It's finally time for the Formula 1 season to start and I'm excited. I've been religiously following the winter testing and car launches (what the teams call it when they "introduce" their new machine to much fanfare) and getting more and more psyched because the HondaF1 team looks to be very competitive. This is big news because it may allow my favorite driver, Jenson Button, to get his first win and fight for the championship. The season opening race takes place Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m. EST (Thank God for Tivo/DVR). The reason it is on so early is because it takes place in Bahrain. Normally, it's much later (8:00 a.m. for most of the European races).
If you've never watched a race, give it a look on Speed TV. All 22 cars (11 2-car teams) start from a stop when the red lights go off and drag race to the first corner - to me this is the best minute in sports. From there it's a game of strategy - who will pit first for fuel, how many times will each driver stop, who is taking care of their tires, etc. It can be tough to follow for a novice, but it gets easier with time. And though passing is rare (unlike in NASCAR), that's because it so much more difficult to pull off. When it happens, you'll find yourself jumping out of your seat and talking about it the next day with, well, me. So give the glamorous world of F1 a chance... read a race preview, pick a team and a driver to root for and join the fun! (Note: Bernie Ecclestone did not pay me to write this blog entry.)