The class of a true champion

"yeah baby, this is what I was talking about" are usually the words mouthed by Sebastian Vettel after winning a race but this time, he was fighting tears. It was almost like a last gasp effort as the whole of F1 fraternity witnessed the arrival of a true champion in Seb after he fought all odds to clinch the 2010 F1 world drivers' championship by a mere 4 points from the languishing Ferrari of Fernando. I truly had belief in him even during the thick of times, that he would do it. After Korea, the morale broke when he failed to finish the race after suffering an engine blow up while leading the GP. He was then a clear 25 off Fernando and 14 off his teammate, Mark.

By winning the Brazilian GP, Seb gave himself an outside chance to atleast fight it out till the end but was still trailing by a good 15 points off Fernando who only needed to finish in the top 2 in the season finale in Abu Dhabi to seal the title. But that was not to be. Seb fended off the off-the-line punch from Lewis by maintaining track position going into turn 1. Schumacher was squeezed by his teammate and the catastrophe caused the deployment of safety car during which time, Rosberg, Petrov and Jaimie stopped for a tyre change. The decision proved to be pivotal as when Fernando pitted during lap 15, he came out behind the trio who were going to the end.

There were a lot of press against the strategy deployed by Ferrari to hold off Mark but I thought the fate was there to be sealed anyhow. I never overestimated Ferrari’s capabilities on the soft tyres. Fernando could have maximum gone for another 6 laps with the options which would have taken the lead he had of Rosberg from 15 to 18 secs (Mercedes was only lapping 0.4 slower than Ferrari on primes). 22 secs lead was needed to come, change and go out in front. Button stayed long to only leapfrog Kubica despite the fact that he was losing time against both Vettel n Hamilton but even that didn’t pay off. Button went to lap 36, Vettel 24, Hamilton 22, Alonso 15 before they all stopped. Alonso might have gone ahead of Petrov had he waited but then there was Kubica who was stopping at lap 46 only. Hence, Alonso would have been held up by one Renault or the other in either ways and more importantly he would have been behind Rosberg no matter what he did because Rosberg didn’t have to stop again and that meant all he could have managed was fifth (not enough). He lost the race in the first corner when Button got past him and by virtue of an average duct.

McLaren showcased what they are capable of in circuits where they could utilize the
superiority of their F-ducts. They and Renault were the only teams to have pulled off a move against Kobayashi IIRC. So after 55 laps of tipsy-topsy, it finished with Vettel from Hamilton, Button and Rosberg meaning the winner took it all. Fernando could only manage a seventh, four below where he had started. It was amazing to see contrasting emotions from the title contenders cos at one end, Vettel was embracing his mates in the team but there on the other end, Fernando was giving a 'sporting gesture' to Petrov for holding him for more than half the race. Seriously, the guy is a sore looser as Petrov was firstly, fighting for positions and secondly, fighting for his career. I think he has a great chance of securing a drive for 2011 with the Anglo-French squad and Seb will be more than willing to sponsor the same ;)

Redbull were the team to beat all season though they had a share of mishaps in the form of Vettel's reliability woes, Webber's DNFs etc but championships are always won over a season. Hence, I don't give too much into the gritty drives of both the Renault drivers which held Fernando at the back because in the end, Vettel was a touch unfortunate not to have sealed the title earlier. He lead the most laps in 2010 but won only five times giving a clear indication of how the machinery had failed him at times. Still, they are both the drivers'(prestige) and constructors'(revenue) champions. Yes, another car from the Adrian Newey stable has won both the championships. Bravo!

Finally, the talking point! Redbull allowed their drivers to have a go while Ferrari maintained a status quo and in the end, Redbull showed the world that championships can be won by giving equal priorities to drivers. Mark can never complain because he was atleast not treated like the way Ferrari treated Massa. Fernando as always doesn't want to fight his teammate partly because he's demanding and partly because of the aftermaths of 2007. Hence, he needs his team to get victories for him on a plate, a practice which might have fetched him silverware earlier in his career but things have changed, and for good. Fact that a genuinely popular driver has won the championship is like an icing on the cake apart from the way he did it. Ferrari has a long way to go in terms of ethics while Fernando's hand of gestures are better reserved for the streets.


And on that note, let's welcome the youngest world champion SEBASTIAN VETTEL!

Where's the championship heading?

The deadening summer break is here with a two week mandatory shutdown back at the factories and no sound of the V8 for a further week. Ouch, it's so ho-hum it hurts! The intriguing races prior to the break left us fans with hope of a nail biting finish to the championship finale at Abu Dhabi with as much as five drivers and three constructors in with a shout.

Redbull is the team to beat with an unmatched qualifying pace coupled with a competitive race pace and controlled by two very good pilots behind the wheels. Vettel might be gutted post Hungary to loose out on what seemed like an easy way out to the flag but only to be undone by some inconsistent stewarding, yet again. How can they measure 10 car length? I seriously wonder! Webber meanwhile is picking up pieces very well. The odds of him winning the title are minimal but the kind of show he puts up for the fans is worth taking a look. Leading the championship is no mean feet with just seven races to go.

If there's a group of restless souls breaking their heads, it's back at Woking in the UK as the badge board says "McLaren Mercedes". They were left strangling with the so called midfield team Renault at a high downforce Hungaroring. They clearly couldn't match the Ferraris and the Redbulls on an ultimate lap and their race pace too looked sluggish. Hamilton's leading from Button by a perfect ten but Button's no easy route. So far so good at woking as McLaren is treating their drivers equally but as we all know, equality brings tension and with two British drivers at the wheels of a British car, one would be brave to place harmony alongside them. Coming up are two low downforce tracks which could help McLaren bridge the gap, like they did in Montreal.

If Ferrari is not the team to beat, surely is the team at the spotlight but how I wish for the right reasons. A controversial German GP saw the media taking a dig which looked like a verbal onslaught. Some of the questions thrown were so embarrassing that one would have to stand up and applaud the PR managers of both Fernando and Felipe. The team has cuddled behind Fernando and Massa is his rear gunner for the rest of the season which by the looks of it is advantage Spaniard over the other four contenders whom I have mentioned. A no:1 driver means he gets the upgrades first, has a better say on the testing performances, better strategy for both quali and race etc. But being Alonso the demanding personality, I doubt he would please any neutral by winning the crown for the third time anyhow.

So all five drivers are in with a chance but gone are those days when you could afford to play conservative by cruising to the championship. Just like 2007 and 2008, this one too will go down to the wire. Don't worry about the FIA test if you are a Redbull fan because I'm sure their pace comes from somewhere else, somewhere at the back. :P McLaren needs to buck up and they sure will as Spa is a power circuit. Vettel edges Webber on raw talent but is trailing the Aussie by ten points. It will be interesting to see how the strategies poise at the two England outfits though with teammates fighting and taking points off each other.

All to play for, oh yeah, bring the xmas early!

Things to ponder over post Monaco

1. Alonso has mentally destroyed Massa

Though the latter had the grid advantage to the former, he really couldn’t utilize it to the full potential. Staying 4^th with the second best car on the grid is hardly an achievement whereas Fernando fought his way back to the middle of the grid. It started all at the first corner in Bahrain and from then on, Massa has only been a shadow of himself. Even though Alonso made uncanny mistakes, those were mistakes not like an overall dip in performance.

2. McLaren doesn’t have the package

If Spain was not a yardstick, then Monaco sure was. The team who always claim to be the best in slow circuits were altogether slow. Button lost 4 places in two corners whereas Lewis salvaged home some points. Lewis is suffering from a bit of Massa syndrome and bit of stupidity, as always.

3. It’s the matter of when rather than how for RBR

Adrian Newey, take a bow! What a car, I mean what a car!

6 GPs, 6 poles, 3 victories inspite of reliability woes. Now that’s the way to stamp your authority. I won’t be surprised if they wrap it up before a handful of races both the drivers and constructors championship. While Webber was untouchable as in Spain, Vettel watched his mirrors pretty well. Knowing Seb, I guess he’ll be a bit down on his head but one victory can quickly swing the pendulum in his favor.

4. Damon Hill took revenge in a lame manner

Perhaps Schumi needs to realize that his livery is no longer red but in a season were suicidal mistakes were mellowed down to mere warnings, the penalty was harsh and unjustifiable. According to the new rules, you can overtake a car between the SC line and the start line after the SC has gone into the pits which is exactly what Schumi did. Also, green flags were waved asking drivers to go racing. Damon Hill looked stupid to take the Adelaide 94 revenge cos that was really stupid.

5. Ferrari is missing the Iceman

With a fast car, maybe not the fastest, at their disposal both Alonso and Massa could have done better on the whole. 1 win out of 6 is hardly Ferrari. Alonso is making some uncanny mistakes and one too many for the team’s liking while Massa is merely a passenger. On top of it, if a repeat of Shanghai happens, all hell will break loose between the teammates and the team harmony would be found wanting, something only Kimi could bring to a team.

~kimster4life

Oz GP 2010 review: so much for crying out loud

What was it? How was it? Bahrain a borefest, the latest edition of F1 doesn't allow cars to follow each other and drivers are brutally cautious, yeah right! Time to eat a big pie of the cribbing which was served for two continuous weeks and a bit of mine too :P. It was one heck of a race, maybe the best since Hungary 2006 thanks to similar circumstances as that of the latter. Slippery track, changeable conditions, inspired pit calls, jaw dropping maneuvers, futile errors all comprised a mesmerizing spectacle. As someone in the BBC crew rightly said, the highlights this Australian GP offered are enough to last a whole effing season.

Vettel looked all set for an easy pole-to-flag win until his wheelnut cut loose half way into the race which ended his aspirations at a gravel trap near turn 3. Redbull had a dismal day after starting 1-2 on the grid. Aussie home hero Webber was erratic and was far from being a contender, first being passed by Massa at the start but taking his place back before loosing out at the tyre change and finally clobbering his front onto Hamilton's McLaren. He eventually finished 9th, taking home just 2 points instead of a possible 18.

Ferrari should be all smiles after a second consecutive podium for Massa with Fernando completing a brave drive to 4th after taking a wild spin into turn 2 due to a tussle with Button and Schumi at the start, sending him to 22nd and dead last. Bravo Fernando! Some of his moves, especially against the Sauber and the Williams of Rubens were sublime. Yeah, bring more of the u-cant-follow-cars crap. Also, both the Ferrari drivers chose not to make a second pitstop which was indeed an inspired move as their set of option tyres lasted for a mammoth 50 odd laps. Tyre degradation, anyone?

Now the outfit from woking! Jenson Button seemed to have lost it in the beginning when he fell from 4th to 6th and was passed by his teammate at turn 3, but only to come back strong with an inspired pitcall by switching to options two laps earlier than anyone else. I saw him taking a wild route onto the grass just after making the pitstop but catastrophe turned superlative when he kept his McLaren on the track all day long and also earning a victory from the grasp of the then retired Vettel. Did someone say he made the mistake of his lifetime by choosing to partner Lewis? :D The real story of McLaren for the day came from Lewis Hamilton's fantastic drive and the subsequent outcry. He was called into the pits for another set of dry tyres when everyone else at the front chose not to change. Lewis lost his 3rd place and rejoined at 6, seconds behind the "tyre saving" Ferraris. He was told on the radio that he would inevitable catch the Ferraris but these days, catching a car in front is one thing, finding a way past is another. And he got his medicine.

Fernando Alonso showed off some defensive skills against a 1.5 sec a lap faster Lewis who eventually got hit from the back by Webber sending both to the gravel before both being passed by Rosberg. McLaren, I guess were right cos Lewis wouldn't manage his tyres for 50 odd laps like Button or the Ferrari drivers. Instead of not finishing the race, they gave him an opportunity to grab a podium which obviously he blew from the outset. What followed after the race was a preposterous dig at the team's failure to make the right call. That's Hamilton for you! I rest my case.

Mercedes though had a day to forget when Schumi's challenge ended with a broken front wing on lap 1 and Rosberg finishing at a conservative 5th. A lot was expected from this team but unless they come up with some drastic revamp strategies, the title aspirations are fast slipping away. Force India made hay while others were having fun as Liuzzi got a solid 7th with 6 points in the bag while Sutil's woes continued as he retired early. India's new sensation Karun Chandok managed to finish the race with a baby of a car and has brought smiles to the country. Way to go mate!

On the whole, we have seen yesterday how flamboyant F1 racing could actually get given the opportunities to "race". More of the Albert Parks and less of the snorefests would be handy. Tilke, are you listening? Sepang is on the cards next which usually offers amazing wheel-to-wheel action. Let's hope it betters Melbourne though I'm really happy from what I got down under.


~kimster4life

Enough of the 'idiotic bak-baks'

As we break the walls of the decade and jump into a potentially fruitful one starting with 2010, it's really time to look back at what happened in tinsel town, one of my fav topics. The year that was, was nothing great TBH except for some Kamineys freaking out on the streets and some dropouts or 'idiots' to accompany them. :) Yes, the focus of this entry is the best film I have ever seen, and that is RajKumar Hirani's Aamir Khan starrer 3 idiots.

I really don't have to waste my time reviewing this tedious film because by now, everyone would have seen it and appreciated the way it was made along with the message it gave away to the masses and classes combined. Just when it shattered all the box-office records any film has ever set in the country and just when "all's well" became the new anthem, in came the controversy. What's this big fuzz about credits coming from the so called intellectuals behind the book and film? The credits for the wretched media bites should indeed go to Mr. Hirani, Mr Chopra and the iconic modern day wonder of an author, Mr. Chetan Bhagat.

I follow Mr. Bhagat in twitter and TBH, he grabs a lot of attention with his witty one-liners just like his celebrated writings. But lately, I'm a bit disappointed by some of his tweets which are aimed at some of the big names in the industry. He claims that he was undone by the crew of '3 idiots' who failed to stuff in "based on the Novel 5.someone by Chetan Bhagat" during the starting credits, not the ending credits. He also claims that 70% of the movie is based on his novel. Let's take a pitstop here. I have a golden Q to Bhagat. I am a big fan of 5.someone and on the same lines, I loved watching the film as well. Most book adaptations fail to strike a chord but still 3 idiots worked wonders. Why? 5.someone is great as a book but it can't be an appealing motion picture unless the director changes the plot a bit, adds some twists and turns and incorporates some brilliant creative liberties into the screenplay.

Yes, DVC was a CC of the book, so was Angels and Demons but 3 idiots, I beg to disagree. I remember 5.someone like yesterday and I have seen '3 idiots' twice already, so please don't tell me what I know and what I don't know. I know the facts as a reader/viewer. Whatever credits being given to Mr. Bhagat is all due, nothing more nothing less. And on top of it, Hirani broke all the silence when he came on air and said that whatever he has done were based on the contract which was signed by both parties. (The contract is available to download at VV Chopra site).

So why this tamasha? Maybe Chetan was expecting his name to popup on the screen during the starting credits. I don't want to say Chetan is doing a publicity gimmick because he doesn't need any publicity for god's sake. And even if he needs, by this time, the whole of India knows that 5.someone has got something to do with the biggest grosser ever in Bollywood.

Time to take a chill pill guys!

All's indeed well that ends well and let's just hope it does.

Kerala Cafe review - kathakalati sadaram

Director Renjith who conceived this idea of making 10 short films which get grounded by a coffee shop in a railway station called Kerala Cafe, has given a mammoth task to his friends, the 10 directors. It's a nice concept more than a nice film. The message is loud and clear as each story tries to send out a clear picture of nuances of life thereby taking us in a roller coaster ride through the cross section of the world we live.

I will list out the ones I thought were superlative efforts and will leave the average ones.

Movie no: 2 - Island Express - This train starts moving on an unconventional note and unrelated characters in Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Sukumari, Rahman and Raju who all convey to pay homage to their loved ones. But less we know that these were the left-overs of the biggest rail accident Kerala has ever witnessed - the 1988 Peruman tragedy. The more we get into the skin of the characters, the more we like them. The last scene where Prithvi tells her girlfriend pointing to a disintegrated Raju "he was the one who drove the train that day" is touching.

Movie no: 5 - Happy Journey - After an eternity, I could see the vintage Jagathy on screen and tell you what, it's worth 200 bucks. He's characterized as a middle aged 'flirt of the town' who tries to have a crack on a gal seated next to him in the KSRTC bus from Ernakulam to Calicut. As the story goes on, he finds the gal too strong and mysterious to be on top thus learning a strong lesson. For Jagathy's performance, the Kerala Cafe hits half-way on a high note.

Movie no: 8 - Bridge - I was taken back when I read the name of the director of this masterclass, Anwar Rasheed. The film talks about two families in parallel, one where an angry father throws away his son's pet cat into the bemire streets of cochin and the other were Salim Kumar leaves his mentally challenged mother into the streets because he couldn't take care of her anymore. Do I need to explain more? It's a classy take on defection.

Movie no: 9 – Makal – Revathy who directed this flick has penned the story as well. Though the story moves on predictable lines, it’s still worth a watch for some breathtaking visuals captured by ace cameraman Madhu Ambat and some stellar performances, especially from the kid who plays the makal character. Yes, we have seen movies like Mahanadi which were more gripping but laudable is the effort put.

Movie no: 10 – Puramkazhchakal – We are in the Idukki-Munnar route. Here we have one protagonist in Sreenivasan, who’s shown as an epitome of failed love who constantly thinks about her ex though with a lump in his throat and the second one in Mammootty who’s mysterious and tough earning a lot of irk from the people in the bus. We wonder where it’s heading before the last shot which is the most riveting and unexpected end to a cinema I have seen in a long time. And suddenly, I felt like going back and rehash the events in the bus which is excactly what the director wanted me to do.

The verdict: A pat on the back of director Renjith for coming up with an interesting concept which we haven’t seen in movies down south. Ther eare flaws obviously in the form of the other 5 films but still, Kerala Café succeeds in keeping the audien glued to the screen till the credits roll. I found myself applauding in the end which is very unlike me J. Reason – it’s a winner all the way!

Spa review: It's been long 490 days

Yes yes yes!

Finally the podium celebration looked all the more lively, champagne tasted all the more better, the winner seemed all the more deserving. Kimi Raikkonen won his 18th F1 race in his career at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. His last victory was at the Catalunya back in April 2008, so it's been 490 days since I had a solid reason to smile after a race. Additionally, what makes this win the sweetest of his four victories in Spa is the fact that he did it with the 3rd best car on the grid. Yeah, bring more of the Alonso-to-replace-shit!

Roll on the dice didn't really fall into Kimi's hands on saturday when he qualified 6th well behind the surprising pole sitter Fisichella of Force India. Starting on the dirty side, things were further complicated when Barrichello's engine went into an anti-stall right when the lights went. Kimi avoided him but ran wide at La Source cutting it and on to the run off area but managed to squeeze past the likes of Heidfeld and Trulli before emerging 3rd at Eau Rouge. Then came the excitement. He picked up the slipstream of Kubica and went past him with the aid of KERS across the long straight. He was second. The move looked matter-of-fact kind, that's Raikkonen! Back in the middle of the grid, there were incidents involving Algeusuari, Grosjean, Button and Lewis. All four retired the debris of the aftermath lead to the deployment of safety car.

It was a long SC stint as Kimi though a bit heavier than Fisichella who was leading, had to warm his tyres and brakes to ensure he's close enough onto the run to Eau Rouge when the SC goes in. What followed the SC period sent a chill down my spine. Kimi this time made it look all the more easy but more importantly, he was leading the race after lap 4. I wanted to scream "fuck you antis, he's here to stay". Post quali weights suggested Kimi was 2 laps heavier than Fisichella but all calculations went haywire as it turned out since Mercedez engine saves more fuel than Ferrari and hence better mileage. So both of the drivers came together for the first as well as the second pitstop, clearly sending a lot of nerves for us fans watching the action on the TV sets. Ferrari did well to ensure Kimi was ahead of Fisi after both the stops. Soft tyres worked brilliantly well but it was the KERS coupled with never-melting Ice magic that prevented Fisi from making a move with the faster car.

Vettel meanwhile was on a different strategy alltogether avoiding all the mayhem which happened at the back of the grid earlier in the race. He leapfrogged Kubica for the 3rd and final podium place. Meanwhile our man held the roaring Force India behind and claimed his triumph just 0.9 secs ahead. Forza!!! The story of the race apart from Kimi's 4th victory was that Force India got their first point of the season thanks to an ever unshakaeble Fisichella who stood virile against all odds. The updates which they had brought from Valencia worked wonders in the dense shuddery forests of Spa. From the looks of it, they are not gonna stop developing their challenger for the rest of the season. Monza cometh!

Finally, it's been a pleasure to write a review after Kimi's fantastic win. He's special at Spa which is considered to be a drivers' citadel. Kimi obviously would be bullish if asked about the 'secret' of winning here but fellow Raikkos know it better than anyone else

Kimi's the KING of SPA

Kimi just put the hammer down: Hungary review

The Hungarian GP was a mixed bag for any F1 buff, some shocking events and some maginificent wheel-to-wheel racing. For a moment, I was lost in the fruitful memories and the GP names then read Spa 04, Suzuka 05, Magny 02 but with a reality check, I got the name as Hungaroring 2009. Yes, Kimi's back to the goody goody times, back to his vintage best, back to his own self.

Talking about the race, Ferrari went through a bit of trauma on the back of Felipe Massa's disturbing crash on Saturday qualifiers which send him unconscious and caused a concussion. A metal piece from Barrichello's Brawn went flying in the air and landed on Massa's visor. Luckily the thing didn't go through the visor but caused a heavy impact above the left eye of the Ferrari driver who then rammed into the tyre barriers out of any control. Massa is right now sedated after a successful skull surgery to make his recovery gradual and safe. Because the incident occurred on qualifiers, it meant no reserve driver could have replaced Massa for Sunday's race.

And Raikkonen was Ferrari's sole contention who had an average quali, ended up on the 4th row of the grid. The start was nothing short of superlatives when Raikkonen with the aid of KERS, went past Rosberg (1) and Kovailainen(2), then slid across to the middle of the track with a heavy lounge on the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton before going past Vettel in turn1 (3) and up into 4th position. In the process, he had a moment with Vettel when he was forced to turn into the Redbull driver by Webber from the left which frankly is not Kimi's mistake. The pole sitter Fernando Alonso was on fumes but was also loosing time to Lewis who already got past Webber. Alonso pitted and with that went the glimmer of chances out of the window.

Meanwhile, Lewis, Webber and Raikkonen put up a series opf good laps and Alonso's bad pitstop only meant he emerged with a broken wheel. Later he lost his front right tyre causing a havoc in the pits cos just a week back, Henry Surtees lost his life in an F2 race when a tyre from his contender's car hit his head and ofcourse Massa's incident was on the back of everyone's head. Alonso retired and the fight was left to the trio. Raikkonen n Webber pitted together but rub of the green went in Raikkonen's favor for a change. Webber had a delay and was released just in front of the roaring Ferrari but couldn't get past it. This meant Raikkonen was second behind Lewis who was yet to pit. Redbull deserved a sanction there.

From then on each of them were on a race of their own, Raikkonen trying to prevent Glock from passing him, using KERS effectively, Lewis building up a handy lead over the Ferrari and Webber standing virile against Rosberg n co. Nothing dramatic occurred and with a seventh fastest car on the grid, Kimi Raikkonen took 2nd behind Lewis and ahead of Webber. His best result of the season by a country mile thanks to the fantastic start and some serene drive towards the end. Ferrari send a huge tribute to Massa with their best result of the season. McLaren were back to the winning ways thanks to a good performance from Lewis who didn't had any first lap incident to his credit, again for a change. Meanwhile, Brawns lost ground as they struggled to get heat on the hard compounds. Vettel retired which meant Webber had the last laugh with 6 precious points.

This championship now takes an U-turn with McLaren n Ferrari taking points off both Redbull n Brawn and more is instore when F1 head to Valencia next month for the European GP.

MohanLal and Blessy strike gold: Bramaram Review

Watching Blessy's latest offering, Bramaram is indeed a privilege for any movie goer as it turns out to be Mohanlal's finest performance off late. After Thanmatra when the actor-director due come together again to strike gold, I have to say their efforts are paid off.

It's just like watching any painfully powerful and contentful movie from Bharatan or Padmarajan. Lalettan is at his majestic best post interval. Infact, only his character moves through our memory lane long after the film is done. A revenge saga set in the cliches of a central kerala village through the chaos of coimbatore city, Bramaram travels a long way. I don't want to reveal even a single bit of the story as the least said, the better it's to witness this cinematic masterstroke.

Bhoomika and Lekshmi do walk-in roles but it's the newcomer Suresh Menon who springs a surprise with a top notch performance. Infact, his role is the only one that is even comparable to Lal's screentime in the whole movie. Blessy utilises the legend's charisma and screen presence to the core as it turns out to be a delight to see the Lal of late 80s and 90s, salvaging a renaissance and potrays acting brilliance at ease.

I really hope Bramaram will be seen and appreciated by the families. I care less for the mass audience, some of them who think that Bramaram is close to parallel cinema.

Yeah right???

Let's just say that Bramaram better become a hit now rather than earning a cult classic image ala Thoovanathumbikal, some 15-20 yrs down the line. The fundamental problem of Malayalee audience.......

4 stars easily

Race 6 Monaco: Ferrari resurgence

It’s nice to see them grab some good points despite the fact that the title dream is all but over.

Kimi had a good race but could have been better had Ferrari boys kept it simple in the last pitstop. He qualified well, outpacing his lighter teammate but was unlucky not to start with super soft for short stint. If that’s the case, he would have defended 2^nd against Barrri. Also, Kimi said he was "happily disappointed" after the race which just summed up what kindov mental state he's in. Massa too had a steady race, almost always challenging Kimi for the podium, finishing just 2 secs off the other scarlet.

Button looks like a champion in waiting. I don’t know from where on earth he comes up with such jaw dropping pace everytime in Q3. He’s matured in driving and is consistent too. Rubens is a branded no:2 who can’t help but to just stare in disbelief.

Lewis-I-won’t-crack-Hamilton got a taste of the darker side of Monaco. With a potential podium McLaren, all he could manage yesterday was 7 positions, 5 of which due to others’ retirements. Pity! Kovalainen would be sacked before the end of the season, so would Nelson.

Next-up is Turkey, where Ferrari’s KERS and aerodynamic efficiency, might just make the difference. Kimi will be up for it, so will Massa but the question is can Ferrari get rid of shambolic errors once and for all?