Why We Still Love Ferrari And Schumi

MAN FACT: Ferrai can now legally order Felipe Massa to stall his car and let Fernando Alonso overtake him. Now even McLaren can if they want to.

Let’s try a social experiment. Nothing path breaking like the Stanford Prison Experiment but just a simple one to prove our irrefutable point. Stop the next person that crosses you and ask him or her, to name one Formula One team and one F1 driver. Yes, any team and any driver. In fact, we can tell you the answer right now. Even before you’ve asked the question.

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Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. Don’t believe us? Fine, try once again then. What did we tell you? Hah!

It’s like one of those mathematical tricks where no matter what combination of numbers you choose, once you reverse the order and subtract the two combinations, the middle digit will always be nine.

Formula One, described by many as enjoyable a pursuit as drilling a hole in your head, is a world of many tricks and jokers. Yet teams with just as illustrious a history have failed to leave any imprint on the mind of a fan. Many men have come and gone but none have managed to spawn so many racing careers on city roads.

How the Indian brain remembers only the Prancing Horse when we think of the chequered flag we can’t quite explain but it may have something to do with the fact that Ferrari makes some of the world’s best looking and expensive cars. Who wouldn’t want to vroom down the street in a gleaming red Ferrari Enzo or the Ferrari 550 Maranello? It’s not a car many of us can afford in this lifetime or another. But it’s one we continue to aspire to.

The world of Formula One is pretty similar, where the fans stand with their noses pressed to the glass looking in at cars they wish could drive, men they could be and the women they could bed.

In this dreamy world, the red Ferrari is what makes a part of this delusion feel real. So out of some weird and warped sense of loyalty to the most envied brand in the world, people become Ferarri fans while watching F1.

It’s the only car we recognize. The only name we can drop in a conversation with motorheads. We jump to defend Ferrari and its bully-like antics just because we can’t bear anyone, especially a McLaren fan to doubt ‘our’ team spirit. So even when Felipe Massa slows down to let Fernando Alonso pass him, we refer to the lap time data and say, “Alonso was faster.”

Our chests swell up with silly pride when the red car crosses the finishing line first, even though we don’t know the A of aerodynamics or what a yellow flag means.

But Ferrari is our favourite team, we all bellow with bellies full of beer on race day.

And just like for the red flag waving, cap-wearing fan we see sitting on the grass at the track, Schumacher is our messiah as well.

Ferrari fans, all over the world, felt cheated when he decided to mount a comeback to F1 in a team other than Ferrari. Even with his old boss and good friend Ross Brawn at the helm of affairs at Mercedes GP, Schumacher had to ask the tifosi for their blessings.

The feeling was no different here in India. “How could he? Why should he?” were regularly thrown at you as responses to the German’s seemingly selfish pursuit.

But come the first race and there we were back again, screaming Schumi! Schumi!

When India was awarded the Indian Grand Prix, our instinctive response was “Yeah1 Now we’ll see Schumacher in blood!” forgetting that there are 23 other drivers.

We think when he comes to India this October, it would be no big surprise if Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton will all feel rather left out of what will essentially be Schumacher’s homecoming.

But in all fairness, Indians aren’t the only ones who have Ferrrai jackets and shoes (albeit fake ones in our case). The man who broke the 16-year title drought in 1999 which was his first of six championship victories with Ferrari was till 2010 the most mentioned driver in a fan survey commissioned by FOTA.

Maybe this particular affliction has something to do with the colour red. The words football and Manchester United are inseparable in our head. David Beckham is the best player ever and Alex Ferguson can do no wrong.

Time for another social experiment we say.

Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir) March 11-13

Circuit Name: Bahrain International Circuit

Number of Laps: 57

Circuit Length: 5.412 km

Race Distance: 308.238 km

Lap Record: 1:30.252 - M Schumacher (2004)

Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne) March 25-27

Circuit Name: Albert Park

Number of Laps: 58

Circuit Length: 5.303 km

Race Distance: 307.574 km

Lap Record: 1:24.125 - M Schumacher (2004)

Malayasia Grand Prix (Kuala Lumpur) April 08-10

Circuit Name: Sepang International Circuit

Number of Laps: 56

Circuit Length: 5.543 km

Race Distance: 310.408 km

Lap Record: 1:34.223 - JP Montoya (2004)

Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai) April 15-17

Circuit Name: Shanghai International Circuit

Number of Laps: 56

Circuit Length: 5.451 km

Race Distance: 305.066 km

Lap Record: 1:32.238 - M Schumacher (2004)

Turkish Grand Prix (Istanbul) May 06-08

Circuit Name: Istanbul Park

Number of Laps: 58

Circuit Length: 5.338 km

Race Distance: 309.396 km

Lap Record: 1:24.770 - JP Montoya (2005)

Spanish Grand Prix (Catalunya) May 20-22

Circuit Name: Circuit de Catalunya

Number of Laps: 66

Circuit Length: 4.655 km

Race Distance: 307.104 km

Lap Record: 1:21.670 - K Raikkonen (2008)

Monaco Grand Prix (Monte Carlo) May 26-29

Circuit Name: Circuit de Monaco

Number of Laps: 78

Circuit Length: 3.340 km

Race Distance: 260.520 km

Lap Record: 1:14.439 - M Schumacher (2004)

Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal) June 10-12

Circuit Name: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve

Number of Laps: 70

Circuit Length: 4.361 km

Race Distance: 305.270 km

Lap Record: 1:13.622 - R Barrichello (2004)

European Grand Prix (Valencia) June 24-26

Circuit Name: Valencia Street Circuit

Number of Laps: 57

Circuit Length: 5.419 km

Race Distance: 308.883 km

Lap Record: 1:38.683 - T Glock (2009)

British Grand Prix (Silverstone) July 08-10

Number of Laps: 52

Circuit Length: 5.891 km

Race Distance: 306.747 km

Lap Record: 1:30.874 - F Alonso (2010)

German Grand Prix (Nürburgring) July 22-24

Race Date: 24 Jul 2011

Number of Laps: 60

Circuit Length: 5.148 km

Race Distance: 308.863 km

Lap Record: 1:29.468 - M. Schumacher (2004)

Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest) July 29-31

Circuit Name: Hungaroring

Number of Laps: 70

Circuit Length: 4.381 km

Race Distance: 306.630 km

Lap Record: 1:19.071 - M Schumacher (2004)

Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps) Aug 26-28

Circuit Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Number of Laps: 44

Circuit Length: 7.004 km

Race Distance: 308.052 km

Lap Record: 1:45.108 - K Raikkonen (2004)

Italian Grand Prix (Monza) September 09-11

Circuit Name: Autodromo di Monza

Number of Laps: 53

Circuit Length: 5.793 km

Race Distance: 306.720 km

Lap Record: 1:21.046 - R Barrichello (2004)

Singapore Grand Prix (Singapore) September 23-25

Circuit Name: Marina Bay Street Circuit

Number of Laps: 61

Circuit Length: 5.073 km

Race Distance: 309.316 km

Lap Record: 1:45.599 - K Raikkonen (2008)

Japanese Grand prix (Suzuka) October 07-09

Number of Laps: 53

Circuit Length: 5.807 km

Race Distance: 307.471 km

Lap Record: 1:31.540 - K. Raikkonen (2005)

Korean Grand Prix (Yeongam) October 14-16

Circuit Name: Korea International Circuit

Number of Laps: 55

Circuit Length: 5.615 km

Race Distance: 309.155 km

Lap Record: 1:50.257 - F Alonso (2010)

Indian Grand Prix (New Delhi) October 28-30 (subject to homologation)

Circuit Name: Jaypee International Race Circuit

Number of Laps: TBC

Circuit Length: 5.141 km

Race Distance:

Lap Record: -

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Yas Marina Circuit) November 11-13

Number of Laps: 55

Circuit Length: 5.554 km

Race Distance: 305.361 km

Lap Record: 1:40.279 - S Vettel (2009)

Brazilian Grand Prix (Sao Paulo) November 25-27

Circuit Name: Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace

Number of Laps: 71

Circuit Length: 4.309 km

Race Distance: 305.909 km

Lap Record: 1:11.473 - JP Montoya (2004)

RULES

It's a throw Bernie Ecclestone has learnt to duck. Critics bring up the 'It's boring' accusation with remarkable regularity and the machine-overpowering-man argument gathers steam. Even though last year was far from yawn-inducing -- Sebastian Vettel stole the title from under Mark Webber's nose -- the 2011 season will see a few, very noticeable changes like Pirelli tyres replacing Bridgestone and team orders becoming legit. Here's a look:

Adjustable rear wings

Under new regulations, moveable bodywork -- to aid overtaking -- is an option available to teams. Drivers of suitably equipped cars can adjust the rear wing from the cockpit, altering its angle of incidence through a set range. Electronically governed - it can be used at any time in practice and qualifying, but during the race can only be activated when a driver is less than one second behind another car at pre-determined points on the track.

Say no or double diffusers

Now you can't use any device or any loophole in the laws to alter the aerodynamic characteristics of the car. No Brawn-type double diffusers allowed anymore.

KERS is back

Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems has been reintroduced in 2011 after the teams mutually agreed to suspend their use in 2010. KERS take the waste energy generated under braking and turns it into additional power. Understood to help overtaking.

Eat up!

The minimum car weight has been upped by 20kg to 640kg, meaning larger drivers don’t pay the weight-distribution penalty they once did in a KERS-equipped car.

Wheel tethers

You won't find any stray wheels taking a merry walk down the pitlane anymore. Teams must now place a second tether on every wheel to improve safety.

Tyres

Following Bridgestone’s decision to withdraw at the end of 2010 after 13 years in Formula One, Pirelli take over as the sport’s sole tyre supplier. The Italian company, last part of F1 in 1991, will provide all teams with rubber for the next three years.

107% qualifying rule

During the first phase of qualifying, any driver who fails to set a lap within 107 per cent of the fastest Q1 time will not be allowed to start the race. However, in exceptional circumstances, which could include a driver setting a suitable time during practice, the stewards may permit the car to start.

F1 facts

-- Approximate 80,000 components are put together to make an F1 car. The cars have to be assembled with cent percent accuracy. If it was even a 0.1 per cent wrong, it means that 80 components are wrongly placed.

-- When was the last time you replaced your car engine? You haven't needed to right? F1 car engines complete their life in about two hours of racing. BUt teams need to use the same engine for to races.

-- When an F1 driver puts brakes on his car he experiences huge retardation or deceleration. It could be compared to a regular car driving through a brick wall at the speed of 300kmph.

-- An F1 engine usually revs up to 18000 rpm. This means that the piston travels up and down 300 times a second. Road car engines rev up to 6000 rpm at max.

-- An F1 car can accelerate from 0 to 160 kph and decelerate back to 0 in just four seconds.

-- Most racing cars have their tyres filled with nitrogen. The reason being nitrogen has a more consistent pressure compared to normal air.

-- At 120 miles per hour, a Formula One car generates so much downforce that it can drive upside down on the roof of a tunnel.

From the March 2011 issue of FHM India.