Formula One 2005

I have been following the sport for past 2-3 years, especially after coming to Bangalore last year I hardly missed a race. Well, sitting at TGI Fridays' with a bunch of friends sipping beer, there is no reason why I should. In fact, the first time I watched a race was in Bangalore when I visited the city for the first in 2002. I am really impressed by the kind of following this sport has in the city. And with our very own Narain Karthikeyan now racing, the excitement and awareness for the sport has grown tremendously.

Well, I have been a Ferrari fan ever since I started watching, probably because they were winning and I didn't know better. But I am not one of those die hard fans, pretty flexible in whom I support. Also, it wasn't fun any more watching the one sided races the whole last season. So, it was quite refreshing to see the duo of Alonso and Raikkonen battling it out for the Drivers Championship this season. Even though the championship is already decided with Alonso becoming the youngest ever driver to win the title, you would not want to miss the remaining two races as a very close battle is still on for the Constructors Championship.

The season started off on a disastrous note for the reigning champion Michael Schumacher who had to retire early in the Australian Grand Prix. Though Barrichello did bring a podium finish for Ferrari with his second place finish, the stage was set for a tough season for the Ferrari but it was still too early to rule them out. The Renault has been showing good pace throughout last winter and the result of the race, with two podium finish, emphasized that this form had not been illusory. McLaren had to content with just four points, with both Montoya and Raikkonen suffering errant barge boards during the race.

Nothing much was expected of Karthikeyan in his debut race but he looked quite at ease in his Jordan and performed well to prove his critics wrong who had made disparaging remarks about his lack of experience.

The Formula One 2005 season was on!!

Renault went on to win the next three races with Alonso popping the Champagne each time. They couldn’t have expected a better start to the season. Their car was not only fast, but also the most reliable on the circuit. McLaren on the other hand had to wait till the fifth race to register a win; they were the fastest no doubt, but the engine and the car reliability was something they had to struggle with throughout the season. Ferrari had a mountain to climb if they were to retain their title, but the chances looked slim with Renault and McLaren outshining Ferrari in all departments. But the big surprise was Toyota which made its presence felt with its speed and consistency.

Renault and McLaren took turns winning the next few races with the exception of Indianapolis where the race itself turned into a fiasco after all the teams running on Michelin tyres opted out on Michelin’s advice that it could not guarantee safety on Indianapolis' banked high-speed turn. It was a big disappointment to all F1 fans and left a big question mark whether Indianapolis would be a race venue next year. This was Ferrari’s first and could very well be the only win of the season. Karthikeyan on his Jordan, one of the three teams running on Bridgestone tyres, finally managed to get some points but was outpaced by teammate Monteiro for a third place podium finish.

With thirteen podium finish and just two retirements out of the seventeen races so far, drivers’ championship was never a real threat for Alonso. There was very little to choose between Alonso and Raikkonen though, both are young and a treat to watch and we could hope that this performance continues next season. If it wasn’t for the poor reliability of McLaren, the fight would have been much closer, though McLaren did come up with a much improved car performance towards the later half of the season and the fans finally got to see a McLaren one-two finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

As far as Karthikeyan goes, he began the season on a promising note, consistently outpacing his teammate. But then, when he was expected to settle down and give a mature and intelligent show, he lost ground and found it even difficult to stay ahead of his rookie teammate, who on the other hand grabbed this opportunity and has already impressed many. There is no doubt the responsibility of carrying the expectations of one billion Indians is not easy. I do hope he gets more consistent without losing his aggressiveness, for that is his main weapon. Retaining his spot in the team might not be easy but it would be good to see him drive next year. Thanks to him, the country is more interested and curious about the sport than it was ever before.

With two more races to go, the Constructers Championship is still wide open with just two points separating Renault and McLaren. So, grab your beer and get ready for the action, Formula One was never this exciting for a long time!

Check out the Official Formula One Website for Race Results, Schedule, Technical Insights and much more!!