Champion okay

As expected, I didn't manage to watch the Japanese Grand Prix live (actually, I didn't even try). Instead, I went over to Carl's place to watch a recording at our leisure.

The first few laps flew by, but after that we didn't find it such a great race, despite all that the commentators were saying. Red Bull seemed to adopt a very conservative strategy, pitting early and often, and Sebastian Vettel lost out as a result. Still, all he needed was a single point to take the Drivers Championship, so finishing third after Button and Alonso meant he comfortably wrapped things up with four races still to go. The youngest ever back-to-back Champion. Well done Seb.

The Japanese crowd were superb. Lots of them, to begin with, but it wasn't only the numbers. Their enthusiasm and excitement brought back memories of ten years ago when GP races seemed to be much more abuzz with atmosphere. This gang dressed up as Red Bull cans were just one of the striking crowd images of the day.

After the race we watched a programme about 60 Years of Formula 1 which Cark had recorded a week previously. It was a bit of a disappointment, to be honest, and certainly didn't deliver on its title. That over, we finished the day with an episode of Ballykissangel, filling a gap which we've somehow allowed to develop. The series had got to a point of further cast changes by the time this episode was originally screened, and it wasn't one of the best.

Back home, I spent a lazy evening doing nothing much.