The Formula One “circus” reached the city of Singapore to witness the city stage its very first F1 race which also happens to be the first ever night race in F1’s history. Yes you read that right, it was a night race as in all cars went round in circles under flood lights. The entire track was illuminated to such an extent that it almost felt like daytime. The tarmac was smooth and the background was delicious, none of the teams knew what to expect.
The Italian Grand Prix 2008 took place only a week after the Spa race. Ferrari took heart from the fact that Massa was declared the eventual winner of the Belgian Grand Prix while McLaren weren’t too happy after Lewis was stripped of a victory. Whether or not Lewis tried to push the limits of the rulebook will be debated for days to come. That’s his style and the aggression which some fans love while others love to hate. However, he was all set to conquer Italy.
The Belgian Grand Prix 2008 was first of the two back to back races in September. Spa Francorchamps being the premier racing venue and many driver’s favorite circuit, a lot of excitement and hardcore racing was guaranteed. The circuit didn’t disappoint on any count and with the unpredictable weather adding its own charm, it easily became one of the most watchable race this season so far.
The Hungarian Grand Prix 2008 turned out to be one of the most exciting races of the season. Its a known fact that this race has always been a dull affair due to the lack of overtaking opportunities provided to the drivers. Usually the one to qualify upfront wins the race. However, this time the refueling rig fires and technical failures provided the much needed excitement.
Monaco has always been the most celebrated Formula 1 race on the calendar and this one was no different. Monaco is all about glitz and glamour and the on track action makes it even better. Everyone expected the McLarens to run away with the race this year but the weather conditions meant it wasn’t going to be easy for them by any stretch of imagination. The qualifying sessions proved likewise with Ferraris claiming both the first and second places on the grid, against all odds. The McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen easily blocked out the second row.
The Turkish Grand Prix 2007 was held after a break of three weeks. With both the championships delicately poised for the championship rivals, it was indeed an impatient period of F1 inactivity for the fans. The 5.3km long Istanbul Park is considered by many to be a masterpiece in modern F1 era and the awesome Turn 8 presents a delightful spectacle for the sport lovers. Its a true test for the drivers and their machinery alike.
The Hungarian Grand Prix 2007 was more in news due to its qualifying incidents than the race itself. The race, as expected, was a boring affair. Lewis Hamilton of McLaren lead the procession from first to last and ended up with another victory for him and his team. What happened before that was simply unimaginable and McLaren boss Ron Dennis got more than he had bargained for.
I’m here again with a short review of European Grand Prix 2007. The race in Britain was strategically the best race of the season so far. However, it has to be said that this year’s European Grand Prix was undoubtedly the better one purely from entertainment aspect. If I may add, even better than the chaotic race we witnessed in Canada. Incidentally, this was also the first time this season when rain played spoilsport. If you’re an optimist, you’d like to believe it raised the entertainment quotient a tad higher than expected. It was a win-win situation for the spectators.
Firstly, apologies for another delayed review! Kimi Raikkonen stunned the British fans by clinching his second consecutive win for Ferrari while they were expecting their local hero, Lewis to triumph. On Saturday, everything seemed to be on plan for the young Brit when he secured another pole in his short career. As the race unfolded on Sunday, it was an entirely different story, obviously, not scripted by Hamilton or McLaren. He finished the race in 3rd, his 9th consecutive podium of this season.
The French Grand Prix 2007 marked the resurgence of Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen. The flying Finn scored his first victory since Australia. Ferrari scored their first 1-2 finish after almost a year with Felipe Massa taking the second place. It throws the championship wide open yet again. The race saw both McLaren drivers struggle to match the speeds generated by Ferrari cars. Both Ferraris finished the race about 30 seconds ahead of the 3rd placed McLaren of Lewis Hamilton.