Long time since I got so early on a Sunday. Reason: F1 Season start. Race 1 Over. Venu: Bahrain.

Result: Alonso (1), Schumacher(2) & Raikkonen(3).

Highlights of the race:

1.Was good to see Schumi back on podium after 6 dry race.. Renault pit stop crew did a terrific job.
2.Kimi was last on the grid @ the start of the race, finished on the podium with just 1 pit stop. Man what a car he has. Hope this season has all the good luck for him.
3.Ferrari expected more from Massa, but the pit crew sucked and changed the whole ferrari team race strategy.
4. Bad luck for Fisichella (Hydraulics failure).
5. Jacques Villeneuve car on fire bcos of engine failure.

Nico Rosberg was terrific, son of 1982 world champion Keke Rosberg, was seventh for Williams, becoming the 54th driver in the history of the sport to score on a race debut after overtaking Austrian Christian Klien’s Red Bull on the last lap. Rookie & youngest driver and scored points. smart kid who dropped going to Imperial college to study Engineering.

on a Sad note for Indian F1 fans. Narain Nahi !! he has joined Williams and will be their 4th driver. From opening driver for Jordan to 4th. BTW Midland team, making their debut after the name change from Jordan, fared little better with Dutchman Christijan Albers retiring at the start.

New changes for 2006 season:
In an effort to put more competition into the sport, F1 officials approved a new qualifying format for this season and authorized smaller engines and the reintroduction of tire changes.

Qualifying will be held in three phases. The five slowest cars will drop out after the first 15 minutes and five more will depart after the next 15. The remaining cars will compete in a 20-minute session for the top spots on the grid.

The change from V10 to V8 engines is aimed at giving smaller teams a chance.

Tire changes were outlawed in 2005 except in rare cases. In 2006, teams will be able to change tires and perhaps avoid the fiasco that occurred at last year’s U.S. Grand Prix, when the Michelin teams refused to race. Michelin is leaving F1 next year.

for more technical updates click here.

On this day..

• Traffic Signal Soliciting - 2007
• The greatest match of all times - 2006