until the 21st century but it has now taken over from Suzuka as the place where, in mafioso parlance, champions “get made”. The last two new champions, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, achieved immortality at Interlagos. Alonso by finishing third in 2005 and Hamilton by causing hearts to stop around the world and scraping fifth place at the last corner of the last lap of the last race of 2008. Since neither of these chaps had been champion before, you could argue that the omens look encouraging for the boy from Frome, Somerset, Jenson Button.
Button alone among the three title contenders has the luxury of not having to go hell for leather. Each of Sebastian Vettel and Rubens Barrichello know that to be world champion they will have to win in Brazil. For Vettel, winning the championship in 2009 at the age of 22 would be very handy as it would allow him to eclipse Lewis Hamilton as the youngest ever Formula One world champion. Nevertheless, I don’t expect too many tears from the young German if he is unsuccessful. After the troubles he has had this season, I think he will be delighted to say at the end of it that he kept himself in the running until the bitter end. For Barrichello, the story is very different.
Interlagos is the circuit closest to Barrichello’s home. He cut his racing teeth there. It is, bizarrely, plagued by bad luck for Barrichello. He has had all manner of mishaps on his way to victory at home – including running out of fuel in 2003 while leading the pack to a certain win. I hate to think what is going through his mind now. Since the death of Ayrton Senna, Brazil, a sports-obsessed nation has won the football world cup twice but had no Formula One world champion. An emotional people were brought, as one, to their feet as Felipe Massa won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix but ended up heart-broken when seconds later an Englishman took the bigger prize as world champion.
This year, Brazil suffered the emotional torment of seeing a near repeat of Senna’s horrific death in a crash at Imola in 1994 when Felipe Massa was horrifically injured in Hungary by a loose part from the car of – wait for it - Rubens Barrichello! Barrichello, an emotional man, was friends with Senna and was deeply affected by Senna’s death. The Massa crash shook him but probably intensified his focus on the challenge he faced.
Brazil wants, nay, needs a world champion. The country will not rest easily if, yet again, defeat has to be conceded to yet another native of Her Britannic Majesty’s dominions. In the awful knowledge of all of this and the fact that 2009 is his last ever chance of being the new Brazilian F1 hero, Rubens Barrichello would happily donate his left bollock to science if it would guarantee him the prize which has for so long eluded him.
The prospect of rain at Interlagos has been mentioned by some. This is splendid news. It would, therefore, be unwise to make any plans for Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Settle down somewhere comfortable, instead, and,
Enjoy Brazil!
Gitau
16 October 2009
posted by Gitau at 12:11 pm
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