From Shumi to Shoo-Me

Karthik Ranganathan — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:20:54 -0400

Only in my previous write-up after the Sepang race did I say Ferrari lacked the strategic capabilities of the Brawn-Todt-Schumacher combination and already news started to pour defying a part of it.

While I blamed Kimi and his team for the “wet tyres on a dry track” incident, it looks like this was an ingenious idea of Schumacher himself. He tried to be a bit too optimistic, hoping the rain god would shower to his calculations once more, just as he did here Eight years ago.

This time though the rain god was late by a minute and by then Kimi’s race was already under water; and the breaking news of the evening “Schumi to blame for Kimi's tyre call.”

As soon as this news hit the Public and the media, they started debating his future with Ferrari. Speculations had already risen that Ferrari may not renew his contract after this year-end, and much was to do with the Sepang saga. Even his current role could be confined to handshakes with dignitaries.

Let’s face it, it’s a gamble. A gamble to move few places up that went terribly wrong. Although I heard a commentator on ESPN-STAR, a GP2 racer himself crying loud when he saw this dubious decision, I still won’t blame it all on Michael.

If only this gamble paid off, he would have been one step closer to god; but one failed move and he has already landed at the doors.

If this damage wasn’t enough, the seven time world champion had to face some more injury in the hands of Button.

As rumors filled the air linking him to the paddocks of Brawn GP, its “ace” driver Button quickly responded by saying “We don't need help from another driver”, “We all know how to win races and Championships even though this is obviously a different level.”

Now here is a man who could manage just a single win in a career spanning nine years before he clinched his back to back victory in 2009 trying to ridicule a guy whose records will be engraved in stone arguably “forever.”

“We all know how to win races and Championships”, Jense, has victory already reached your head? Hope you didn’t forget the day when the legends Mika and Michael overtook you from both sides!

As much as it is surprising to see what two wins could do to even a midfield or back-marking driver, it is far more anguishing to see how soon people forget the greatness that only few men have achieved.

From being an Ambassador of the sport and being chosen by ESPN-STAR as the Greatest driver ever in F1 to becoming a tennis ball that has to land on any paddock you name, is simply callous. Yes, the man is known for his controversies, but that cannot take away his accolades or the benchmark he set for the game itself.

I hope when the impulse settles, the Maranello team collectively collaborates to make a good comeback.

And, as for Michael, all I can say is, “Love him, hate him, but you just cannot ignore him.”

Post Sepang 2009: Scr*w-deria Ferrari

Karthik Ranganathan — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 10:39:23 -0400

All teams in the grid fight nine others for the Championship, but Ferrari fights ten, including itself. While six teams are trying hard to come to terms with the controversial Diffuser and the unimaginable pace of the Brawn Racing team, Ferrari is having one more problem, its own team.

After two races this 2009 season, there are only two teams that are yet to open accounts, Force India and FERRARI. I wonder, when was the last time Ferrari failed to score a single point of the possible 40 in two races? Stone Age?

Ferrari came in as the favorites for 2009; they dominated the winter practice sessions, but were quite obviously oblivious to the developments going down under. With less than few weeks for the 2009 season to begin, the Born-again (or should I say Brawn-again) team made an entry, and it was a mighty one. Well rest is history.

Ferraris were suddenly struggling for Pace, the KERS they added to their cars was a huge pound of dead weight except for 6.6 seconds every lap when they blast off! KERS seem to help in defending positions, but the weight seemed to add to the time. This was Ferrari’s first problem. So, they joined the Anti-Diffuser lobby.

Reliability seemed to be another issue, Massa who was looking for points at Albert Park, failed to finish because of reliability issues.

Race Strategy, something that the Scuderia team had always been proud of, let them down. Massa’s Engineer decided that Massa’s Q3 lap time (fourth at that time) was good enough to take him through to Q2 and asked him to Jump off, that too when they had five minutes left and definitely not the quickest car on the Grid. At the end of Q3, Massa was 16th and failed to move to Q2. This is absolutely outlandish. Looks like occasional hallucinations of the good old 2008 is hovering on them.

There are many things that went wrong for them this year, but definitely on the top of the list, Kimi Räikkonen.

In the Australian GP, the Finn did an awful spin to spoil what would have otherwise been a P2 finish. But his team's decision in Sepang was the best. Its like saying, “Cost of 3 liter V8 engine, Millions, money you pay to the guy driving it, few more millions, driving with Full wet weather tires when the track was still hot and dry, Priceless. There are some things money can't buy (thankfully!)…For everything else…you know what!”.

I am reminded of the 2001 Malaysian GP, a similar rain condition, Ferrari brilliantly timed their tyre changes and teased the opposition; the only difference is, that was a winning combination: Brawn-Todt-Schumacher. The Post Brawn-Todt era is very apparent and it seems to be haunting the team. If they cannot do a quick turnaround, I suggest they start working on the next year’s car, right away!

Bleacher Report - Articles by Karthik Ranganathan

From Shumi to Shoo-Me

Post Sepang 2009: Scr*w-deria Ferrari