An Amazing Race

Every alternating Sundays from March to November, we have a regular ritual watching 18 machos racing around 60 laps. More often than not, 59 of those 60 laps are plain boring. And what makes watching the live broadcasts worth the 2 hours sitting down are the few rare overtakings and incidents in the race.

But the season's penultimate race in Brazil yesterday was amazing. Right from the start, something extraordinary was to be expected. The heavy downpour in the beginning set the scene. The unforgetable drama of last years final race was still fresh in the mind.

In the end, the penultimate lap was the decider for the world champion. Every F1 fans were on their edge. Real nail-biting drama. Massa crossed the chequered flag. The whole Ferrari garage celebrated. The whole Brazil was roaring. But moments later when Hamilton overtook Glock, it was an incredible sight to see the looks on the faces in the Ferrari garage when they realised they have lost it!!! For all the steward's strange decisions, the FIA seeming bias, fnally McClaren did it. Well done to Lewis and McLaren Mercedes!!

Lewis's father said "this is the culmination of 16 years of hard work. Hopefully this will be an inspiration for other families and kids. When we started we had nothing, no money."

"But after a lot of hard work we are top of the world. It shows it can be done. Hard work, dedication, respect to your family, respect to all people, fantastic."

"To be honest, I thought it was over. I thought it was gone. When he did cross the line I didn't know he had won it. I had to go by what everyone else was doing."

"They were jumping up and down, and so I assumed we must have got something."

"But they were absolutely the worst few minutes of my life. For a number of laps I turned away. I couldn't watch. "