Flying Finn to come good in US

I used to have a Scalextric but after a few laps of my cousin repeatedly beating me and nothing much to keep my attention bar whether I was going to race the red or the yellow car I soon got bored. It could be argued that Formula One has gone the same way in recent years with only three of the teams powerful enough to produce a winning car and even then, as happened in the Monaco Grand Prix, when a real race looks in prospect, team orders dictate that the team's number one driver must lead the procession home. However with the emergence of young talent in the shape of Lewis Hamilton who won his first grand prix in Montreal last weekend and the continued brilliance of the Spaniard Fernando Alonso, new life is being breathed into the billion-dollar industry and hopefully it will reach the US GP in Indianapolis 'cos boy does this race need it. After the farce of 2005 when the teams running on Michelin tyres refused to race, the 2006 event needed to be memorable but despite a first lap that saw numerous retirements after Juan Pablo Montoya collided with three cars the race turned into a dull procession with Ferrari claiming first and second and Michael Schumacher the podium. Ferrari have had to play second fiddle to McLaren-Mercedes this season so far and that will particularly rile former driver Kimi Raikkonen. The flying Finn left Ron Dennis's team last year and while Dennis has gone on record to say that he takes no pleasure in watching Raikkonen's fall from grace, he will secretly be loving it. As the season goes on - this is race number seven - expect the Scuderia to close the gap and watch out for Raikkonen in America as despite a collision with teammate Montoya last year he does have course form. In 2003, he took pole and finished second to Michael Schumacher - expect him to go one better in 2007. Verdict: 1pt e/w Raikkonen 11/2 (Stan James)