Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren MP4-20 finally stopped after catapulting half a dozen times. Raikkonen got out of the cockpit and scurried towards the barriers. His title hopes were practically over, once again like so many times during the 2005 season, his car failed. This time the cause was the overly wrought Michelin tyre specially ordered for the desperately needed grip to overcome the performance gap with the Renault of Fernando Alonso. His left rear just exploded without warning. Raikkonen looked back at the wreck ruefully. He had been leading the race by more than twenty seconds with just 12 laps remaining. Raikkonen always looks rueful although when he does smile it is probably the brightest in Formula 1, a competitive world full of sharp folks who often say nasty things about each other. Ayrton Senna had a generous smile even if somewhat wistful. Schumacher has a kind of twisted smile, very self satisfied, which given his achievements is more than understandable. Mika Hakkinen has a shy choirboy smile. Rubens Barrichello is a gentle guy who finds it hard to be tough in the toughest of games, so his smile is thin. Fernando Alonso is a young chap trying to be an old one and his smile is mainly for appearance. While Jenson Button is good looking, Nico Rosberg must be one of the most charming and dashing fellows ever to wear a fire-proof tunic but Raikkonen's manners have that most elusive of modern qualities: manliness. I wish him all the success in the world when he becomes a Ferrari driver on New Year's day.