Motor mouth

Formula One legend Nelson Piquet said after the Brazilian Grand Prix that he had just witnessed: “the best, most exciting race I ever saw in Formula One”. He should know.

I will say that in my thirty-something years of being an aficionado, I too have never witnessed as dramatic and nerve wrecking a race as we did on Sunday at Interlagos. It was an amazing race and an amazing season, with an amazing champion. But, I’m glad it’s over.

By now it is old news that Sebastian Vettel clinched his third consecutive Formula 1 world title, on a soggy afternoon which saw him survive a first lap incident that resulted in him facing the wrong direction and stone last. He then proceeded to carve his way through the field to finish sixth in the race, scoring enough points to become F1 world champion for the third time in as many years - and the happiest man on the planet for the next few hours.

For his chief championship rival, Fernando Alonso, and his Ferrari team it was heartache of the highest order. Twice in three years they have been defeated with victory almost in their grasp, by the same bloke and the same team: Vettel and Red Bull.

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali lamented on Sunday after the race: “That’s sport and that’s how it goes. To have lost the drivers’ title twice in the last three years by the tiniest of margins, hurts. It hurts a lot, I can assure you of that.”

But, what more can be said of the kid they call ‘Baby Schumi’? A prodigy throughout his junior career, he became the youngest driver to take part in a grand prix weekend when he drove for BMW-Sauber in a Friday practice for the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix. He made his F1 race debut with BMW-Sauber at Indianapolis in 2007, where he finished eighth and became the youngest driver to score a point in F1, aged 19 years and 349 days.

Since then, 101 grand prix starts later, 36 of which were from pole position, he has notched up 26 wins, finished on the podium 46 times and now is only the third driver to win three F1 world titles in a row. He joins Michael Schumacher (2000-04) and Juan-Manuel Fangio (1954-57) in the record books.

And now, with the final chequered of the F1 season waved, I for one am relieved that it is all over for the next few months. A twenty race season over eight months is a marathon, perhaps two races too long even for die-hards like myself. It equals 60 days, usually on weekends, of practice sessions, qualifying and race days.

As much as teams relish the off season so do my family and I, as it is a welcome break from the rigid race weekend routine. Thankfully my son is a fan and has his place on the couch beside me, My daughter hangs around and occasionally pops in with pearls of wisdom. “There Papa is a Ferrari,” she says pointing enthusiastically to the red car on the screen. Thanks sweetee needed to know that…

However, the true hero in our household is my wife, Anja, who tolerates these weekends of a sport of which she is no fan and has no interest in, whatsoever. But, she never moans or criticises and indulges the whoops of joy, yelps of agony and non-stop couch commentary, while delivering bowls of fresh buttered popcorn for the fans in the family room. A true world champion in our books.

There is a break now until late March, so its time to get off the couch and make the most of the glorious weather we are so fortunate to have in Dubai right now.