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Fernando Alonso is F1 Worldchampion 2005. Though Kimi Räikonnen got in 2nd in the Brazilian GP, 3rd was enough for Alonso to close it after all. Congrats!

Ok I gotta admit that todays F1 race was somewhat interesting. The good thing about todays race was the rainy wather, though I hoped for it to pour till the end, and the circuit which is one of the few good old tracks which are still challenging and tough. Also it could be seen how interesting those tyre change pitsops are. I hope the F1 decisionmakers finally realize the huge mistake they made in forbidding tyre changes.

Though Räikonnen won, I don’t really think the he still has a chance to snatch the title away from Alonso in the last minute. He is just to far ahead. Actually another problem of F1 is that the points difference for 1st and 2nd is not very big. Lousy 2 points. So it is really hard to catch up. That explains how drivers who actually never win get really far ahead in the championship. A victory should count heavier to distingush it more from 2nd. After all 2nd winner is only 1st looser and the point should reflect that.

Anyway one word about Sato. This guy has done enough damage and kicked drivers of the track. Hopefully he won’t be sitting an a cockpit again next season! (And I am not just saying that because I am a Schumacher fan) 

I just finished watching the F1 race and I am asking myself why I am actually putting myself to watch this pathetic display of bordom anymore. Where are the good old times where racing was still racing and the driver had to show some skill? Nowadays, with all that technology inside the cars, even I monkey could do the job and win if he sits in a good car. Ok, I am exaggarating, but seriously, the job of a driver has been degrated to steer the wheel, press the peddals and push some buttons. Can that really be it? You could think that this is the nescessary consequence of the high-tech world we live in, but when you watch the American racing series like Champcars or NASCAR, you are proven wrong. These cars drive with minimum technology and the races are exiting. Don’t get me wrong, I am big fan of technology (read my blog) but I just think it does not belong in a race car. Still racing is a sport eventhough it looks more then a huge commercial.

The reason why F1 got so boring is mainly because of those rules which are so far beyond any reason and common sense. Here is my personal (s)hitlist why F1 plainly sucks:

1. Tyres 1: First of all what is this rediculous rule that tyres cannot be changed anymore during a race? All those years F1 put effort in making racing more safe and now they are provoking unnescessary accidents with this counter-productive rule. Räikonnen at the Nürburgring is the best example and Montoya was just lucky today.
2. Tyres 2: Why on earth do we need to competing tyre producers. It is rediculous that the driver has to suffer when the tyre is bad. That completely distorts the picture, who is a good driver and who is not. Besides, what happened at the US Grand Prix might not have happened with uniform tyres.
3. Tyres 3: Why does F1 still race with these grooved tyres. Every respectable racing series uses slicks. They are way more robust and the grip is better, meaning the driver is not so likely to loose the car in a turn. So these tyres are also counter-productive to safety.
4. Downforce in dirty air: I am getting so fed up with watching a pilot closing up on the one in front and just when he is close behind that he could overtake, he gets stuck because the car is getting no downforce anymore. Then he drives around for laps and laps without any chance of overtaking. Is not overtaking what makes racing interesting? That is so absurd. A car should be constructed in a way that the slipstream from the car in front actually increases downforce and let the driver overtake. This actually works quite well in Champcar where they have special flaps that help overtaking. In F1 there is no chance of overtaking if the car is not way faster or the guy in front makes a mistake.
5. Traction control and start automatic: This is to me the most ridiculous piece of technology in the cars. At the start the driver simply presses a button and puts the pedal to the metal. What is wrong in this picture? Couple of years back there where drivers with excellent skill in starts. Now it is just the ability of the team to build a good electronic that decides who gets away quick and who doesn’t. Also in the turns drivers don’t have to worry about loosing the tail anymore.
6. Tracks: There are a few good tracks left in F1. The only really nice one is Monaco. All other tracks are just so unreal, letting the spectator sit hundreds of meters away from the action. I remember when I was in the US in the mid 90s I went to a NASCAR race at Searspoint Raceway and I was maybe 20m from the cars flying by with 200 kph. That was a rush, but in F1 no thanks! Also if the track is not in perfect condition and has some bumps, everyone starts whining. A few weeks back there was a Champcar race in downtown San Rose (CA) where the cars had to drive over railroad tracks. The cars almost jumped half a meter every lap and no one complained. To me racing gets exciting when not everything is perfect but it is challenging.

Well I could go on but I actually have to get to some other things now. I would actually appreciate your comment to see how you think about all this. Would be interesting.

Oh, by the way, Montoya won the GP of Italy. 

Crossing the white line on pitlane exit cost Paffett the lead in the DTM championship. Looking as the clear winner, the drive through penalty cost him his lead to Ekström, who is now #1 by 1 point.

Click here for race results.

Wow what a race! And Ferrari is finally back, sort of! I mean I personally would have liked to see Michael back on P1 but ok, 2nd is not too bad after what we all had to see the over the last couple of months. Hopefully Ferrari can keep improving.

Results:
1. Kimi Räikkönen - McLaren-Mercedes
2. Michael Schumacher - Ferrari
3. Ralf Schumacher - Toyota
4. Jarno Trulli - Toyota
5. Jenson Button - BAR-Honda
6. Nick Heidfeld - Williams-BMW
7. Mark Webber - Williams-BMW
8. Takuma Sato - BAR-Honda

Links:
Official F1 Hungary GP Site

Champcars: Todays Champcar Race in San Jose is not broadcasted live this week but tomorrow the 1st Aug. at 23:15 CET on Eurosport.