{ Fernando Horta } → Formula Duude

The weekend at Interlagos, finally started, after several months of local protests, restlessness and conflicts.

Jensklemp was held up by the customs at the Brazilian board. They claimed that bring over 3000 Rush and Nickelback CDs was smugling, jens rethorical was the it was his personal collection of Canadian Music. Rumours also state, that all 3000 CDs were actually copies of My Heart Will Go On single by Celine Dion.

Anyway, rumours apart, Jens was unable to race in Interlagos.

That meant it was a 1x2 deal, 1 Camel x 2 Tomatoes.

Shaka, Mansell and Tib lined up for qualifing, which started after a 10 minute delay to clear the track from several coconuts and banana peels out of the track.

Shaka put on a storming performance and got the pole, with a lap 0.4s faster than Mansell, and tib, who worked on a race setup, qualfied last, without finishing his last attempt, because of car troubles.It was Shaka's first pole of the season.

Feature race started and the trio got away cleanly. On Lap 3, the Scarlet Ferrari of tib shutdown completely due to electrical issues. A surprisingly calm tib was seen in the pits, watching the race and awating for the sprint race. "The car is good" he was quoted saying.

Meanwhile, on Lap 6, Shaka spun at Curva do Sol, which cost him enough time to give up the lead to Mansell. Who started to pull away. Quickly after that, Shaka started a charge, gaining ground on the ameribritish driver up to 0.9s, but unable to make pass. So that it was until lap 17, when right on Junção, Mansell's Vette ran out of gas, and he had no choice but to let Shaka through to win. Finish :

1. Shaka, 2. Mansell, DNF. tib, DNS. Jens

The MLT crew worked very hard during feature to put the Ferrari of tib in the grid for the Sprint race, and their work would not be in vain.

Right on the start, poleman tib rocketed away from the 2 rivals, putting over 1.1s by S2 on Lap 1. However the charging duo of Mansell and Shaka started to gain ground on the "RADAXIAN" driver, and by lap 3, Shaka made his move on the Pinheirinho, when tib's car was struggling for rear-grip. While Shaka opened up 2s from the Tomatoes, Mansell and tib start to share corners, which eventually led to the pass of Mustache, taking 2nd place from now 3rd placer tib. In front, Shaka made a mistake and spun, with his 'stang tyres almost on fire. That meant that Mansell and tib both passed Shaka.

Next time around the Reta Oposta, Mansell let tib through, and started to play a very tactical race. While Mansell held Shaka up, tib was opening a good gap in the lead, over 3s.

However 2 small mistakes by the leading man, almost put their plan down the drain. Because in the end, it was tib who won, leading over Mansell by 0.9s, who was leading over Shaka by 0.1s only. A exciting finish to a exciting race, and tib's first win on the season, puts an end to his long winter of no-wins.

Next week, our duudes, will go back to Europe, to the sunny England, more specifically ThruXXXton race track.

Camels vs. Tomatoes : 4th stop to the FormulaDUUUUUUUDE World Milk-way Galaxial Championship.