Hail the new Champion!

A new record was set early this morning in the Formula 1 Driver Championship. Spaniard Fernando Alonso has become the youngest ever driver to be the Formula One World Champion. At an age of barely 24, he beat the record set by Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi, who was 25years 8months n 29days when he took the crown in 1972. Alonso held an unassailable lead of 23 points over closest rival Kimi Raikkonen with 2 races left in the season. The whole of Spain has gone wild after the race in Sao Paolo ended, announcing the new champion. Even Spain’s King Juan Carlos warmly saluted the new Formula One king.

This morning’s race saw the first 1-2 finish for the McLaren Mercedes Team in 5 years, with Juan Pablo Montoya finishing in front of his team mate Kimi Raikkonen. Alonso, needing only 6 points from the race to win the Driver’s Championship, finished third behind the McLaren pair in his Renault. I can see the great joy in him when he passed the chequed flag, raising both of his arms in ecstasy. Who wouldn’t? He is Spain’s 1^st World Champion after all, n to think that back in 2001, he was still with the hopeless Minardi Team. Haha, when he first joined the sport, I never really notice him until last year when he matured as a driver with the ever improving Renault Team. Reward must go to the fantastic team of mechanics n engineers in Renault. They held off fierce competition from the McLaren, Ferrari n Williams BMW teams. I’m a Ferrari supporter, n I must give credit to Renault for such a powerful n exciting season. I admit that I never thought u guys will win the Driver’s Championship, but now u made me eat my words. Well done Renault!

Hai, my poor Michael Schumacher of Ferrari never really come out of his shell this season. He was overshadowed by the likes of Alonso, Button n Raikkonnen. Mind u, he’s the reigning champion, with 7 titles n 84 wins under his belt, the most successful driver in Formula One history. Oh well, the great German has fallen. A shift of power perhaps? I still love the red Ferraris though. Maybe it’s just that dominance in anything has to end somehow. After winning 5 consecutive championships, Schumi, I guess u need to step down a little for the next generation. Never mind, I’ll wait for the next season, hoping to see an improved Ferrari car, your F2005 this year just wasn’t up to the mark. I miss the sight of shiny red Ferraris zooming past the chequed flag in a 1-2 finish.

I see a déjà vu in Alonso’s win this morning. The combination of the Renault Team(French) n driver Fernando Alonso(Spanish) produced a winning formula. They were one of most underrated team in the sport, n yet they won it. It reminds me of the Liverpool team that won the UEFA Champions’ League last season. No one expected them to win, but they did the impossible with a mixture of French n Spanish players. Djibril Cisse, Sinama Pongolle, Anthony Le Tallec n Djimi Traore were the French players. Mixing with the Spanish contingent of Xabi Alonso, Luiz Garcia, Antonio Nunez n Jose Josemi, not forgetting their Spanish manager, Rafael Bentitez, they produced a winning squad. Haha, what coincidence huh? The only difference is that the Renault team is blue n yellow in colour wheareas Liverpool is red.

A new champion, a new era. Let’s hope that the Formula One racing world can only get more exciting from now on, starting from next March, when the new season kicks off in Melbourne. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy the remaining 2 races of the season n see who wins the Constructors’ Championship in the end. Will it be Renault or McLaren?