So I got into F1 during the 80-81 timeframe when I was about 7-8 years old. My mom worked with a doctor who owned several shiny red Italian things, and he took great delight in showing them off to interested children like myself. Back then, we only had maybe four races a year on TV. Shoot, the Indy 500 wasn't even broadcast live in its entirety until the mid-late 80s; we'd have ABCs Wide World Of Sports intercutting Indy and the Monaco GP with each other as if they were taking place concurrently. As such, I gravitated towards CART/Indycar because that's what we had coverage of here. I still consider that series to have been the pinnacle of open wheel competitiveness, and it depresses me greatly to have been involved in the sport during its declining years. That said, I was pleased to have been at every Long Beach GP between 1998 and 2008 (minus 2001) and that I haven't been to a single one since the Crapwagons have appeared.
I can still picture my apartment living room where I was laying on the couch when ESPN broadcast that Ayrton Senna had died. Every May 1, I'm saddened all over again.
You can guess my team allegiance by my screen name, but I was never a fan of Schumacher and Todt. (Ross Brawn, however, is teh awesome sauce) That said, I have a wonderful memory of watching the 2000 Japanese GP at Yankee Doodle's on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and hugging and kissing several Ferrari fans at the conclusion after watching the race amidst a bar full of Lakers fans. Today, I remain an unabashed Alonso supporter and think der Seb has no idea what sort of damage he's done to his team. I also really like Mark Webber, but that's like 90% down to the fact that he has a Rhodesian ridgeback.
I've seen GP historics several times, but sadly not when I was in possession of anything like a decent camera. But I will say this; the first time I saw - and
heard - the Ferrari 312T at speed on Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, I actually teared up. It was a restored Villeneuve car, and was the first F1 machine that I ever knew anything about.
) - which was so "adult" for a <10 year old kid.
