F1 season Twenty08………

The start to the much awaited 2008 season of F1 began with all the fanfare, speculations, reviews, analysis and the hype that is always a part of this glamorous sport. The Season began with round 1 at Albert Park, Melbourne Australia, a difficult track to race on with it’s counter-clockwise set up.
As expected the season started with a two way showdown at the top with the Ferrari’s and Mclaren’s trying to battle it out for the top honours. With round one going Mclaren’s way and Hamilton taking to the Winner’s Podium, the stage was set for what could be a very exciting season ahead. The surprise package of the season was the BMW team setting a slew of fast times in the qualifying and with Nick Hiedfeld finishing second in Albert Park, demonstrating that the BMW’s are no longer the middle runners they were known to be.
In round two, the scene shifted to the famed Sepang F1 circuit in the Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. One of the toughest races in the calendar for both Man and Machinery. The conditions being very hot and humid and to add to it a very technically challenging circuit was sure unfold a very promising and exciting race. With Traction control being taken off the cars for the season, the onus was now on the drivers to show their skills behind the wheels. The Ferrari’s of Raikkonen and Massa scorched the tracks during the Friday Free Practice and the Saturday Qualifying, with Massa taking Pole and Raikkonen second, giving the season’s first all Ferrari starting line up. With the Mclaren’s being penalized and pushed to row 4 and 5 of the grid for obstructing other cars during qualifying, the Ferrari’s seemed set for the First win of the season.
Going by the pace and the reliability of the Ferrari’s over the weekend, the race seemed to be a cakewalk for the scarlet red team. So it was, Kimi Raikkonen took the first win of the season. If not for Massa’s bit of over exuberance, it could have been a Ferrari one two.
The other talk of the town has been Vijay Mallya’s Force India. Does Force India have the Force to Power ahead a dying team, we can only know in the races to come. If the last two races are any indication to go by, it well might be a tough season ahead for the first ever Indian Outfit in F1.
So there it is, as anticipated the fight at the top between the Defending World Champions and the Team Mclaren continues from where it was left last season.
As the season progresses further, it sure promises to be a treat to all. With the 18 races and 22 cars battling it out, there are surely some fireworks in store.