It is Over...
The dream has been shattered. For Ferrari, for Schumacher, for me. It all ended with 17 laps to go in the Japanese Grand Prix. Schumacher and Ferrari had done everything right from the moment the race started. The pit stop strategy was executed to perfection bringing Schumacher out ahead of Alonso at the end of both the stops. Then it all went up in smoke. Literally. As Schumacher exited the pit lane ahead of Alonso after his second and final stop, and as he went through the esses and the up the Dunlop curve, the left bank of the Ferrari 2.4 litre V8 056 engine spewed acrid smoke and ended Schumacher's race.

Although there is still a chance for Schumacher to win the championship, it is a highly unlikely scenario. In the last race in Brazil, Schumacher not only needs to win the race but he also requires Alonso to retire and score no points. Only then will he clinch his eighth world title. Schumacher himself conceded that the title was lost but he isn't giving up, no sir. He is one hundred percent focussed on helping Ferrari win the Constructors' Championship.

Even though I was disappointed when I saw that smoke spewing from the car, I realized and was able to draw satisfaction from the tremendous effort made by Ferrari and Schumacher to take the fight to Renault and Alonso. From being 25 points behind Alonso, Schumacher, in a matter of seven races was able to draw level on points with Alonso. And that is truly amazing stuff. Ferrari and Schumacher just never give up and fans like me draw great satisfaction from that. They are like a family, the whole team. After Schumacher walked back to the pits, he found it in himself to console all the members of the team personally, some of whom were in tears...that is how close they are.

Well, if Schumacher doesn't win the championship this year, he doesn't. You can't put it more simply than that. But what is satisfying and consoling is that if Ferrari and Schumacher do go down, they'll at least go down fighting. And thats what defines Michael Schumacher - he is a fighter to the very end.

Exams. Again. Just when you finish a semester, its vacation time....which flies by...as fast as Schumacher on his qualifying run. Then the next semester begins and before you know it you are inundated with projects. Then the projects are over and you barely have time to get your head out of the quagmire of work and draw a deep breath and in you go again to prepare for your exams. Will there never be any respite. Isn't it enough that we prove ourselves in the practical war that we have to face the armies of theory every six months? Man its frustrating!

And, moving onto my favourite topic, what of the Chinese GP eh? A gritty performance in qualifying to line up sixth on the grid, followed by a sublime drive in changing conditions to win and take the lead in Drivers' Championship for the first time, albeit on account of more number of wins? Thats Michael Schumacher...still the at the top of his game at the end of his career.

And what of Alonso feeling the pressure? Making comments in the press about feeling alone at certain times and saying that some people in Renault don't want him to win because they don't want the number one going to Mclaren next year?

As for the championship, I'm so tensed, I'm not placing my bets either ways, especially since its more open now than it ever was.