I don't get in to car racing much, but the Abu Dhabi F1 race came on as I was channel surfing this Sunday afternoon, and as it was so close to the actual start, I stayed on the channel. Suitable serves of back-of-house technology shots, celebrities with ear muffs on (Boris Becker and Naomi Campbell) and a rather glitzy looking track kept me watching as the "flag fell" - these modern days, known as the "red light sequence".
Lewis Hamiliton, the British Sweetheart he is (and even I agree after seeing a few interviews, he's a darling young boy in a rather handsome man body) has been forced out due to "rear right brake issue" - which didn't look convincing, but I wonder just what it would be worth to implement any conspiracy theory/plan rather than go ahead with the race. So I hope he's drinking the afternoon away on his sponsor's tab, poor bastard. He qualified best and then at the 11th lap had to pull out, limping away in an injured car.
The pit stop is to the side, and cars have a speed limit to move through an underpass tunnel in order to remerge back on to the track - it's very glamorous! The circuit moves the cars under a hotel, which now dusk has fallen, presents a lovely display of undulating red, purple, pink LED lights and the whole track and setting is rather surreal, like a computer game. 8 laps to go, this will be the first ever F1 race I've ever watched from beginning to end. Never seen anything so glitzy and fossil-fuel consuming all at once. After all, Abu Dhabi is a purpose built island created for this circuit. Crazy shit.
It's. Just. So.... Pretty.
And The Australian comes 2nd after putting up a 6 lap fight to the flag line. Very satisfying. NIce.
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