By Lemmy Gibson

The Formula One season is now one third complete following the Monaco Grand Prix. As expected, the season has been one full of chaos and controversy.

After massive changes to the rules and regulations for Formula One, the 2009 season promised to be an interesting one. Well, it has fallen flat. After three straight seasons of intense tight championships, the 2009 season was over before it began and has made a farce out of the efforts of FIA chief Max Mosley to make the sport more competitive.

Jenson Button and Brawn GP have risen from the ashes of Honda and wiped out the field. Using a controversial double diffuser, the team has only really been challenged in the rain. The team is so dominant that the mercurial Ross Brawn has resulted to his old tactics of filling up the car with more fuel than others to make it look slower compared to the other cars in the field during qualifying.

If there has been one highlight to the season, it is that passing is a bit easier. That being said, most fans enthusiasm for this is misguided. The passing is taking place in the middle to rear of the field. How this is exciting is beyond me, but it is what it is as the announcers lamely try to make a pass for 11th position seem exciting.

Team of the Year

Brawn GP is clearly the team of the year. Honda almost folded the team and it was Ross Brawn that saved it with his investors. One of the major players at Ferrari during the Schumacher years, he has proven to be every bit as brilliant with his own team. It must be difficult for Ferrari fans to look down the pit lane at Brawn GP and wonder how Ferrari possibly let him get away. It was a mistake that will haunt Ferrari for years and years.

Driver of the Year

Jenson Button is the undisputed winner. Yes, he has the best car, but he is driving the wheels off of it as well. He senses his opportunity and is grasping it ever so tightly as Schumacher or Alonso did when their opportunities arose. This is no more apparent than when Button is compared to Rubens Barrichello, his teammate. Jenson has finished ahead of Barrichello in every race and now has a 15 point lead over him. Unless Jenson gets hurt, the Driver's Championship is his.

Poor Performance of the Year

Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes were running neck and neck for this award, but things have changed. McLaren is still a mess, but is at least keeping its current pace. To the surprise of many, Ferrari has rebounded and now may be the second best car in the field. Regardless, my award for poor performance of the year goes to another team.

BMW is the biggest disappointment in Formula One this year. The team had a plan to progress over the years and had followed it. The 2009 rules and regulations, however, have proved too much for the team. They are arguably now the worst team on the track with their starting grid positions behind Force India at Monaco. What a disaster. Given the economy, it would not surprise anyone to see BMW decide to save some money and leave Formula One after 2010.

2009 has proven to be a disappointment after three years of championships that went down to the last race. Both championships in the 2009 season are already won for all intensive purposes. Expect to see decreased attendance in the stands and lower television ratings given the economy and an uncompetitive season.

By John Watson

The era of Michael Schumacher, the seven times world champion of Formula One racing finally came to an end in Brazil on Sunday 22nd Oct 2006. He is regarded as one of the most successful drivers of all time. What are the secrets of his success?

Perhaps the main secret is his ability to prioritize. He decides on his main goal in life and then pursues it with enormous commitment.

On Sunday, 10th September 2006, I left my house for a walk just as the Formula One race at Monza, the home circuit of Ferrari, was beginning. Schumacher was one of the favorites to win. I wanted to watch the race but my priority was exercise.

As expected, Michael won the race and then announced his retirement from Formula One. One probable reason for his retirement is that he feels that he cannot give his racing career the time and effort it demands.

His priority may now be his family and other key aspects of his life. He owns several houses in pleasant locations and will be able to give his family a rich and varied life. His annual income of about 30 million dollars should mean that he will never need to work again.

He has made motor racing his priority for the last thirty years and Formula One has been his priority for the last fifteen years. This must be one of the main reasons for his success. A Jack of all trades is master of none.

Jenson Button, a thoughtful British driver, believes that Schumacher is as good as ever, but thinks that he has reached a point in his life when racing cars is no longer a priority:

"I don't think he is on the wane. There comes a time when you need more in your life. Formula One can't be your whole life."

Another secret of Michael Schumacher's success is his fitness. Racing drivers need to be very, very fit. Michael is so fit that he can finish a race without breaking sweat.

I saw him recently on TV working out on a kicking bag. His flexibility allowed him to kick high and hard. He also uses weights in his workouts.

After he broke his leg badly at the British Grand Prix in 1999, he worked very hard to return to fitness. He came back fitter and stronger.

"His level of fitness is incredible," says Ross Brawn, his strategist.

Murray Walker, the great commentator, pinpointed a third secret to his success as being his 'massive application' to every aspect of his craft. Working hard at their skills and knowledge can make anyone into a very valuable and well-paid person.

Murray believes Michael helped turn Ferrari round:

"When Michael joined Ferrari, they were a struggling team but then Michael and Ferrari began one of the most impressive comebacks in Formula One history. But it would be hard work."

Button commented on this aspect:

"Michael is one of the first to really work in every area you could think of - in training and pushing his team as hard as he could. He spent night and day trying to improve the car."

Ross Brawn, Michael's strategist, agreed:

"His application was at a different level to anyone prior to him both inside the car and outside the car."

Michael believes in teamwork and his first action after his triumphant win at Monza was to walk over to his mechanics and other team members to give them a hug and words of appreciation.

Brawn comments: "He took his involvement with the team and his work with the engineers to a new level. It is not unusual for him to be here to 10 or 11 on Saturday night."

Eddie Jordan agrees: "Very few people that I have ever come across spend as much time as he does making sure that his car is as perfect as it can be."

A Formula One driver cannot be a champion without a great car and a great team of people to service and maintain it. He also needs the help of expert strategists like Ross Brawn, the master mind behind many of his victories.

There were tears in the Ferrari garage as they contemplated the end of Schumacher's racing career but not every one in motor sport was tearful. As you might expect, the rivals of Ferrari were not shedding any tears at his departure!

The head of the Renault opposition - Flavio Briatore - was asked how much he would miss Schumacher. His reply was brief and to the point:

“I won’t miss him at all!”

Recently, on a website dedicated to persuading Schumacher to stay, a dissenting voice managed to escape the censors:

"Go now, and take that useless brother with you."

Some of his fellow drivers felt that his desire to win sometimes took him over the edge of fairness. Brawn admits that but feels that being willing to go over the edge is what makes him a world champion.

Schumacher has several enemies but few can deny his talent and, possibly, genius. Martin Brundle was his racing team mate for several years:

"I am in awe of his driving skill He still has his speed and fitness but it is better to stop a year too early than a year too late. He is a good all rounder and one of the greats of all time."

What lessons can we learn from Michael Schumacher's Formula One career?

Decide on your priorities and stick to them until you succeed and feel ready to move on to other things.

Work very hard at developing all the skills, including fitness, which are necessary to achieve excellence in your chosen career. It helps if you choose a career you have talent for. Sometimes, however, hard work can create talent where it did not appear to exist before. It can even turn talent into genius.

Recognize the importance of teamwork and show your appreciation of the people that support you in your career.

Ignore the comments and lack of respect shown you by rivals or enemies and, if you can't ignore them, at least don't let them discourage you from pursuing your chosen course.

Retire when you are at the top of your game.

According to the record books, Michael is the greatest driver of all time in Formula One. However, some feel that the controversial incidents in his career place him below the great Ayrton Senna who died in 1994 at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Maybe a new, younger driver like Alonso or Jensen Button will overtake them both