07/03/2004
NEWS STORY
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Conditions for today's race are overcast, and surprisingly cool.
Ahead of the race the big question is what sort of strategy the teams are opting for. There's talk of two stops and three stops, whilst some say that the revised pitlane entry could tempt some teams to go for four stops.
The grid isn't the lottery that some had hoped for, with most of the front runners at the front. However Ralf Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard are starting from the midfield so they'll be keen to make up as much ground as soon as possible.
Of course this year, teams won't have the benefit of launch control, which will hit Renault in particular, and therefore the drivers - rather than their computers - will be responsible for their starts. The FIA will be paying close to attention at the start just to ensure that nobody is up to 'naughties'. As if.
There was a lot of confusion yesterday after it was revealed that Jenson Button used the spare car in qualifying, following an 'off' in practice. Several readers wanted to know why the English driver didn't lose ten grid places. The easy answer is that this is because Button only changed his car, not the engine. In effect, wherever the drivers, the engine goes with him. So in switch to the spare car, Button took his engine, without suffering any penalty.
The cars head off on the parade lap, everyone gets away cleanly.
The cars form up on the grid, the 2004 season, which comprises a record eighteen rounds, is about to begin.
Both Ferraris get away cleanly while Alonso take to the grass to make up a couple of positions, Montoya holds him off but subsequently overshoots the first corner, losing several places.
Massa and Raikkonen are side by side, the former Sauber teammates really fight one another.
At the end of the first lap it's Schumacher ahead of Barrichello, Alonso, Button, Trulli, Ralf, Montoya, Webber, Sato and Coulthard.
Alonso is keeping pace with the Ferraris, though at the end of the second lap Michael is 2.4s down the road. Montoya has got past Ralf and is chasing Trulli. Coulthard is running tenth ahead of Raikkonen and Massa.
End of lap three and Michael leads by 1.2s, the German has already broken last year's lap record. Back in the paddock, Bernie is probably slashing his wrists.
1:24.513, another lap record for Schumacher, as Alonso falls 4s behind the German. Behind the Spaniard, Button is a further 3.7s behind, he in turn leads Trulli and Montoya by just over a second. Webber is currently eighth ahead of Sato, who leads the McLarens.
Fisichella and Heidfeld are having a great scrap for fourteenth, these two have swapped cars since last season.
Six laps completed and another lap record for Schumacher, whose pace is remorseless, moments later Barrichello goes even quicker. Alonso is now 6.3s behind the race leader.
A 1:24.170 from Schumacher as the McLarens are lapping in the mid 1:27s
At the end of lap 8, Fisichella is the first to pit. Montoya continues to shadow Trulli while Massa stalks Raikkonen. It's highly unlikely that McLaren is going to repeat its 2003 success. Massa forces his way past Raikkonen who seconds later is out with an engine failure. Friday's practice times might have been meaningless to Ron, but what will he have to say about this.
End of lap 10 and Montoya pits, clearly WilliamsF1 hasn't got a strategic surprise up its sleeve, then again this could be a way to get the Colombian past Trulli.
Next time around Barrichello stops as do Alonso and Button.
At the end of lap 11 Schumachers stops, the German is out in 9.1s rejoining still leading and ahead of Barrichello. Local hero Mark Webber is up to third, but he's still got to stop.
At the end of lap 13 Webber pits allowing Coulthard, who has yet to stop, up to fourth behind Alonso.
Schumacher leads from Barrichello, Alonso, Coulthard, Button, Ralf, Massa, Trulli, Montoya and Webber. Next time around Coulthard and Massa both stop.
15 laps completed and Michael leads by 1.4s with Alonso a further 7s behind. Ralf is all over the back of Button, who is 15s behind Alonso in fourth.
Baumgartner is the second retirement of the day, not a brilliant weekend for the Hungarian driver.
The Ferraris have eased the pace, yet Schumacher still enjoys a 9.8s advantage over Alonso. Having lost out to Heidfeld, Fisichella is now battling with da Matta for fourteenth.
Ralf continues to hound Button as his teammate is all over the back of Trulli. Meanwhile Massa has a massive, spectacular 360 degree spin, but keeps going.
Coulthard is running ninth, 17s behind Webber, who is looking good for a couple of points in his home race.
Lap 21 and Montoya is clearly frustrated at being stuck behind Trulli, while his teammate continues to run less than a second behind Button.
Surprisingly Panis is still running behind Pantano, while da Matta is struggling to hold off Fisichella. It looks like another long, difficult season for Toyota.
After 23 laps Schumacher leads Barrichello by 2.7s, with Alonso a further 11.8s behind. 22s behind the Spaniard, Jenson Button continues to hold off Ralf Schumacher who leads Trulli and Montoya by 6s.
As Alonso pits, Montoya finally gets past Trulli and sets off after Ralf. It's a great, brave move, typical of the Colombian.
Sato goes wide as Alonso appears to have a problem, the Spaniard does a 1:30s allowing Ralf to close.
Button is running third, but opts to pit next time around, as does Montoya. There's a problem with one of the wheels on the FW26, more frustration for the Colombian.
Alonso, who has stopped twice, is running third behind the Ferraris which have yet to make a second stop. Behind the Spaniard it's Ralf, Trulli, Button, Montoya and Coulthard.
At the end of lap 28 Ralf makes his second stop as Michael sets another lap record (1:24.125), it's though he did it just to prove he could. Meanwhile Barrichello makes his second stop of the day.
Next time around Schumacher pits, Coulthard, Massa, Klien, Pantano and Panis are the only drivers not to have made a second stop.
With the second round of stops out of the way, Schumacher leads Barrichello by 7s with Alonso a further 22s down the road, followed by Ralf, Button, Montoya, Trulli, Coulthard, Massa and Sato.
The race has now slipped into a groove with no major battles on-going or looming, other than Fisichella who is battling with Heidfeld (again) for twelfth.
A major disappointment for the locals as Mark Webber retires, as Fisichella and Heidfeld almost come to grief, the pair locking wheels. In the end it's the Italian that wins out.
After 35 laps, Coulthard and Massa have yet to make their second stops , as have Klien, Pantano and Panis.
Montoya has closed right up on Button, and surely it is only a matter of time before the WilliamsF1 driver nails the English youngster.
At the end of lap 36, Coulthard finally makes his second stop, as does Massa.
Montoya continues to pressurise Button, while Ralf - 6.1s down the road - is further incentive for the Colombian to get past.
Montoya makes his move, its unforgiving and Button is powerless to resist, taking to the grass as he attempts to hold off the FW26. The result was inevitable as Juan Pablo sets off after Ralf.
Bruni is the fourth retirement of the day, a poor race for the Minardis which were so reliable last season.
At the end of lap 40, Alonso makes his third - and surely final - stop, he's 32s ahead of Ralf so shouldn't lose position. Button has already lost 4s to Montoya.
Montoya posts the fastest lap of the race as Button makes his third stop. The Colombian is now 5.7s behind his teammate.
The WilliamsF1 and Ferrari mechanics gather in the pitlane as Barrichello stops, followed by Montoya. Once again there's a problem with one of the wheels, again the Colombian loses precious time. Next time around it's Schumacher that stops.
Schumacher retains his lead, he's followed by Barrichello, Alonso, Ralf, Montoya, Button, Trulli, Coulthard, Sato and Massa, though the Brazilian retires moments later as does Heidfeld. Massa stopped on track while Heidfeld was involved in an incident in the pits in which a couple of mechanics were hit.
Schumacher leads Barrichello by 22.6s with Alonso a further 31s behind. Ralf is running 22s behind the Spaniard with Montoya closing fast.
With 8 laps remaining, Schumacher looks poised to lap Montoya, this isn't what the Colombian or indeed the Grove outfit expected.
In the few laps that remain it appears that nobody is prepared to take any chances, the first eight seemingly prepared to settle for the points seemingly in the bag.
Schumacher leads Barrichello by 22.2s who is followed by Alonso, Ralf, Montoya, Button, Trulli and Coulthard.
A 1:32 from Schumacher, does the German have a problem? His previous lap was a 1:27. If anything he's simply easing off to allow Barrichello the opportunity to catch up and stage a 'grandstand' finish. Let's hope there's no repeat of Austria 2002 or indeed Melbourne 1998.
The German begins his final lap, panic over. Barrichello has closed to within 15s while Alonso trails by a further 22s.
A superb win for Ferrari, but a win that will send shockwaves down the pitlane and throughout the sport. Despite the brave efforts of Fernando Alonso, this was a rout, and (literally) a Sunday afternoon drive in the park for the reigning World Champions.
Some will blame the new qualifying format, some, believe it or not, will surely blame Ferrari and Schumacher, but the fact is that the opposition has to raise its game.
Rather than looking at how it can screw more money out of everyone it should be looking seriously, and urgently at how the product can be improved.
This is not a criticism of either Schumacher or Ferrari, what they have achieved here is quite stunning, especially at a time when so many pretenders are 'talking up' their chances, and others are predicting that the German should be considering retirement.
Formula One has deluded itself by believing after a comparatively successful season in 2003, the nightmare of 2002 is dead and forgotten. The pundits continually 'talk up' the sport, when what really matters is what happen on Sunday afternoon.
The solution isn't too handicap the successful - can you imagine that happening in other sports - it is too ensure that the opposition raises its game.
A great performance from Schumacher, Barrichello and Ferrari, but Ecclestone, the FIA and the opposition must start to take a long hard look at the sport and start focussing on what matters rather than celebrities, tobacco, the European Union and how to make more money.