Throughout my life, I have never had a sport that I was truly and utterly passionate about. I have my teams in various sports that I cheer for, but I don’t get too downtrodden after a defeat. I could never understand how, taking soccer as an example, grown men could be reduced to tears at the sound of a final whistle. It’s just a sport I would say, nobody has died, everyone relax.
But that all began to change before the beginning of the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship when, at the behest of my friend Kev, I decided to get into motor-racing and see if I can begin to fathom why five hundred million people tune in for every race. Before the season began, I indulged myself in the bio’s for all the drivers and teams and liked what I read regarding the suave Button (and then the current world champion), the fiery Alonso, the ever-smiling Rubens and a certain Mr. Mark Webber.
Even now, into my fourth F1 season, I’m still not sure what initially attracted me to supporting Mark. I remember watching an interview with him on the BBC after Saturday’s qualifying session at the 2010 season opener in Bahrain. I liked his no bulls*it, tell-it-how-it-is attitude, his friendly but authoritative manner along with his motivation for the race and season ahead. He just came across as a nice, down-to-earth guy, not too fussed by all the fame and attention, just wanting to race and race hard. I like that.
It was this, the 2010 season that gave me the passion, enthusiasm and excitement that I had never experienced in sport before. In short, I fell in love! It was the wheel-to-wheel combat, the tenths, hundredths and thousandths of seconds that matter oh so much, the pit-stops, the crashes, the ceremony and pomp, the rivalry, the intensity, the sheer overwhelming science of how the car works and the effort it takes to maintain form. It fascinated me beyond words. When non-F1 fans ask me why I watch Formula 1, I wish they could see what I am seeing. F1 is a very personal sport as you follow the trials and tribulations of a specific driver and immerse yourself in their world, celebrating the highs and bemoaning the lows. It’s almost like they become family to you. All you desire is for them to be successful. And so it was my journey into the world of Formula 1 and Mark Webber began….
After a slow start in the opening races to 2010, the Spanish GP resounded in a well deserved victory for Mark. I was ecstatic. A Monaco win followed and we were on a roll. A near certain victory in Istanbul was thwarted by that finger wagging German’s over- zealous pass that resulted in his retirement and Mark’s drop from P1 to P3. I don’t think I will ever forget Mark’s crash at Valencia. My heart stopped. It is a credit to the sport and to the safety improvement efforts of the late Dr. Sid Watkins that enabled Mark to walk away unscathed.
Webber Crash - European Grand Prix
“Not bad for a number two driver”…. Oh how sweet those words sounded. A gargantuan drive at Silverstone saw him clinch win number three of the season against a backdrop of tension and unease in the Red Bull garage. This is where my burgeoning hatred for Sebastian Vettel began to acquire a new height which has far from abated. The next few races went smoothly with another solid drive to victory at the Hungaroring and a strong drive to second at Suzuka. I was excited, things were looking good, Mark was driving superbly well, confidence was high…… and then came Korea. Too much kerb in awfully wet conditions and just like that he was out of the race, squandering valuable points. It was at that moment, whilst wallowing in self-pity at the points lost, that I realised I was to be forever hooked on this glorious sport.
Going in to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi my confidence was high. Alonso was our closest competition and Mark was sitting in the RB6 designed by the genius that is Adrian Newey. Things were looking hopeful. Alas, Mark just could not find the speed required that weekend and qualified in P5 behind his championship rival, Fernando Alonso. Throughout the race, Alonso and Ferrari closely covered Webber, while Webber and Red Bull Racing closely covered Alonso. However, nobody covered the dark horse that was Sebastian Vettel as he drove a flawless race, converting his pole position into a race win that catapulted him into the history books as the youngest ever World Champion.
I cried and it truly shocked me as I began to comprehend how sport has the ability to draw such raw, pure emotion from you. You are there, you are committed, it’s real, and it’s in the moment. You are fully absorbed by what you are witnessing and feeling and unperturbed by your surroundings at that exact moment. But despite the loss, despite the heartache, despite the shedding of considerably salty tears, the revelation of experiencing such a raw sporting moment was simply awesome. F1 became my life.
This is my very first attempt at a blog. I wanted to write for a long time but never thought of expressing my thoughts and opinions through a blog until recently. I will be attempting to do more, with my next one being about Mark’s turbulent 2011 season. Please feel free to leave a comment with praise, criticism or tips for improvement as I will be happy to take all on board. Thanks and I hope you liked it!
