Falling for Formula 1

Michael Schumacher vs Mika Hakkinen, Belgian Grand Prix @Spa-Francorchamps 2000 . One of my earliest memories of Formula 1 and probably one of the moments that got me hooked to Formula 1. I had watched a few races by this point but was by no means an ardent follower . Formula 1 was just one of those things I would watch if there was nothing more interesting going on while I was channel surfing. Of course there were things that intrigued me... the high level of technology - these cars looked nothing like the road cars, the crazy high speeds - they were pushing 300 kph down the straights!... and of course the roar of the V10 engine (although I did not realize it at the time).

It was another tight fight this season with both Ferrari and McLaren producing cars that were title contenders. Michael Schumacher leading the Ferrari charge against the McLaren defending driver's champion, The Flying Finn, Mika Hakkinen. Schumacher was just 2 points behind Hakkinen going into Spa. Hakkinen qualified on pole position but spun in tricky wet conditions to hand the lead to Schumacher. With a handful of laps remaining, Schumacher starts to struggle with his tyres but cannot afford a pit stop to put on new ones with Hakkinen closing in. The stage is set for a chase to the flag. 

Hakkinen is closing in by 2-3 tenths of a second every lap and seemingly faster on the Kemmel straight and stronger on the brakes at the end of the straight. This would be the place to go for the overtake. Lap 39 out of 44, Hakkinen has Schumacher in his sights and closes the gap down the straight, benefitting from the hole Schumacher's car is punching in the air ahead of him and thus able to close up even more than usual. By the braking point, Hakkinen is in a position to dive down the inside and goes for it. Schumacher though pulls out one of his infamous dirty driving tricks and blocks the inside at the very last second, leaving no room for Hakkinen. For Hakkinen, its either drive off the track or back off. He chooses to back off. All this is happening while braking down from 300 kph over a distance of 100 or so metres and then navigating an upcoming turn while the gap between the cars is less than a metre. Crazy. Brilliant but crazy. 

Schumacher is ahead for the moment and tries to break free over the rest of the lap but Hakkinen is having none of it. Hakkinen keeps him in his sights all the way and on the next lap lines him up again. They have Ricardo Zonta, one of the backmarkers ahead of them going into the Kemmel straight. Michael stays on the inside line covering Hakkinen till they arrive right behind Zonta. Schumacher then flicks to the left of Zonta to the outside line leaving Zonta on the inside line hoping to cover Hakkinen that way. Hakkinen instinctively starts tailing Michael but then sees the move and judges there's room enough for 3 cars on the way into the braking zone and throws his car down the inside to the right of Zonta. Zonta has Michael on his left and Hakkinen on his right, he holds his line and eases off the accelerator into the braking zone as the title contenders surge ahead. On the brakes, Hakkinen has the inside line and the lead!!! 

Watch the video below. Added bonus: enjoy the commentary from the bygone era!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fZolMGFDal0&feature=youtu.be# 

Enjoy the glorious roar of the V10s in the video below without commentary.

There's a lot to love about Formula 1 but this is what I fell for. Gladiator-like performances from the drivers taking these absolute brutes of machines to the very edge of what is humanly possible. Perhaps even beyond at times.