This Week in Motorsport
The 2010 Formula One season has begun! Woo hoo! Watching the videotaped Bahrain Grand Prix was just about the only thing I liked about yesterday. Ferrari scored an impressive one-two finish, but were gifted those top two spots on the podium by a return of Red Bull's '09 bête noire: engine reliability, or the lack thereof. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) was dominant from the first, his RB6 starting from the pole position and pulling away from the car running second, Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, until something went suddenly awry with his engine; Vettel was helpless as he was passed by first Alonso, then the other Ferrari of Felipe Massa, and then the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton. Given the wounded condition of his car, it is actually quite impressive that Vettel was able to fend off those Kraut bastards from Mercedes, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher (who finished fifth and sixth), and limp home to fourth place. I will never understand why Red Bull stays with Renault engines after the tendency of those engines to fail catastrophically was a major reason why Vettel didn't win the World Drivers' Championship last year. Bog forbid Red Bull should choose Mercedes power, but what about Ferrari engines? Ferrari powers the Red Bull "B team," Toro Rosso. Alas. I don't begrudge Ferrari their victory, the F10 is an impressive car, but you hate to see a race decided by the failure of a spark plug. (I know, I know, kingdoms have been lost for want of a nail.)

So, with the hopes of an American team competing in Formula One gone up in smoke, where do my loyalties lie? I should dearly love to cheer for McLaren, but cannot so long as they are powered by Mercedes engines (the team is officially called Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes, though now that the Huns have their own team in Mercedes G.P., last year's Brawn G.P., they are to divest themselves of McLaren over the next few seasons, though that doesn't necessarily mean McLaren will cease using Mercedes power). I admire Ferrari, there is no F1 without Ferrari, but am unprepared to join the ranks of the tifosi. My top three teams, though I am uncertain of the proper order of the second and third (engine in parentheses):

Red Bull (Renault) - Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber
Lotus (Cosworth) - Heikki Kovalainen & Jarno Trulli
Williams (Cosworth) - Rubens Barrichello & Nico Hulkenberg

It's going to be another great year in Formula One, folks! Catch the second race of the year, the Australian Grand Prix, in less than a fortnight, televised in American only on Speed. Formula fun!

Coming this weekend: the opening round of the American Le Mans Series, the 12 Hours of Sebring, your first chance to get a look at the Peugeots and Audis that will contest the legendary 24 Heures du Mans in June. "By endurance we conquer."

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
The Aquabats!, "Tiny Pants!" from The Aquabats! vs. The Floating Eye of Death! and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs-Up)