A few summers ago, I remember lazing around on weekends, watching Formula One races with more than just a passing interest. Those were the days when the elder Schumacher was the top dog, Hakinnen and Raikonnen in their McLarens were his key competitors and Minardi used to bring up the rear in almost all races.

Even back then, I had merely a statistical interest in the sport. I never really understood the technicalities involved in setting up a F1 car. Chassis, Traction Control, Automatic Gearbox Transmission, Low Centre of Gravity were just terms that I thought were cool to hear. I was more busy plotting scenarios where “if Kimi won this one, and MSC finished outside the fourth sport, Kimi would have surely sealed the title. Go Mclaren” (I was more of a Mclaren fan, always rooting for the underdog in the title challenge). Steve Slater and Chris Goodwin’s commentary was another highlight of my Formula One watching days.

In one of the races with little or no room for overtaking (perhaps it was Monaco), MSC’s Ferrari was bottled behind a Minardi. And I vividly remember Steve Slater going, “This is one of the most frustrating feelings ever for MSC. A Ferrari being held back by a Minardi.” It was funny, because when I heard it, I thought, with all the horsepower of the Ferrari engine, it must not be too difficult for MSC to overhaul the meandering Minardi.

Schumacher was bottled down behind the slower car for a good 8-10 laps and kept on waiting. He did not do anything outrageously stupid; did not try to cut any corners or have a look at a possible attempt to pass through on the inside at any curve. During the next round of pit stops, he ensured that he put in a couple of really quick laps while the Minardi went into the pit-lane and he emerged ahead of the inferior car after his own pit-stop. I do not remember what happened of MSC at the end of the race, but this duel with an inferior car captured my imagination.

What could have been the possible reasons for the World Champion to have endured those laps of frustration? For one, the race mattered more to him that it did to Minardi, at least as far as the Championship points were concerned. An error in judgment on his part would have had more far-reaching consequences. An attempt to pass on the inside on a curve which was not suited for an overtaking attempt could have sent him crashing into the barriers, thereby ending his race prematurely. Somewhere deep down, the Ferrari management and the driver himself realized that they had bigger battles to fight, and in this case, they had to just toe the line, be a bit disciplined and not do anything stupid.

I say this because I find myself in Ferrari’s shoes for over an year now battling those proverbial Minardis who are blocking my path to the greater good. Sorry to sound a bit haughty, but it’s been that way. Unlike MSC, I have been trying hard to get past the slower car in front of me; trying to cut corners; trying to manufacture something even when there is nothing in store. But slowly realization has dawned, that there are bigger challenges to follow ahead. And for now, it just boils down to “grinning and bearing it” and not doing anything impulsive about it. It is hugely frustrating to say the least, but I have to bide my time, till the next round of pit-stops which is seven months away, which is when I will finally stop attending college. Sigh.