F-1 2009 season

As we take a break in the next few days, let us not forget the reason why we have to drop our work – it’s not a mere vacation, this is the Holy Week. 

Let us keep it as solemn as possible and make use of the time to reflect on our lives.

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With two races down, this Formula 1 season seems to be a very interesting one even if my favorite team – Ferrari – is yet to score a single point.

Jenson Button of new kid on the block Brawn team has won back-to-back races and has at long last lived up to the hype of his coming into the F-1 scene many years ago.

It’s still too early to tell what will happen though, but it seems that many fans like the rule changes on how the driver of the year would be picked as it encourages more action in the track.

Ferrari fans are not however as happy as the team has failed to make any impression in Australia and in Malaysia. I am not losing hope and will never change allegiance.

As for McLaren, things seem to be going overboard for the team, which has recently been summoned to what they can and “extra ordinary meeting” of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris this April 29.

The reason for such is that the team is believed to have breached the International Sporting Code of the FIA, the governing body of F-1 racing.

This stemmed from an incident in the season-opening Australian GP where defending world champion Lewis Hamilton reportedly pulled aside to allow Toyota’s Jarno Trulli to pass him while they were behind the safety car.

The rules state that no overtaking can be made while the safety car in on the track. Hamilton allegedly received instructions from newly-sacked McLaren sporting director Dave Ryan to do it.

Ryan has left the team and McLaren has announced that he and the company have parted ways.

The team was also fined a record 49.2 million pounds for what the race community now refers to as the ‘spy-gate’ scandal.

Let’s wait and see what happens next.

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MILESTONES: There won’t be issues of The FREEMAN on Good Friday and Black Saturday so I’d have to lump all my greetings in today’s column.

Happy birthday to topnotch golfer (his swing is one of my most favorite) Marko Sarmiento, Myra Guce, my cousin Bong Benemerito, and former Y101 newscaster Teena Tabon, who all turn a year older today.

Advanced birthday greetings go to our former business editor Loreen Sarmiento and to fellow La Sallian Bess Ann Dizon, who are turning a year older tomorrow.

On Easter Sunday, our family will be celebrating the birthday of the man our generation calls Tatay – our uncle Cipriano F. Quiñones, Jr.

More power to all of you! –THE FREEMAN