Massa is ready to win F1 Season Opener in Melbourne

Felipe Massa, Brazil's amazing Ferrari driver, is ready for Melbourne and be a World Champion.

Remember the time when Brazilian Rubens Barrichello eased off the gas just a few meters away from the checkered flag to let Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher win? Well, it seems Ferrari might see the same situation this season as they will have two drivers, each capable of winning the drivers championship, entering the opening race in Melbourne this Sunday.

Felipe Massa was just always a little faster than Ferrari's new feature driver, Kimi Raikkonen. Although that's not always a bad thing for Ferrari, keeping Kimi happy is the team's primary concern.

Well, to say that Felipe Massa was the star of preseason testing for Ferrari could very well be an understatement. A huge understatement at that too. The guy actually broke lap records during the very last day of testing in Bahrain.

As of press time, he is faster than Ferrari's new acquisition. So, is he out to compete with Kimi Raikkonen for the no.1 seat in Ferrari?

''Some people have been making something of the fact that, mostly, I have been fractionally quicker than Kimi, but I do not see it as anything significant,'' Felipe Massa said.

''I was very familiar with the car and I know the team personnel and how they all work and everything was going pretty well. Kimi on the other hand was still learning and getting to know the team.''

He adds, ''Now we will see what happens in Melbourne, as this is the moment that the answer comes.''

Sounds like Massa will be doing just that right? Just one of those things to look forward to as the brand new F1 season begins this Sunday at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix.

Can Felipe Massa win the 2007 Australian Grand Prix? Here are the odds:

Kimi Raikkonen 9/5

Felipe Massa 2/1

Fernando Alonso 3/1

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Formula One Felipe Massa

Fernando Alonso is happy and ready for new F1 season

A completely new man.

That's how Fernando Alonso describes himself heading to the brand new Formula One season. He claims that his move from Renault to McLaren rejuvenated his career, and now, he's ready for yet another F1 Drivers Championship title.

Alonso will finally roll out for a team he signed for back in December 2005 when he takes to the grid for the opening grand prix in Australia on March 18.

After witnessing McLaren effectively limp through 2006 and endure their first season without a victory for a decade, on the surface Alonso's decision to join the Woking marque appeared a poor one.

But on his first visit to the McLaren factory, Fernando Alonso sensed a drive and determination that fired his own ambitions. Of course, hating his former Renault boss plays a big part too.

''I've high expectations, with the target to be World Champion again, not just me, but the team,'' insisted Fernando Alonso, who won back-to-back F1 titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006.

''What I have felt at McLaren is good professionalism, a team that is very determined and focused on the championship. With the new sponsors and the expectations they have, there is a new atmosphere within the team.''

''I saw that when I went to the factory and met all the people. They are so excited. They really think that after a few years without success, this is the year to come back. No-one has doubts.''

Yes, Fernando Alonso is still the same egotistical F1 world champion.

Can Fernando Alonso lead McLaren towards an F1 title? Who will win the F1 drivers championship? Bodog has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 5/4

Fernando Alonso 9/5

Giancarlo Fisichella 18/1

Jenson Button 11/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more F1 betting odds and the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Formula One Fernando Alonso

Can Pakistan win the 2007 Cricket World Cup?

The Pakistan national team is having a lot of problems lately heading for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

First, they lose pace bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif. Both Pakistan players were ruled out of the World Cup because of injuries.

Shoaib Akhtar, who has played just one test and four one-dayers since last February due to fitness concerns, has been unable to recover from a knee injury that forced him to be sent back from South Africa last month.Mohammad Asif, on the other hand, has been carrying a niggling elbow problem since that tour and the pair were receiving treatment in London but neither will be fit enough to participate in the tournament in the Caribbean, which starts on March 13.

''Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Sami will be sent as their replacements,'' Pakistan Cricket Board chief selector Wasim Bari said.

The loss of Pakistan will definitely be a major problem for their Cricket national team. Pakistan was hoping to open up their tournament with a win over West Indies. Without Akhtar and Asif, doing that will be near to an impossibility.

''It is a big blow for us, but I am confident that Yasir Arafat and Mohammad Sami will live up to the expectations,'' Pakistan head coach Bob Woolmer said. ''They will join the team in a week's time and we hope to overcome our injury problems with a united team effort.''

And to make matters worse, it seems injured Mohammad Asif believes that the Pakistan cricket national team is being treated differently because of their Islamic faith. Asif believes that they are being treated unfairly because of their religion.

The Pakistan cricket national team sure has been under a lot of controversies lately and these developments certainly proves just that. Pakistan was also under the spotlight when they forfeited the last Test with England at The Oval when they refused to take the field after umpire Darrell Hair had penalized them for ball-tampering, a charge of which they were later acquitted.

Can Mohammad Asif still help Pakistan win the 2007 Cricket World Cup? Who will be the 2007 Cricket World Cup champions? Sports Interaction has the odds:

Australia 2.50

India 8.00

England 9.00

New Zealand 10.00

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Pakistan Cricket 2007 Cricket World Cup

Porsche to join Formula One Racing soon?

Rumors have been circulating that Porsche could join Ferrari and the rest of their counterparts in F1.

Yes, Porsche and Formula One racing find themselves in one single sentence the past few days, and it looks like seeing Porsche in the starting grid, side-by-side with McLaren and Ferrari is a possibility. Will it really happen? Will Porsche's beautiful machines try its luck in F1 racing?

There has been speculation in the German media that the prestigious Porsche marque is set to enter F1 Racing, but Porsche say that they are not going to enter the elite formula.

Why not? Will they just let Ferrari and Renault have their way in the F1 world? Renault snatched the F1 throne away from Ferrari the last two years, making it just about time for Porsche to make their F1 debut. Wouldn't it be nice to see Porsche matching up against Ferrari in the starting grid?

Instead, it seems Porsche is declining, FOR NOW.

Recent infrastructure developments in Stuttgart prompted rumors that Porsche were preparing a F1 program. However, the German sports car manufacturer's head of motorsport Hartmut Kristen said that they are not interested in joining F1.

He said, ''Motorsport for us does not have a purely self-interested purpose. Rather, we want to satisfy the demands of our customers.''

Will Porsche reconsider and join F1? Who will win the F1 drivers championship? Bodog has the odds.

Kimi Raikkonen 5/4

Fernando Alonso 9/5

Giancarlo Fisichella 18/1

Jenson Button 11/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more F1 betting odds and the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Formula One Porsche