After almost 2 years, I saw more than half a Formula 1 race. I am no longer a fan of the sport, I don't give a damn now. But still, there is an element of nostalgia regarding the sport. Here are my most memorable Formula 1 moments.
1 - Brazil 1999 - My first race. Mika Hakkinen wins using some clever pit stop strategy. This is when I became his fan, and am still one.
2 - Britain 1999 - Schumacher crashes out. Naga is crushed. And so is GD. And so are the rest of the Tifosi.
3 - Austria 1999 - Hakkinen is bumped at the beginning, and catches up from 20th to 3rd. I had a great time watching this race.
4 - Suzuka 1999 - Watched the race with GR Pradeep at his place cuz I didn't have power at my place. Boring race, but for Hakkinen lifting the championship. I had a great day.
5 - Belgium 2000 - The best overtaking moment in my Formula 1 memory. Schumacher has bad tyres, is cooling them off each time on the Radillion straight after Eau Rouge. Hakkinen is catching up, and there are 5 more laps to go. Schumacher goes past the hapless backmarker Zonta from the left, Hakkinen goes past Zonta from the right, and emerges ahead of Schumacher with 4 laps to go. Brilliant stuff shot from the end of Radillion straight. I went up in ecstasy, and my mom also clapped. I remember it being listed as one of the 10 most exciting moments in Formula 1 history till then.
6 - Spain 2001 - Hakkinen retires on the last lap. I am crushed. My worst Formula 1 moment.
7 - Imola qualifying 2000 or 2001, I am not sure of the year. Schumacher has just set the fastest lap. Hakkinen starts his last qualifying run just before the session ends, is behind Schumacher in terms of time after the first two speed traps. Drives like a maniac through the last third, and beats Schumiboy by 1 thousandth of a second. Naga and I saw this together (we made it a point never to be together for any Formula 1 event - exception being this and the first US GP) and it was a moment to cherish for us both, for the sheer thrill of the old format qualifying.
There are a zillion memories attached with Formula 1. The post race press conference couldn't stand up to our own post race gloating/analysis sessions. Formula 1 still holds a special place in my heart. But with Hakkinen and Naga gone, its just not the same anymore.
3 comments:
I have s/Hakkinen/Raikonnen/
That is why I still continue to watch I guess.
5) stands very high on the sheer guts scale. Schumacher and Hakkinen ripping past the backmarker, and a twitch either way would have spelt disaster. I remember that I just couldn't stop grinning after that move, and during the post-race conference, Hakkinen was in a similar state.
With Naga gone, Schumacher is not impressive anymore, no matter how he performs.
I actually got addicted to Formula One after hearing Teju talk about hakkinnen and shumi, later on my local area friends formed teams and I started supporting Ferrari, just because I liked the colour.
(guess what...I wasnt the only superstitious person around found a lot of people like me in UK)
Ferrari Passion developed into devotion and devotion turned to addiction. (Fuelled by Schumi and more specifically Ferrari's briliance)...
Everything was put to perspective in this year's British Grand Prix...where I actually visited ...and also walked on the track and touched it....my life seems fullfilled.
Pavan. (PK)
Forever ferrari fan.
(although woudlnt enjoy if mclaren wasnt there)
www.livejournal.com/users/pavismaya
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