Thursday, July 30, 2009

I'm so excited (and I just can't hide it)

If you've been reading Rocketradio for a long time, you might already know that I am a die-hard Formula One enthusiast. I'm a Tifoso (Ferrari fan), and I've been getting up wicked early on Sundays for years to watch races all over the world. I spend more time on Planet F1 than I spend on planet Earth. If I thought it would interest anyone but me, I'd dedicate half the space on this blog to my obsession with racing, but no, I'm thinking of YOU, gorgeous friends. Because I don't read your boring posts about football and basketball, so I know how you would feel about that.

I'm making an exception on this day because there was a sensational development yesterday that ROCKED MY WORLD. I'll try to keep it brief, so please stick with me.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER IS RETURNING TO FERRARI!

To put it in perspective for you, this is the equivalent of Wayne Gretzky coming out of retirement to play hockey, or Michael Jordan going back to the Bulls. You know, if they weren't all old and stuff.

Schumacher holds a record seven World Championship titles, won more races than ANY driver in all of motorsport, and was at one time the highest-paid athlete in the world. He retired from racing in 2006, and ever since then, F1 has been a real drag. Scuderia Ferrari are no longer the powerhouse team they once were, and the sport itself has been plagued by scandals and stupid politics for the past two years. Formula One was sucking hard, and I was losing interest.

But last weekend, during the Saturday qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, something terrible happened that changed the course of motorsport history: current Ferrari driver Felipe Massa was severely injured in a freak accident. He was hit in the head by some flying debris from Barrichello's Brawn GP car - a rare occurrence which resulted in a massive blow to his helmet, a skull fracture, and a critical injury to his right eye. Felipe underwent life-saving surgery hours later and he is expected to recover, although his future as an F1 driver is unknown. This left Ferrari scrambling for a replacement driver to finish out the remainder of the season.

Schumacher himself has said "no thanks, I'm done" a thousand times, but in the end, his loyalty to his former team, (and his friendship with Felipe Massa) brought about a huge change of heart. He will get behind the wheel of Massa's F60 for the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain on August 23rd!

If I believed in heaven, I would have died and gone there already.

I'm trying to keep my expectations in check, but it's soooo hard. After all, Schumi is the Real Stig:

16 comments:

God said...

But is it like Dale Earnhardt coming back from the dead to sling his zombie ass into a car in order to drive around an oval 1000 times?

Oh, no, I guess it's not because F1 is actually interesting. Y'know, for car-type racing. Even if there were zombie comebacks.

katrocket said...

GOD: Thou shalt NOT mention NASCAR on this blog! Zombies or not, it's the county fair demolition derby of motorsport, and I'll have NONE OF THAT.

Lulu LaBonne said...

Ok he is very sexy - I'll give you that

The Vegetable Assassin said...

Am I right in saying Schumacher once dated Steffi Graf back in the day? Does this mean he's not really into cars, he's into horses?

Ok that was mean for so early...

Is the smell of the motor oil and the sound of revving engines making you HORNY BABAAAAY?

Eric said...

Go Italia!!! and Ferrari!!!

But those bastard dealers in Texas at Ferrari make you buy a Maserati first and then you have to go to driving school before you can take delivery of the real thing.

SkylersDad said...

This is soooo funny because as I read down your page, I was totally going to go find the Stig revealed clip and send it to you! Then there it was!!

F1 drivers are real drivers, Nascar dudes can't even turn right...

Bill Stankus said...

You got me on this posting ... I can't tell if you're serious or doing a great bit of social sarcasm.

Besides, from the photo he appears to be a human billboard who has fingers. Drivers with fingers aren't that uncommon.

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

As a Brit, and therefore a Damon Hill fan back in the 90s, I can only say: "Boo! Boo! Boooooooo!"

Soda and Candy said...

TOP Gear...

*muttering* stupid fat fingers.

Soda and Candy said...

THANK YOU for referencing Tiop Gear, it is one of the best shows on TV.

James said...

The Stig! I always thought he was like that movie where Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Cate Blanchett all played Bob Dylan. Surely, Michael Shumacher has more important things to do than dance to Jeremy Clarkson's commands as the Stig!

PS. When I was a little kid, F1 racing was car racing. In fact, I remember watching Days of Thunder wondering when they would get around to racing the REAL race cars.

Stewie said...

Danica Patrick is hot. She's F1, isn't she?

Tennyson ee Hemingway said...

As a young boy growing up, I was practically CHAINED in front of the TV to watch the Bathurst 1000 every year. My mum and dad absolutely LOVED motor racing of any kind but, unfortunately, that love was never passed on. To me, it's still just cars going around in a circle. I can understand people loving it but, I just could never do it. Love Top Gear though.

Gwen said...

Baby, your many facets continue to amaze and fascinate me.

I know nothing about racing but I'm excited for you! SCHUMACHER!! WOOT!

Cooper Green said...

I'm amazed at how much he looks like Greg Moore.

Grant Miller said...

I really would like to leave this comment in Italian, but I'm not that good.