Formula 1: Pulling For McLaren Mercedes

I've been a Formula 1 fan since the early 90's. I used to despise Michael Schumacher, but he came to be my favorite driver beacuse of the way he built the Ferrari team into World Champions and won five Driver's Championships along the way.

It was hard not to become a Tifosi, although I was initially a McLaren fan. I thought Mika Hakkinen was cool.

A lot has happened since those days and it's hard to ignore the unfair advantage that Ferrari enjoys with the FIA over the rest of the field. My views towards the Marenello team have all but changed after the reports surfaced last year that Schumi was pushed out for Kimi.

I am still in disbelief.

Now reports are surfacing that Ferrari has optioned Alonso for 2010!! WTF?? Why??

Massa has been loyal and has grown with the team and appears to be more passionate, albiet less "naturally" talented than Kimi. Isn't Ferrari about passion and dedication to the team? I found Kimi's reception to Schumi's welcome to the team downright disrespectful. Schumi's tutelage of Massa appears to be paying dividends...pole in Monaco.

While I was a die-hard Tifosi, I ignored the preferential treatment Ferrari got...rarely getting penalized in races and always receiving the benefit of doubt whenever technical issues arose, i.e. transmission, engine braking, and barge board specs.

I thought the penalty imposed on McLaren as a result of Stepney-gate was very harsh. It was unfortunate that Hamilton failed to score points in the last race. But the BMW's should have been disqualified for running lean fuel, which would have placed Hamilton in the points. Had the teams been reversed I bet Ferrari would have been moved up by hook or crook.

I want to see McLaren right the ship and bounce back from the horrible year they had in 2007, especially since they got rid of whining Alonso. Hamilton is quick enough to beat Ferrari—though I'm a Massa fan, I could do without Kimi.

It's refreshing to see Hamilton so into analyzing the race and the car telemetry. Ron Dennis should scoop Massa the minute Ferrari makes the mistake of dumping him for Alonso.