Dreams Do Come True, Even For Fans
 
It has been a very, very long time since I have cheered so loud and prayed so hard during a motorsporting event.  I believe the last time was December of 2003, when Petter Solberg took the World Rally Championship.  So today, I cheer and pray again for my long time Formula One hero, Kimi Raikkonen.  As the closing laps took place, I could only remember the 2005 German Grand Prix, where his tire blew out on the last lap.  Would fate do Kimi wrong again?  Fortunately not and Kimi would cross the finish line as the 2007 FIA Formula One World Champion.  However, in the closing events of the weekend, the title was soon to be in jeopardy as three cars were under investigation for low fuel temperatures.  As the FIA stewards came to their conclusion, once again, fate would have it that Kimi would keep his title, fending off Louis Hamilton’s chance for a the prestigious title.
 
Many of you already know that I’m a huge Kimi Raikkonen fan.  When he raced for McLaren, McLaren was my favorite team and I despised Ferrari.  Once he moved to Ferrari, I turned the tables and despised McLaren.  I guess that makes me a devotee to Kimi and not the manufacturers.  It would not be the case for WRC (World Rally Championship) where my favorites lie with the manufacturer, Subaru.  I’ve been privileged enough to have met him once, though brief, at the 2004 SEMA show in Las Vegas and it changed my view of him and the sport.  Very cool guy.  I guess that’s why they call him the “Iceman”.  Ever since then I have cheered, rooted and hollered for him.  He’s a seasoned veteran to F1 now and he deserves to the FIA F1 Campion. 
 
It was amazing to watch the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix this year as Kimi was the outside chance, the underdog, the one who would need a miracle to clench the title.  The motorsport gods were looking down on him as he raced and deemed him world champion.  There was a couple things that needed to happen though in order for the events to take place.  One was that Kimi needed to win the race.  Two, Alonzo would need to do no better than third place and the biggest obstacle to overcome was that Louis Hamilton needed to do no better than seventh place.  The true test for the weekend however, was the hidden threat of his teammate, Fillipe Massa.  Massa won the Pole Position the day before the race and it was a big question if he would let Kimi by in Massa’s home Brazilian Grand Prix.  Again, as fate would have it and Massa would “man up” and go into his second pit stop, a couple of laps early to allow Kimi to get some hot laps in before pitting himself.  One the pit exit, the position for first place was close, but Kimi would take the lead and lead for the remainder of the race.
 
Ferrari has put together a phenomenal team this year and next year, they should have the advantage again.  Kimi will have the confidence and Massa will also be confident that he can win grand prix races himself.  Though competitive, they are smart drivers and will support one another as the year progresses.  With traction control taken away though, I believe that this will favor the driving styles of Kimi and Alonzo more than any other driver out there.  I’m basing this on their past experiences and how they drive in the wet where traction control sometimes can work against them.  Hamilton will also be good, but I haven’t seen enough wet weather experience to say that he will be at the top.
 
Once again, congratulations to my Formula One hero, Kimi Raikkonen!