Fernando the formidable

Fernando and Flavio

"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!" - those were the words on the lips of Flavio Briatore when his young colt Fernando Alonso took pole at the Sepang GP. And as the Spaniard went flying from pole to podium, the smirk on Flavio's face metamorphosized into a smile and then into an all-knowing grin. A tell tale grin that said that red-hot Renault were the team to beat in 2005.

Alonso flew from the start and increased the gap between himself and Trulli and went on to win the Sepang GP hands down in front of a packed crowd. A third at Albert Park and a first here moves him to the top slot on the drivers' points table. As for Renault, it would have been even better had Fissichella fired too. Unfortunately a lapse of concentration from the young Italian cost himself and the promising Webber a few valuable points. Fissichella braked a millisecond slower, thereby crashing into Webber who was trying to overtake him on the outside.

Toyota's Trulli, in a truly remarkable performance came second and gave Toyota one of its first podiums. The fact that Ralf Schumacher came in fifth proves that Toyota racing is going to be a force to reckon with in 2005.Heidfeld in a display of mastery proved that he is a capable enough driver, coming third for BMW Williams. David Coulthard and his minion Klein seem to have done really well. Red Bull have landed in the points yet again!

Unlucky is thine middle name. Kimi Raikonnen could have landed in the points were it not for a blown tyre. It was a sad picture to see the Finn limp into the pits on three tyres and a rim.For the second time this season, Kimi has been denied a podium position by the Gods of Luck. I only hope that a fine driver like him shines well.

Good old Narain seems to have hung on there and getting a respectable eleventh inspite of a bird-hit qualifying and half a race sans radio. Due to the radio problems, Karthikeyan came into the pits a lap behind schedule with only half a litre of fuel in the tank.

As for Michael the Great, his car seems to have been outclassed. But only a man of Michael Schumacher's finesse could have nursed the F2004M to the finish line. If Bridgestone does not come up with a better set of tyres, no matter how good the F2005 is, Ferrari wont go anywhere. And i sure did pinch myself when Alonso lapped a Ferrari. It truly is a humbing thing to be lapped. And an ashaming one when you are in the cockpit of a Scuderia Ferrari Malboro.

All eyes will be on Italian constructor at the desert grand prix as the opposition will wait with bated breath as the knight mounts the brand new prancing horse christened "F2005". But i only hope that the Stallion is given a good set of hooves. I believe that to be the achilles heel of the Scuderia team.

Ironically, in mythology, a horse with only two legs on the ground means a martyr who died in battle. I donot know why this suddenly came to my thought, but this sudden "Prancing Horse" realization sure does send shivers down my spine. And not to mention that the "creator" of the prancing horse logo, an Italian pilot from World War I who painted the first ever prancing horse on his craft died in action and his mother suggested that Enzo use the logo for "Good Luck" !

Waiting for "Operation Desert Storm" a.k.a Ferrari F2005 :-)

Adios!