BMW breaks through

Taking a break from IndyCar coverage this week to focus on Formula One, and a first-time winner in both driver and team. For the first time in three weeks I wasn't at a track, but in San Diego soaking up some wonderful weather.

F1 ran in Canada with Robert Kubica delivering a fantastic triumph for BMW Sauber. One year ago such a situation as occurred on Sunday in Montreal might have been unfathomable.

The first time one sees Kubica's terrifying accident last year, chills run down the spine. As recently as four or five years ago that would have meant serious injuries if not worse. Because of the forgiving nature of modern, new circuits in the series, there is usually plenty of run-off area to scrub off speed before making contact.

Where Kubica wrecked, it was a grass strip before head-on contact into the barrier that destroyed his chassis and launched him across the track, with carbon fiber shards spread everywhere.

What stayed intact was the driver's monocoque, and the second-year driver emerged solely with a bruised ankle. One missed race a week later and he was back in the cockpit, best of the rest not from Ferrari and McLaren in France.

A year later, the Pole returned to the circuit and was the only one remotely in the same zip code as Lewis Hamilton throughout practice and qualifying. Once Hamilton made a colossal pit lane error, the race was his and he thoroughly took advantage. To say it was a deserved result would be an understatement. As Bob Varsha said on the FOX telecast, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve owed Kubica his first victory.

Kubica has delivered, through seven races, on the promise he showcased as a rookie the second half of 2006. BMW's improved pace sees them finally challenging Ferrari and McLaren, and the win was the first not by either of those teams since Fernando Alonso won the last race at Suzuka in October of '06. BMW's former incarnation of Sauber was the eternal midpack team that always did the best it could with limited resources. As BMW has now poured money and its available resources into the game, the team has jumped up the grid.

It is a long season and Hamilton will no doubt rue his mistake. As Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen clearly obeyed the notorious Montreal pit lane red light, Hamilton lost focus and veered left into Kimi's parked car. Not often in modern F1 the two title protagonists take each other out (with Michael Schumacher in the field this wasn't such a rarity). Not only was there a lack of points from this race but Hamilton has now been docked 10 grid positions the following event in France, which should hinder his odds there.

Second and third in the race went to veterans Nick Heidfeld and David Coulthard. Neither's been very impressive this year - Heidfeld has lost his edge at BMW to Kubica - but the podiums were deserved for keeping their heads clean and avoiding the pitfalls and mistakes of their rivals.

For Coulthard, odds are this is the last time the Scotsman will crack the rostrum before he drifts into commentary work next year for the BBC. Nothing is confirmed on that front but with his style and expert opinion, as well as his age, all signs point to DC working the mike next year instead of a steering wheel.

It was also the last North American voyage for the European-based series this season. Rumors abound about the U.S.'s place in the series and given most of the manufacturers have their main market Stateside, and a pocket of 100-200,000 fans will always attend the race, Indy should come back if a title sponsor is found. But money talks and wherever Bernie can get his sanctioning fee paid is where F1 will race, whether Americans like it or not.

A word also about his partner-in-crime, embattled FIA President Max Mosley. He has retained his position through the end of his 2009 term despite the alleged sex scandal that has tarnished what little positive opinion of the man still existed. Only if his personal affairs interfere with his job at hand should Mosley have been booted, in my opinion, and by not cutting him loose for this marks one time I can agree with the World Motor Sport Council.

Mosley may be off the hot seat but most Americans aren't after a stifling heat wave currently stretching across the north and southeast; as well as in the deserts where it is always going to boil. That coupled with the crumbling economy, skyrocketing gas prices and political mudslinging means it is good to have distractions such as racing or stick-and-ball sports.