When BMW topped F1, Hamilton hit Alonso, and Massa started a title charge

The race weekend occurred following a backdrop of controversy: FIA president Max Mosley had been exposed by a UK tabloid sting in the week leading up to the event, and some teams were calling on him to step down.

On track, BMW’s Sauber era was blossoming, with Robert Kubica scoring his first career F1 pole position, just 0.027s ahead of the Ferrari of Massa. This came despite a lock-up that left him struggling over the final three corners of his Q3 lap: “The…