11/07/2004
NEWS STORY
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Bernie Ecclestone has said that if rain falls during today's Grand Prix, it would be "a disaster", however, reflecting on Ross Brawn's smug grin following yesterday's qualifying session, it might be the only thing to prevent another Ferrari red-wash.
Kimi Raikkonen might be on pole, but there a huge question-marks, not only over the MP4-19B's reliability, or more importantly that of its power-plant, but also fuel strategy the silver and black cars are running.
Jenson Button, sporting his new helmet, which bears the cross of St George, will be hoping that the partisan crowd will give him the same boost previously experienced by Hunt, Mansell and Hill, while teammate Takuma Say would love to upstage the 'local hero'.
Jarno Trulli is at the right end of the grid, as is Juan Pablo Montoya, but in all honesty it is the two red cars, particularly the one bearing the number 'one' that start favourites.
As the cars prepare to begin the warm-up lap, the ambient temperature is 17 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees, almost ideal conditions for the Bridgestones.
The cars head off on the warm-up lap, each driver working furiously, generating heat in his tyres. Nobody opts to start from the pitlane.
They all get away cleanly, one of the Jaguars taking to the grass, as Montoya goes very wide at Copse. The Montoya keeps going and immediately starts challenging Sato.
At the end of the first lap Raikkonen leads Barrichello by 3.5s, with Button third ahead of Schumacher, Trulli, Coulthard, Sato and Montoya. Alonso is already up to fourteenth.
Raikkonen is fighting to control the car, it's a real handful, but he still posts a fastest lap. He extends his lead to 4.3s.
Meanwhile Sato goes wide at Becketts, which allows Montoya through, as Schumacher struggles to keep Trulli at bay.
Next time around its Barrichello that goes quickest, as he extends the gap to Button to 1.5s. The Englishman has Michael Schumacher nibbling at his rear.
Another fastest lap for Barrichello, who is now 4.1s behind Raikkonen. While Klien makes a great move on Pantano to take fourteenth.
Trulli loses ground to Schumacher, and consequently is falling into the clutches of Coulthard, as Sato seems to be losing masses of ground to Montoya.
Raikkonen leads by 4s at the end of lap 6, as Barrichello posts another fastest lap. Button is a further 2.3s behind with Schumacher right behind and Trulli a further 5s down the road. As Coulthard shadows Trulli, Montoya closes up on the Scot's gearbox.
Yet another fastest lap from Barrichello as he closes to within 3.8s of the Finn. Meanwhile Michael goes quickest in the first sector.
At the end of lap 8, Alonso pits. He's out again 7.7s later.
At the end of lap 9, Barrichello pits, 8.2s later he's heading back down the pitlane. Gene also stops.
Further back, Webber is running ninth, one second ahead of Massa, who is followed by Barrichello, da Matta and Klien.
Michael Schumacher posts a new fastest lap (lap 10) as Coulthard pits, the Scot is stationary for 8.6s. Next time around race leader Kimi Raikkonen stops (7.5s) as does Button (6.8s). Montoya also pits.
Michael Schumacher now leads but of course he has yet to stop. Trulli is second ahead of Sato.
The German sets a blistering pace, posting another fastest lap on the run up to his own pit stop.
Raikkonen is trying desperately to get past Sato, but the Japanese driver is having none of it. As Michael Schumacher posts a 1:18.918.
Raikkonen finally nails Sato at Copse, as Trulli pits, the Finn lost a heap of time while he battled with the BAR. The McLaren driver is now running second to Schumacher, who is 23.3s up the road.
As Schumacher continues remorselessly, Raikkonen is having trouble working his way through the backmarkers.
At the end of lap 14, Michael pits. 9.3s later the Ferrari is heading down the pitlane as Raikkonen comes into view. The German emerges from the pits and leads the McLaren into the Becketts complex. Meanwhile Sato, da Matta and Klien all pit.
As the dust settles, Schumacher leads Raikkonen by 1.3s with Button third ahead of Webber, Barrichello, Massa and Fisichella. Though the Saubers and the Jaguar have yet to stop.
Seventeen laps completed, and no retirements, and no rain.
It's all over for Panis, who appeared to spin straight after his pit stop. Moments later Giorgio Pantano spins, but is able to continue. We subsequently learn that Panis' fire extinguisher went off.
After nineteen laps - approaching one-third distance - Schumacher leads Raikkonen by 1.3s, with Button third, 7.1s down the road, ahead of Barrichello, Fisichella, Montoya, Coulthard, Trulli, Webber and Alonso. Though Fisi has yet to stop.
Raikkonen has closed to within 1.1s of Schumacher, as Webber makes a great move on Alonso to take ninth. Meanwhile, Fisichella is setting a tremendous pace in the Sauber.
Kimi closes to within 0.6s of his German nemesis, who appears to have lost a heap of time.
At the end of lap 23, Fisichella pits, as Schumacher and Raikkonen match one another's lap times. Meanwhile Webber and Alonso are enjoying a great scrap for ninth.
Barrichello has closed to within 0.7s of Button, who is having a 'quiet' race, even though he's running third.
Fisichella rejoins in eighth and immediately sets about hassling Jarno Trulli. At the end of lap 25, Gene and Alonso both pit.
The gap between the leaders is down to 0.6s, with Button a further 5.6s down the road and under the watchful eye of Barrichello. 13.8s behind the Brazilian is Montoya, who leads Coulthard and Trulli, who has Fisichella all over him.
At the end of lap 27, Button pits, as does Bruni who is actually serving a drive-through penalty.
Next time around Raikkonen (6.7) pits as does Barrichello (6.5). They both emerge ahead of Button.
At the end of lap 29 it's Montoya that pits (6.9), as Michael leads Raikkonen by 22.5s.
Barrichello is all over Coulthard, who has yet to stop, the Brazilian desperate to take the battle to Raikkonen. At the end of the next lap however, the Scot pits (7.2s), which releases the Ferrari driver.
Michael now leads Raikkonen by 23.9s, with Barrichello 5.5s behind, followed by Button, Trulli, Fisichella, Montoya and Webber.
More misery for Minardi. Baumgartner pulls off track, his race over, as Bruni attempts to leave the pits with the refuelling hose still attached. Thankfully nobody is injured and the Italian is able to continue.
At the end of lap 32, Trulli pits, as Michael extends his lead to 24.6s.
Schumacher leads Raikkonen, Barrichello, Button, Fisichella, Montoya, Webber, Massa, Coulthard and Sato. Meanwhile, the Scot has a slight moment, going very wide.
Michael now leads by 25.5s - after 35 laps - with Barrichello 4.6s behind the Finn.
Sato pits at the end of lap 36, the Japanese driver having a solitary race in tenth position. As Webber and Massa fight tooth and nail for seventh. Could we see both Saubers in the points again?
At the end of lap 36, Michael pits. 9.5s later he re-emerges, still leading a very frustrated Raikkonen. Webber also pits, as does Pantano.
The German now leads by 0.7s with Barrichello 3.7s behind the McLaren and 8.2s ahead of Button. Meanwhile, da Matta and Massa both pit.
Raikkonen closes to within 0.3s of Schumacher, hassling the German all the way. Meanwhile, Barrichello is forever closing in, just 1.5s behind. Clearly, Ross Brawn has a plan.
Meanwhile a big crash for Trulli at the exit to Bridge, which brings out the safety car. Raikkonen pits, as does Barrichello, Button, Fisichella, Montoya, Coulthard, Alonso and Gene. The broken Renault is cleared away, Trulli clearly unhurt, but they tyre wall must be rebuilt.
The field continues behind the safety car, as the race marshals work frantically rebuilding the wall. It was a massive accident, but thankfully the Italian is fine.
Although Raikkonen is second, there are two cars, da Matta and Klien, between him and Schumacher, with Barrichello right on his tail.
Barrichello is poor getting away at the re-start, falling into the clutches of Button, as Raikkonen doesn't get by Klien until after Copse. The Finn passes da Matta on the back straight and sets off after Michael. It is now a straight fight.
Barrichello finally gets past da Matta and sets off to help his teammate.
At the end of lap 47, Schumacher leads by 0.6s, the Ferrari quick on the straights and the McLaren quick on the tight twisty bits.
Barrichello is 2.8s down the road, followed by Button, Montoya, Fisichella, Coulthard and Webber.
As Schumacher extends his lead to one-second, Pantano's race is also over, the Italian spinning out of the race.
The McLaren, or maybe Raikkonen, simply doesn't have the Ferrari's legs, as Schumacher builds up a lead of 1.6s. Meanwhile, Barrichello closes to within 2.1s of the Finn.
The German is lapping almost 0.5s a lap quicker than the Finn, who is under pressure from the second Ferrari.
The only real fight right now - after 53 laps - is that involving Massa and Alonso, who are fighting for ninth. The Brazilian, meanwhile, is hard on the heels of Webber, who is (currently) the last of the 'points winners'.
Five lap remaining, and Michael leads by 3.4s as Barrichello closes to within 1.4s of Raikkonen. Button is third, ahead of Montoya, Fisichella, Coulthard, Webber, Massa, Alonso, Sato, Gene, da Matta, Klien, Heidfeld and Bruni. Disappointing performances from both Sato and Gene.
Barrichello closes to within 0.9s of the Finn, can he repeat his Magny-Cours feat, taking a place at the final corner? The answer is no.
Schumacher takes win number ten, crossing the line 2.130s ahead of Raikkonen, who in turn is 0.9s ahead of the second Ferrari.
Another tour-de-force from Schumacher who will no doubt step (jump) on to the podium, without a bead of sweat on his brow, or a hair out of place, he makes it look so bloody easy.
Although McLaren will be disappointed, this was a fantastic performance, and clear proof that the Woking team is back. When you think back a couple of months, McLaren's performance this weekend has been superlative.
In all honesty, a disappointing performance from BAR, clearly Button wasn't in a position to make up for the failure of the English soccer, cricket, netball, basketball, rugby and synchronised swimming teams. While God only knows where Takuma Sato spent the afternoon.
Four points for Montoya, but all-in-all another disappointing performance from WilliamsF1, especially in light of McLaren's re-emergence. As for Marc Gene, what happened? Surely the Grove outfit will be hoping that Ralf - as we've reported elsewhere - will be back in time for Hungary.
Another superb performance from Fisichella, and Sauber, surely someone is going to give the Italian a real crack at the title in the very near future.
Strong performances from David Coulthard and Mark Webber as they take the final points positions, the Scot now hopefully has the equipment to impress potential employers, while Webber did the best with the equipment at his disposal.
Yes, Kimi Raikkonen did lead for the first part of the race, and yes, Michael Schumacher was running fourth for quite a while. However at the end of the day it was business as usual, another win for the German, his 80th, and another ten points towards his seventh title.