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Anyone reading my posts on the forum will know I have a passion for space and astronomy. I am, however, a passionate sports fan as well. I love cricket. I was brought up on rugby union (that tends to happen when you have Welsh grandparents). The rugby is the reason for my user name, I am a supporter of the London Wasps team (more about them very soon). However my first great passion was motor sport, more specifically Formula 1.
I know many people find F1 boring. I can understand that, the racing is not as good as it once was. F1 has always aimed to be at the pinnacle of technology and the result is that they have become so technologically advanced that only the very richest teams can afford to produce a car capable of winning the championship. Things are slowly improving but there is a long way to go.
This year the race for the world championship is looking good. The two best teams, Ferrari and McLaren both have two drivers capable of winning races. The pedigree of the Ferrari drivers was never in doubt. Both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa were never in doubt, both are former race winners. The same is true of the McLaren driver Fernando Alonso, after all who can doubt the ability of the man that has been world champion for the last 2 years and who is the youngest ever world champion? Then there is McLaren's other driver, Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton is a rookie and is just 22 years old. Those of us that follow motor racing knew he was good. He was the champion in the GP2 series last year. This is a series run along side Formula 1 and is the series that aspiring F1 drivers can show their stuff. However Hamilton has exceeded all expectations.
The Formula 1 started in 1950. Since it started no driver had finished on the podium in each of his first three races. Hamilton has done it in his first 4. He finished third on début and has finished second and each of the following races. By the third Grand Prix of the season he was joint leader of the championship in a three way tie. After four races he is the clear leader. He is the youngest driver ever to lead the world championship.
The last three young drivers to excite me this much were Ayrton Senna, Stefan Bellof and Michael Schumacher. Senna went on to win 3 world championships before his tragic death at Imola in 1994. Michael Schumacher won a record breaking seven world championships. Sadly Bellof was killed in a sports car race befroe being able to show how good he really was. If I am right and Hamilton is in the class of these men then he will become one of the true greats.
What really excites me about this is that Lewis Hamilton is British.
I know many people find F1 boring. I can understand that, the racing is not as good as it once was. F1 has always aimed to be at the pinnacle of technology and the result is that they have become so technologically advanced that only the very richest teams can afford to produce a car capable of winning the championship. Things are slowly improving but there is a long way to go.
This year the race for the world championship is looking good. The two best teams, Ferrari and McLaren both have two drivers capable of winning races. The pedigree of the Ferrari drivers was never in doubt. Both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa were never in doubt, both are former race winners. The same is true of the McLaren driver Fernando Alonso, after all who can doubt the ability of the man that has been world champion for the last 2 years and who is the youngest ever world champion? Then there is McLaren's other driver, Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton is a rookie and is just 22 years old. Those of us that follow motor racing knew he was good. He was the champion in the GP2 series last year. This is a series run along side Formula 1 and is the series that aspiring F1 drivers can show their stuff. However Hamilton has exceeded all expectations.
The Formula 1 started in 1950. Since it started no driver had finished on the podium in each of his first three races. Hamilton has done it in his first 4. He finished third on début and has finished second and each of the following races. By the third Grand Prix of the season he was joint leader of the championship in a three way tie. After four races he is the clear leader. He is the youngest driver ever to lead the world championship.
The last three young drivers to excite me this much were Ayrton Senna, Stefan Bellof and Michael Schumacher. Senna went on to win 3 world championships before his tragic death at Imola in 1994. Michael Schumacher won a record breaking seven world championships. Sadly Bellof was killed in a sports car race befroe being able to show how good he really was. If I am right and Hamilton is in the class of these men then he will become one of the true greats.
What really excites me about this is that Lewis Hamilton is British.
Apparently, according to the powers that be over here, he(Hamilton) the best thing since sliced bread, lol. When I mentioned his name, eyes lit-up and faces got animated, I diddn't dare push the issue further.
I'm only vaguely familiar with the rules of Rugby, but I am a staunch admirer of the sport and of it's athletes. Growing-up playing American Football my entire life and into college, I have nothing but respect for the toughness and fearlessness that must come with playing a sport like Rugby.
Waspie, are you familiar with the American Football game that is scheduled to be played at New Wimbley Stadium later this year?