I was blessed with the opportunity of being among the spectators at the
2001 Hungarian Grand Prix. For it is only in person that one can
comprehend the level of excitement in a race as predictable as Hungary.
I cannot imagine I would have stayed awake for the entirety of the
Hungarian Grand Prix had I viewed it on television. For many the remainder
of the season is now irrelevant as Michael Schumacher has left little to
salvage. The race itself may have appeared predictable, but the
Championships clinched and the records broken will allow Hungary to remain
significant in the 2001 F1 season.
The Hungarian Grand Prix was doomed before it ever began. The fact that it
never rained in the history of the event made it all the more unlikely for
a wet weather race, and Schumacher's 0.8 second qualifying blitz on
Saturday confirmed he was on a mission for victory.
It's easy to lose sight of the fact that there are some 21 drivers other
than Michael Schumacher. Despite Hungary's apparent adoration for Mika
Hakkinen, and the supposed swarm of fans from Finland that make the annual
trek south, the crowd at Hungary remained the same as every other Formula
One race- predominately red. The passion for Ferrari is unfathomable.
It's also easy to forget that aside from Ferrari's current reign of
domination, nothing comes easy and Michael Schumacher's Drivers
Championship and the Ferrari's Constructors Championship are a result of
intense work ethic and perpetual motivation.
I was surprised at the level of emotion displayed by Schumacher on the
podium. For a driver who appeared poised for the crown ever since the
first race of the season in Melbourne, it was obvious how much
significance the title held and how hard the team had worked. Schumacher
has almost fooled us into believing he could win a race with blindfolded.
We almost forget he is human. Winning is so frequent that a complete
absence of emotion would have surprised me less.
All right, so maybe not everyone is a Schumacher fanatic. I certainly have
never had to search very far to find those who loathe his ego and the
support he receives from a team built around him. Having said that, his
talent is indisputable.
Aside from the Drivers Championship and Constructors Championship ending
prematurely, there are still plenty of questions waiting to be answered
before the end of the 2001 F1 season. It's an exciting time at the moment
in the driver market. Firstly, why has McLaren yet to announce the future
of Mika Hakkinen? We all presume naturally that Hakkinen will continue on
with McLaren as he has done for the last nine years. Yet if McLaren
fails
to sign Hakkinen, whom will they sign? Really, who is left?
The next race at Spa will also serve as the debut for the Malaysian
Minardi
driver Alex Yoong. A replacement for Marques had been long overdue, and
although a Minardi finishing a race will be a feat in itself, it will
still be interesting to compare Yoong with teammate Fernando Alonso.
So as difficult as Hungary may have been to sit through, I assure you
plenty of drama is yet to come. I seem to recall a special little region
at Spa known as "Eau Rouge."
