Groan for Bridgestone, Misery for Ferrari

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If that can translate into any kinda curse, thats probably the one to use for the tyres on pliers....waiting for the opportune moment to cut through...yeah, Bridgestone... Screw 'em for all the misery they have given the Champion...Schumi starts 8th - up into 3rd gunning for 2nd before his tyres gunned....and back in 8th after a pit stop, another blows up the next lap... And Barrichello charges across the field with a 1 stop strategy forced to settle out of the points...That makes it 2 races out of 5 with Ferrari out of the points...Hasnt happened in the last decade! The pain in the hearts of the fans seeing a glimmer of hope shreded by the frustrating erosion of rubber is too great to pen. With the FIA hurting Ferrari where it hurts most, with Bridgestone supplying wheels of satin, Ferrari is staring down the drain with respect to the Championship. They can forget it and concentrate on next year...so that they can atleast introduce their new "the best car yet to come..." in atleast the 13th race of the season....And Jean Todd can stick his @ss for partnership with Bridgestone and that Malaysian model...Ferrari desperately need a playing field to prove they are the best...And they arent going to get it by pushing a racing car with hands....hmm...on hindsight, with the 22 mechanics pushin it, it might be just a bit faster than what's at present.... Whether Schumi gets humbled by Alonso or beaten fair and square by Raikkonen will cause immense pain but still far lesser than getting screwed by some squashed up Japanese sushi! Whatever Ross Brawn can cook up with his mastermind during the race, he will still be bloody eyed seeing his genius blow up in thin air.... Ferrari are still the very best....Bridgestone tyres lest....And they can forget their Championship quest...Italians swear by their partners in business, but whats the use if the partners arent responding to the challenges and screwin up ur lives? And with 2006 looking at a one-tyre championship and Michelin supplying 7 of the top 8 teams, there is a definite indication that Ferrari have to switch to the French tyre at some point of time...why not at the earliest? This brings me to the point of "history repeats itself".

Ferrari were the last of the top 8 teams to switch from Goodyear tyres to Bridgestone tyres at the end of 1997, and Bridgestone tyres were used in the one-tyre championship in 1998.
Ferrari tyres always blow up at the first turn while McLaren's tyres always screw up at the last turn leading to the pits...(I think I have blogged abt this before...one more example...)
Michael Schumacher always has not one but a pair of problems in the race, whenever he has problems...

eg:
Suzuka 1998 - Stalled start and blown tyre - guess where!
Germany 2001 - Tyre blowout, Suspension loss
Austria 2002 - Fire in the pits and front wing loss
Germany 2003 - Refueller problem and tyre blowout - guess where!
Shanghai 2004 - Two spins in the race at the same turn, highly unlike Schumi...
Barcelona 2005 - Two seperate blown tyres - guess where!

How blady true! This is apart from the 1996 season where bits of Ferrari car delighted fans at almost every race. He has overcome everything and put in the performance over the last 14 years with a consistency like none other! His teammate is often considered as playing second fiddle to him and so , he doesnt have real competition...but out of the 218 GP starts and 138 podiums, his teammate has finished one position below him on 18 occasions.... Which were all 1-2s except one in Austria 2001 (2-3). How can you explain the other 200 GPs and 120 podiums(60%) and 1196 points (5.49 points per race), even if we assume his teammate gifted him those 18 times? He deserves my adulations for just his driving skills and unmatched car control, even in a car which doesnt perform well...how ever people might view them or criticise them. He IS the best driver out there by miles. He is still one of the only two drivers fast both in and out of a corner (the other being Raikkonen).

Some interesting facts from this race:
Only Ferrari powered tyres blew...(Ferrari and Sauber)
Alonso is the only guy to finish all races this year and has finished on the podium every race till now this season.
Stunning drive by Giancarlo Fisichella...ending in the fastest lap on the last lap.
Another commendable consistent drive by Trulli.
Overdriving from Narain - The only time his teammate has beaten him on track when they have finished the race.
Montoya, Barrichello, Heidfeld and Monteiro were the only people to overtake on track.

Some predictions for the end of the season:
Look out for the first Ferrari win of the season in Canada.
Fisichella will outplay Alonso in terms of results in the latter half(may not be the overall points haul).
Toyota going to be the best of the rest (4th)
Raikkonen will humble Montoya by more than twice the points haul

Just wondering....
Im still curious about how it will be if Schumi drove for Minardi after the end of his career...just a test run will do....a world of difference to the perception of what it takes to be a driver of his class....although knowing what I do about Schumi, he wouldnt do it...

Looking forward to stunning drives from Schumi for the rest of the season. For those of you who care a penny for this, watch F1 for the sheer pleasure of his drive this year...This is going to be the second best season for him in terms of his driving....(after 1996). Its often said the public mindset is fragile but a hardened fan's passion is shown when his team/driver doesnt do well, and right now, all I can do is pray for a brilliant Schumi fightback. Schumi sure rox as he breaks the clocks!

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