Goal for 2008: win at least one GP - Check
Last year, BMW-Sauber's goal was to be considered as one of the top three teams in Formula 1. This year the goal was to win at least one Grand Prix and establish themselves as a legitimate championship team.
After the Canadian GP, the team seemed to have met its goal convincingly. Not only did Robert Kubica win the Canadian GP dominantly, teammate Nick Heidfeld crossed the finish line in second place, securing BMW-Sauber's first ever one-two finish.
The result boosted Kubica on top of the drivers' standings with 42 points.
The win becomes even more impressive if you consider the fact that it was in Canada last year that Kubica suffered the worst shunt of his career. But rather than be flustered, the Polish driver came back to the famed venue with a dramatic victory.
Like Father Like Son
Not long after Anthony Hamilton (Lewis' dad) crashed a $600,000 Porsche Carrera GT into a ditch, Lewis Hamilton crashed his multi-million dollar McLaren Mercedes-Benz into the back of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari F2008 in the pit lane.
The bizarre accident hapeened during the safety car period. The pit lane entrance was opened to allow the front runners, running in fumes by then, to have a much needed refuelling and tire changing stop. The exit however wasn't opened yet as the pit lane light still flashed red.
Kubica and Raikkonen were side by side in the pit exit waiting for the green light. Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, noticed the red light a little too late and failed to stop on time clobbering Kimi's Ferrari in the process. Both were forced to retire for the day.
Hamilton dropped to second in the standings with 38 points. He currently wins the tie breaker with Massa who also has 38 points after finishing fifth in Canada. Raikkonen drops to fourth with 35 points.
Formula Karma
Vijay Mallya, co-owner of Team Force India, wasn't at all delighted when Raikkonen lost control and crashed into Adrian Sutil during the Monaco GP. Sutil was currently running in an impressive fourth place with 9 laps to go. Had Sutil finished, Team Force India would have earned 5 valuable championship points. It would have been the team's first ever point scoring result.
But because of Raikkonen's mishap, Team Force India left Monaco still scoreless.
Raikkonen apologized, but Mallya still expressed his discontent days after the incident.
During the Canadian GP, however, Vijay Mallya may be quoting a lesson on Karma as Raikkonen now became the victim of Lewis Hamilton's error.
As for Hamilton, he will be given a 'plus 10' grid penalty in the following race in Magny Cours, France effectively diminishing his chances of winning and reasserting his position in the standings.
What goes around comes around I guess.
Another Four Way Battle:
The Bizarre Canadian GP left Formula 1 fans yet another four-way battle with Kubica, Hamilton, Massa, and Raikkonen currently neck-and-neck.
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