Sebastian Vettel wins historic Formula 1 World Championship

@AussieGrit Mark Webber finishes in third place for the year.

I had to go on media blackout yesterday afternoon, having foolishly booked my Berlin to London flight in the middle of the Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi.

BBC iPlayer to the rescue.  The entire 3hr 15min BBC broadcast was available as a stream when I got home.  The BBC coverage of the Formula 1 World Championship has been absolutely awesome this year.  Big congrats to the team that put it together.

I was fortunate enough to be at Silverstone in July when Mark Webber won the British grand prix.  He raced very well this year, taking home 4 wins, and he led the championship for a fair portion of the year.  All the leading drivers made a few errors and had some technical troubles this year.  As a result, there wasn't a single stand out driver.  Going into the final race - there were still four drivers mathematically in with a chance of winning the championship, so different to the early 2000s when Michael Schumacher absolutely dominated the sport.

Mark Webber was in second place in the championship leading up to Abu Dhabi, but didn't have the pace on the final weekend.  To win the championship Fernando Alonso had to keep the pace with Mark Webber, and finish in at least fourth place if pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel came through with the win on the day.  Sebastian Vettel drove a perfect race in Abu Dhabi, Mark Webber made a pit-stop at the wrong time which cost him several places, Fernando Alonso followed Mark Webber's pit-stop strategy and they both ended up way back in the field, effectively handing the championship to Vettel!  At 23 y.o. Vettel is now the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

Disappointing for Aussie Mark Webber, but a fantastic season nonetheless.  Bring on 2011 !!

Ashes at Lord's

Ashes at Lord's
Originally uploaded by adrianhind

I was fortunate enough to get tickets to the first day of the second Ashes test at Lord's.

England won the toss and elected to bat, getting off to a good start with a fantastic opening partnership between Strauss and Cook. Australia fought back after lunch, with England ending the day at 6 for 364.

England went on to win the test, their first against Australia at Lord's since 1934.

Full set of photos in the Ashes at Lord's set on Flickr.

Hawks vs Cats @ the MCG

Hawks vs Cats
Originally uploaded by adrianhind

Went down to Melbourne to see the Hawks take on the Cats in the opening round Grand Final replay on Friday night. Hawthorn was missing a few key players, Geelong was getting the ball into the forward line more frequently, but kicking inaccurately. In the early fourth term, Hawthorn were 43 points behind, but fought back strongly with Franklin and Roughead kicking three goals each. In the end, Geelong finished 8 points ahead, but Hawthorn proved that their performance in last year's Grand Final was no fluke.

Go Hawks!! Here's to another big season in 2009.

Saturday Session at the Australian F1 Grand Prix

2009 F1 Grand Prix Saturday - 03
Originally uploaded by adrianhind

Don and I went to the Saturday session of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne.

The newly formed Brawn GP team of Button and Barichello finished 1st and 2nd in qualifying, and went on to take 1st and 2nd in the race on Sunday after Vettel and Kubica ran into each other just 3 laps from the end.

Full set of Flickr photos here.

Hawks triumph over Cats in historic AFL Grand Final

Hawthorn 18.7 (115) d Geelong 11.23 (89)

"THE 2008 [AFL] grand final will be written in sporting history as the day the champion cracked under pressure from a relentless and youthful challenger."

I had the pleasure of securing a grand final ticket in the MCC lottery a few weeks ago. My team, the Hawthorn Hawks, have been playing very well this year, securing second spot on the ladder at the end of the home and away season. The first three weeks of the finals played out without too many surprises. One by one the 3rd to 8th teams fell to their favoured opponents. On Grand Final day it was 1 v 2, Geelong (with 23 wins / 1 loss for the year to date) v Hawthorn. Geelong were the reigning premiers. Hawthorn were in their first Grand Final in 17 years.

A crowd of 100,012 flocked to Victoria's temple, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with probably an equal number watching the game in the pubs in nearby Richmond and the CBD.

Hawthorn were definitely the underdog. The bookies outside the 'G were offering odds of 3:1 for a Hawthorn victory ... yet there was quiet confidence that the Hawks would put up a fight.

The first two quarters were neck a neck. Geelong ahead by 1 point at quarter time. Hawthorn ahead by 3 points at half time. It was nail biting stuff - the game could have gone either way. Then the Hawks put on a stunning performance to close it out, kicking five goals in a row in the third quarter, and finishing the game ahead by 26 points.

On ya boys! We are a happy team at Hawthorn.