Rhythm of the Track

So.

It's been a while since the last time I talk F1. NO! It's nothing like I'm losing interest in the sport -like what I'm currently feeling towards Liverpool, God, wish I really have time to get back to them and relive what I used to have :(- no.

It's because each and every single Grand Prix held so far in 2017 were crazy awesome I think it'll be such a waste of time -and of course it'll be boring too- to have a review of each race.

Although this time, it's exceptional.

I cannot NOT talk about this one.

Best race yet this season,

Grand Prix du Canada

Pic's from here.

I didn't expect this to be so big. Well, I did, actually, because Canada was the race where my fave driver won his first ever GP. It was also the place where phenomenal "Jenson Button's Crazy Comeback in 4-hour-long Crashful Race" took place. But aside of that, including the fact that Lewis took his 65th pole capping legend Ayrton Senna's record 25 years after his Canadian Grand Prix pole -ugh I'm tired of Lewis taking all the attention, I didn't see why I should expect much from this GP.

But then I was obviously wrong.

The awesome 70-lap race served one hell of a drama.

Max's Divine Overtake (and Sad Halt)

I never got my jaw dropped this low since the first F1 race I saw in 2016. Best thing is, it happened at Turn One. After lights out. Only 2-3 seconds after the race started, then I saw this kid cutting from P6 to P2. It was so smooth and skillful, but then, what could he do, engine cutout happened on Lap 11. He couldve given us more awesome stuff, I believe...

Sainz and Massa: The Early Crash
Brought to you by Romain Grosjean

Got to say, this became a nice opening! But kinda awful for them both too, as they've been doing really well so far. And what makes it more awful is that all these happened because of neither of them. It was Grosjean, that hit Sainz first, which bounced, and finally hit Massa. One "fool", two victims. And the "fool" went on the race safely.

Stroll's Sudden Spirit

Haha this kid. He's been a joke ever since he made his first appearance, because HE CAN'T STOP CRASHING! But then, I think he had just enough. As a Canadian doing his first home Grand Prix, no wonder that he did what he did. Flying from P18 all the way to the front, challenging Hulk and K-Mag -best drama happened in the mid-back grid!- and finished 9th! First point, in his home race!

Alonso's Streak!

Oh here's another joke. Not the racer, but the engine. Honda's been a mess this year I felt really sorry for Alonso. Until Canada. Because the car moved well the whole race. And Alonso being Alonso, drove like typical awesome F1 driver and even reached P5 for some moment! But Honda's curse eventually carried on, forcing the Spaniard to stop at Lap 66. Lap 66, of 70. That sucks big time.

Driver of the Day, Vettel

I don't know what has happened to Vettel. Or Ferrari. Or both! They've been performing really outstanding this season, much MUCH better compared to last year. And once again in this race, he proved he was good. By starting on the front, P3? P2? Then dropped to P18 after some serious pitting only to fly back up and have a fierce battle of 3rd with three other drivers during the last laps.

Well, wow.

Normally in this blog structure, I only want to keep things organized by highlighting 3 to 5 pointers. 2's not enough, 6's too many. But this is 2017 Canadian Grand Prix we're talking about, so screw you OCD senses here's the grand highlight:

Force India's Double Trouble

I really love this pair. When Perez was still with Hulk, they weren't this deadly. Ocon in, pink took over, and they seemed to gain this awesome Flower Power! They've been racing head to head from the first GP, and never fail to earn points. But, I've never seen them this intense.

As they were not only hand in hand coming up front to ruin the big cars -Ocon even made it to P2 and challenged Bottas!- and fighting with Ricciardo for 3rd, nor defending their P3-4 throne from Vettel, no, not only those. They were also being deadly to each other. From the outside they may look like a cheerful pinky butterflies. But deep inside, they're stinging each other like bees. Double trouble indeed.

Crazy huh?

Lewis may win the race, but he was boring. The real deal happened on the back, not necessarily far back but exactly on Lewis' back! And to top it off, Daniel Ricciardo finished 3rd!!! 3rd 3rd, 3 times in a row, for driver number 3!

Pic's from here.

This is what I like about this sport. You have one idol racer you really love. But in a race, any driver can entertain you.

It's like going to a summer music festival, where the stages are filled with your favorite musicians, and their schedule are back to back, not overlapping each other so you'll get to check out each and every single performance.

So eventually,

You'll dance to anything

First One

It’s been two weeks since the last F1 Grand Prix.

If the tournament is still on, there should be another race today.

But it’s over.

My first season ever of F1,

Yea it’s over.

Pic's from here.

It never occurred to me that the sport would be so awesome. All year long. One cool event led to another, making me just sit perfectly still every week in front of my TV, waiting for amazing drama to come. And I should say, I’m glad I picked this season as my first.

You know how it all began.

Rio Haryanto. The first Indonesian to ever entered an F1 championship, which euphoria introduced me to the world of F1. All local eyes were on the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, Haryanto's, and OUR, first Grand Prix. Only different is, those eyes only lasted for two-three races after that, and kept vanishing from race to race, all because they didn’t see how Haryanto could survive. I, on the other hand, resumed watching—including that time when he stopped racing halfway the tournament, yea, I kept on continuing the series.

Despite the Indonesian racer, I enjoyed the sport as a whole though. You know how it all worked out—of course deep inside I’d pray for Rio’s win but, whatever happened, I’d still adore the tournament at a wider point of view. The top racers were unpredictable, making me smiling to whoever won the race, making me screaming to whoever succeeded in overtaking. From Monaco, Hungary, Japan, Brazil ‘til Abu Dhabi, every single races, which I used to think that, well, what’s so different with a race in Spain and the one in Silverstone? apparently served its own unique drama.

My first year got better when the championship entered the Singapore stage. You know how it all took place—I flew there, made my very first race-watching and abroad-concert debut, found international friends who were also fans of F1. It wasn’t just the experience that sent me to the moon—the race itself, of course, became my main dish. Seeing Rosberg won right in the front of my eyes, cheering just several yards away from my idol Ricciardo, catching each and every single cars I could only see from TV screen before. It was all so random, spontaneous, yet obviously the best decision I ever made.

The thrill went on to its next round, Malaysia Grand Prix. You know what happened—Daniel Ricciardo won the race. After two years of vacuum. He’s my favorite in F1 because, he’s good yet not the best. I don’t pick Mercedes boys as my idols because, they’re just too good. Seeing them winning all the time will kill my mood. So I picked him instead, and when he did it in Malaysia, I was beyond happy for this. Wearing-his-hat-which-I-bought-in-Singapore-all-day-long-the-next-day-after-the-race kind of happy. And knowing that he broke the curse of "No Victories at All Since 2014" right on my first year of F1, what else to request?

However, I wouldn’t say I’m glad I picked 2016 as my first year, if it wasn’t for Felipe Massa and Jenson Button. Because you know the reason—they’re two of F1’s legends. Retired just as I started my F1-watching career. I felt really lucky that I had to see them both on track, despite their poor last performances. And even though I had just known them for 21 races, I could see the quality in them. I could imagine how cool they were during their old days, and I felt the same heartbreak their original fans felt when they finished their last races.

And finally, Nico Rosberg completed the list. You know why—the current reigning-champion, the most constant racer with skills so entertaining, the hope for the next excitement in 2017, that came with his retirement announcement by the end of this season. I couldn’t say much about it. I swear I’m so blessed that I got the chance to see him blasting from race to race, until he finally earned his first ever championship, and decided to end his career as a victor. He’s a true champion. 

I couldn’t ask for a better first season.

It seemed like they conspired to make it great for me.

But now it’s all gone.

And I felt a bit blue because,

Well, it’s my very first F1 binge-watch!

No more seeing the legendary rivals in Mercedes fighting for the best on the front row, no more seeing Rosberg pissing Hamilton, no more seeing Massa and Button struggling, the grid will be a whole lot changed as the drivers are distributed here and there cross-teams, the fights will be much much different. I’m sure.

Ah well, that’s the beauty of sport. People move on. So of course my 22 first racers in 11 first teams wouldn’t be on that exact order next year. But whatever happens, those set of grid I had always seen in 2016, those combinations of initials and colors that had always been associated accordingly in 2016, will always be in me.

Upper pics are from here, here and here respectively.
Lower pic belongs to F1 Twitter account.

Well it’s my First One, yes.

There will be more to come.

But I’ve a feeling that this one,

Will forever be the most fucking

Fantastic One

Adeus, Lenda

You probably know my F1 story this year.

From knowing nothing to a somewhat paddock protege.

Well, not purely "knowing nothing" though, as some names of the sport's legends had always been exposed to my ears since forever.

Michael Schumacher.

Juan Pablo Montoya.

Giancarlo Fisichella.

Then when I began following the tournament, apparently, there were names I was familiar with, that were still competing.

Sebastian Vettel.

Kimi Räikkönen.

Fernando Alonso.

Lewis Hamilton.

And of course,

Felipe Massa.

Pic's from here.

Long before, when F1 was just still something I gave no credits to, name Felipe Massa on the other hand, always came to my recognition. I wasn't really sure how he had been doing in the sport and even which team he drove for but, what I knew was, that he was among the notable drivers.

Then I started binge-watching the sport. I was so excited by the time I caught his name on the grid in the 2016 Australia GP, because it made me realized that wow, I didn't notice that F1 is blessed with so many famous names! So I began to expect much on him. To give fights, and make the podium less Mercedes-ish.

However as the year went by, he didn't impress much. I was disappointed, and if it were any other kind of sport, and fans like me were of that typical kind of a bandwagon who's just looking for the best performer to be cheered upon, he might had long been dumped already.

But that's just not how F1 works.

It's not just numbers of races you won, or championships you bore.

It's about progress, and consistency. And all the races and tournaments you entered, before you finally tasted the luxury of an F1 seat.

And I knew that Massa had been through it all.

Otherwise how would I keep knowing his name during my F1 clueless era?

It's just, I missed it. I missed it when Massa was on his glorious days, and I caught him in his last acts which turned to be his not-so-nice time of career. It's normal though, really, in the world of sport, to lose your grip after dedicating your life for so long. That's why, there's always the option to retire.

Which Felipe Massa eventually took.

Which I really wasn't pretty amused about.

Because I honestly wished to see more of him.

But all and all yea, that's okay.

At least I got to see it: A Legend's Last Races.

And how the world bid him a farewell he really deserved.

He deserves all the claps from all over the world.

That last home race was heartbreaking, yes.

The tears shed in Brazil were touching, really.

But then it shows just how dear this Felipe Massa is.

So, Senhor Massa.

You've received your sweet goodbyes from your old, loyal fans.

It's time for you to hear it from somebody so new, but really adores you.

"Obrigado, Felipe.

E adeus, Lenda"