Robert Kubica and the return of Formula One racing

Last weekend Robert Kubica won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in a BMW Sauber. Second went to his teammate Nick Heidfeld, third to David Coulthard in a Red Bull. Championship favourite Kimi Raikkonen went out after championship leader Lewis Hamilton crashed into the back of him in the pit lane. Felipe Massa, the other serious contender for the championship finished fifth after he was unable to get past youngster Timo Glock's Toyota. Double world champion Fernando Alonso retired on lap 44.

All of the above proves one thing, serious driver and team competition has well and truly returned to Formula One.

This is a fantastic turnaround from the way the sport was only four years ago when Michael Schumacher was destroying all the opposition in his Ferrari as he had done for the bulk of the previous five seasons.

Schumacher was undoubtedly a fine driver but, to put it bluntly, he was boring to watch. He lived up to the common sterotype of German people in that he appeared to treat driving a Ferrari to victory like it was some sort of dry routine - get out of bed, go to circuit, get in car, win race, spray champagne, drive home, go to bed, repeat. His car never broke down, he never crashed and he never had a teammate who could challenge him.

How great it is now that we now have a group of competetive, unpredictable and, ulimately, human drivers who have accidents, challenge their teamates and push their cars so hard they break down.

For the first time since I started watching F1 as an eight-year-old enthralled by Nigel Mansell F1 can truly be described as a competetive sport.

And hopefully this period's chquered flag is a long way off.

Journalists and wankers

One of the stongest arguments I've heard against watching hardcore pornography is that arthritus in the wrist can be extremely painful in later life. Partly for this reason, I've never seen a hardcore porn film.

However, in the last week I think I've discovered what hardcore viewers must feel like.

In the last week I have been writing furiously. I had eight hours solid writing in two days for four professional exams followed by three shorthand speed tests. I now find it incredibly hard to do anything with my right wrist.

Many members of the general public categorise journalists as wankers. I'm starting to think maybe we have more in common with those self-abusers than I realised.