Let's go!

We're almost to race time for the Formula 1 season finale at Interlagos today. So far, the weekend has played out pretty closely to how I figured it would. Felip Massa put his Ferrari on pole by roughly 15 seconds, and Lewis Hamilton is qualified in a relatively safe 4th, with what appears to be a relatively heavy fuel load. Going off of sector times in qualifying, McLaren has apparently also trimmed a lot of wing off of Lewis's car, and I imagine that the reason for that is that if he has a sub-standard start, then he'll be able to use his superior straightaway speed to pass enough cars to get back up to the championship-clinching 5th place. The real wild cards in the equation are Jarno Trulli (qualified 2nd, though I think he's running light fuel and won't be a true factor in the race), Fernando Alonso (qualified 6th, directly behind Lewis on the grid, and who has said that he's willing to help Felipe to the crown), and the dirty side of the grid, where Lewis will be starting. I think that we'll see Felipe take off at the start like he's got a Titan rocket booster strapped to the rear diffuser and take an easy victory, meanwhile Lewis will make a slow start, fall to maybe 6th or so, then leapfrog 2-3 cars at the first round of stops. This will be followed by Lewis cruising home and take home the title. What I don't think will happen (or at least, what I hope doesn't happen) is an unforced error from Lewis like we saw here or in China last year. I think (hope) Lewis has learned that it's not necessary to get all the way to the front, and that he can wrap up the title while avoiding much in the way of close calls with other drivers. I'm not going to pretend here, I'm rooting for Lewis, since I've been following him since his F3 days, and I've been a raving psychophant of his since halfway through his year in GP2.

Anyway, I'm OK with Felipe winning the race, though I wish that he'll at least have a little competition. And I'm definitely fine with Lewis being in "cruise and collect" mode today. After all, I haven't had a favorite driver of mine win a major open wheel championship since Jimmy Vasser won the CART title at Laguna Seca in 1996. That was a long time ago. Did I mention that I've been a Cubs fan since 1984, too? What I'm trying to say is that Lewis needs to win this one for me. It is all about me, and only me.

Better wrap this up before the pre-race gets going (and I get my last dose of the incomparable Varsha/Hobbs/Matchett comentating team for five months...it's a long off-season). Enjoy the race, everybody!