29/05/2005
NEWS STORY
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With just over half-an-hour to go before today's race gets underway, it appears that - not for the first time - the weather forecasters have got it wrong. Although it is not as hot as yesterday, when temperatures hit 34 degrees C - there is not a cloud in the sky, certainly no rain clouds.
The big question today, is who is running on what fuel load?
It is almost certain that pole-man Heidfeld was running light, which even though it may have already cost him the race, certainly gives BMW something to crow about, especially as - in qualifying at least - the German manufacturer has got one over on its German rival, Mercedes.
Kimi Raikkonen is thought to be running a little heavier, as is Heidfeld's teammate, Mark Webber. Indeed looking through the grid it appears that several teams are running both drivers on different strategies, Ferrari being a prime example.
Other than fuel strategy - which will become apparent soon enough - there is the question of tyre wear and indeed who will get through the first couple of corners without incident, over the years we've seen a number of comings together.
The Michelin teams are confident, and rightly so, seeing as the French manufacturer has won the last seven races. However, there is a (worrying) air of optimism at Bridgestone, with Michael Schumacher ever the dark horse.
As the cars prepare for the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees.
At the cars prepare to leave the grid for the warm up lap, Jarno Trulli appears to have a problem and his mechanics descend on the car. They leave the grid but did they clear it in time, let's not forget that we've seen drivers penalized for this before. Time will tell. If the Italian is punished it would be harsh, especially after his superb qualifying lap, but rules are rules.
As start sequence begins, yellow flags are waved, Giancarlo Fisichella has a problem. The field heads off on another warm-up lap as the Renault crew try to push the hapless Italian's car to the pitlane. Unfortunately the car has stalled and it won't move - finally, they retrieve the blue and yellow car.
The grid re-forms, with Massa enjoying the benefit of a clear space ahead of him.
They're away, but they're mayhem at the first corner with Ralf Schumacher and Mark Webber both out, after just a few yards.
In the pits they await the 'wounded', as Raikkonen heads off into the distance, enjoying a 1.9s lead over Heidfeld. In fact, Sato is the only driver to pit.
It's Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Coulthard, Alonso, Massa, Liuzzi, Button, Barrichello and Monteiro!!!
Ralf has also made it back to the pits for a new nose, which means that Webber is the only driver to retire following that incident.
Looking at the replay, it appears - stress appears - that Montoya turned in on Webber. Though the Australian was mighty late on the brakes.
As the stewards announce that Trulli is under investigation, Heidfeld posts a new fastest lap (1:31.523) as Alonso mounts a challenge on Coulthard, both Red Bulls having made up a whole load of positions as a result of the first corner incident.
After 4 laps, Raikkonen leads by 2s, with Alonso all over Coulthard, Barrichello hot on Button's tail and Fisichella climbing all over Monteiro.
Another fastest lap from Heidfeld (1:31.287), as he attempts to hold on to Raikkonen's shirttails. Button (eighth) is under intense pressure, with Barrichello and Montoya running right behind him.
Despite his best efforts the Englishman is unable to hold position, and succumbs first to the Ferrari and then to the McLaren. Fellow-Brit Coulthard is holding on to fourth however.
Jarno Trulli gets a drive through penalty, as predicted.
The one to watch is Fisichella, who having started from the pitlane, is now up to twelfth, and right behind Michael Schumacher, who is climbing all over Button, who is clearly struggling.
Liuzzi attempts to hold off Barrichello, but despite his best efforts is unable to keep the Ferrari at bay.
At the end of lap 8, Trulli enters the pits for his drive-through, he exits in ninth behind Montoya and ahead of Button.
Up front, Raikkonen answers back with a new fastest lap (1:30.940), as he stretches his lead to 2.2s.
Schumacher and Fisichella are keen to get past Button, who is clearly slowing them down. The Englishman is lapping in the mid 1:35s.
Michael makes his move at Turn 10, and Button has no answer. Meanwhile, teammate Rubens Barrichello is the first driver to make a regular pit stop.
At the end of the next lap (12) Heidfeld pits, which shows just how light he was running in order to get pole.
Therefore, at the end of lap 13, Raikkonen leads Coulthard by 19.9s, with Alonso just 1.1s behind. Heidfeld is fourth, ahead of Massa, Liuzzi, Montoya, Trulli, Michael and Button.
Although Michael made short work of Button, Fisichella isn't able to follow suit and remains behind the BAR. Elsewhere, Villeneuve is all over Monteiro.
Liuzzi is under pressure from Montoya, but the Italian, who is making his last appearance for the team, is refusing to yield.
Behind Montoya, the traffic jam is building, with Trulli and Michael closing in on the Colombian.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the final sector, as Coulthard posts a personal best. As the next lap begins, Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, is he preparing for a stop.
Yes, he is!. At the end of lap 18 he pits, which is quite surprising, and will give Renault and the rest the opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief. Jarno Trulli meanwhile, has made his regular fuel stop.
Therefore, David Coulthard leads from Alonso, who goes quickest in the final sector, with Raikkonen third.
Massa, Liuzzi and Montoya all pit at the end of lap 19, the McLaren mechanics getting the Colombian out ahead of the Red Bull driver.
At the end of lap 20, Coulthard pits, as do Friesacher and Michael.
The Scot exits in fourth, ahead of Button, while Michael is now ninth.
Fernando Alonso leads Kimi Raikkonen by 5.6s, with Hick Heidfeld third, 4.7s down the road.
Button is still ahead of Fisichella, the BAR and Renault drivers battling for fifth, however they both have to stop.
The stewards announce that Coulthard is under investigation for speeding in the pitlane. A lap later he is handed a drive through penalty.
At the end of lap 23, Alonso finally pits, the Spaniard having posted a new fastest lap on the previous lap. Button also pits as Coulthard serves his penalty.
After 24 laps, everyone, with the exception of Villeneuve, has stopped. The Canadian is currently running in thirteenth, behind Fisichella.
Up front, Raikkonen leads Heidfeld by 4s, with Alonso a further 14s down the road. It might be a little early, but the Finn appears to have this one sewn up.
Barrichello is fourth, though he has to make at least one more stop, ahead of Coulthard, Massa, Michael, Montoya, Liuzzi and Trulli.
Thus far, the only retiree is Webber.
Schumacher is hard on the heels of Massa, who is running in the mid 1:34s, if the German can get past we will surely see a string of hot laps.
Coulthard has a moment as he goes through one of the chicanes, as Raikkonen loses time as he cuts through the back-markers. Fastest man on track is Barrichello, who is running fourth.
Trulli makes his second stop, as does Sato.
Massa begins to pull away from Michael, who appears to be suffering excessive wear to his rear tyres. This plays into the hands of his nemesis, Juan Pablo Montoya, who is running right behind him.
Raikkonen makes mistake, going off the track, which allows Heidfeld to take the lead. It appeared to be totally unforced, a rare mistake from the Finn.
Heidfeld's moment of glory is just that, a moment, for at the end of the next lap he pits.
Therefore, Raikkonen has the lead back, however, his advantage over Alonso is now down to 14s.
With 32 laps completed, Raikkonen leads Alonso by 15.7s, with Barrichello a further 4.3s behind. However, at the end of lap 33 the Brazilian pits.
Elsewhere, Michael is back on the tail of Massa, who is now 3.5s behind Coulthard. The German now has a 1.5s 'lead' over Montoya, who is 6.3s ahead of Liuzzi.
The yellow flags come out as Ralf goes off and is embedded in the gravel, Toyota's first retirement of 2005. Meanwhile, Raikkonen has another moment as he locks up at the hairpin. Nonetheless, the gap to Alonso remains (almost static) at 15s.
At the end of lap 37, Raikkonen leads Alonso, who is ahead of Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard, Massa, Michael, Montoya, Liuzzi and Trulli.
Best battle on track is that between Button and Fisichella, the BAR driver desperately trying to hold off the Renault and retain eleventh.
At two-thirds distance, Raikkonen leads Alonso by 15.3s, the gap remaining static. The only battle at present is for seventh, with Michael under serious pressure from Montoya. The Colombian makes a move but the Ferrari driver won't give an inch.
Alonso has a couple of good laps, taking over a second out of Raikkonen's lead, but it's not enough.
At the end of lap 44, Raikkonen makes his second stop, and it's clear that he has damaged one of his bargeboards, which probably account for at least one of his 'offs'.
Therefore, Alonso leads, however, he has to make another stop.
As Monteiro gets a drive through penalty for speeding in the pitlane, Alonso posts a new fastest lap (1:30.711), about time! Meanwhile, Massa and Liuzzi both pit.
At the end of lap 45, Montoya pits as does Trulli, meanwhile, Alonso has an off at the hairpin, losing over six seconds.
Next time around, Michael Schumacher pits, he'll be keen to stay ahead of Montoya. The German actually gets out in sixth, ahead of Massa and Montoya.
At the end of lap 47, Alonso pits, which gives the lead back to Raikkonen. The Spaniard rejoins in fourth, behind Barrichello, who, like Heidfeld, has to stop again. Coulthard also pits.
Next time around, Barrichello pits.
Raikkonen now leads Heidfeld - who still has to stop - by 4s, with Alonso a further 7.5s down the road. However, to add to the fun, the Michelins are showing signs of serious wear.
The Finn has very slow lap, which allows Heidfeld to close to within 1.8s.
At the end of lap 50, the sole williamsF1 driver makes his final stop, which promoted Alonso back to second. The leading McLaren is clearly struggling, both with his tyres and that broken bargeboard.
Giancarlo Fisichella pits, which promotes Michael to sixth. Meanwhile, Liuzzi has a moment at the start of the pit straight, another case of tyre wear, though some drivers appear to be having brake problems also.
Alonso is taking over 1.5s a lap out of Raikkonen, whose lead is now down to 7.4s. The McLaren is really shaking as a result of tyre vibration… he cannot last.
Alonso is with 6s off the leader, as Heidfeld hangs on to third, ahead of Barrichello, Coulthard, Michael, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli and Massa.
The Spaniard takes another 1.3s off Raikkonen, the gap now down to 4.9s.
Next time around the Renault driver takes just 0.5s off the McLaren, as Michael Schumacher has a moment. As ever, Lady Luck appears to be on his side.
Massa slows, the Brazilian's left-front tyre is delaminating.
Somehow, Raikkonen is holding on, the gap to Alonso remains at 4s.
Barring a major incident, the only change we're going to see, is for the lead, the rest of the field appears 'settled'.
Raikkonen's lead is down to 2.7s, he refuses to surrender, but Alonso is closing in.
Disaster, his tyre explodes, but somehow he keeps it under control. He's lucky not to hit Jenson Button, who is oblivious to what is happening behind him.
Alonso takes the lead, and the victory, as Raikkonen can only reflect on what might have been.
Heidfeld takes second, for the second successive race, as Rubens Barrichello climbs the podium for the first time since Melbourne.
A superb performance from Coulthard, who, despite a drive-through, finishes 13s behind Barrichello, a truly great drive.
Michael takes fifth, ahead of Fisichella, Montoya and Trulli.
A sad end to Kimi's winning streak, and surely many questions will be asked as to why McLaren didn't call him in, or indeed why the Finn didn't demand a tyre change, while others will point to the fact that such an incident on a circuit such as Spa or Monza could be catastrophic.
In the record books, Raikkonen's name will appear eleventh in the finishing order for the 2005 European Grand Prix, but that doesn't tell anything like the story, it was a great drive that deserved better than this.
For Kimi, the warning signs were there, but like a true racer he continued. This time the only damage is to his pride and his points tally, next time - and there will be a next time - the end result could be far more worrying.
Fernando takes his fourth win of the year, and heads to Montreal and Indianapolis - via this week's test at Silverstone - brimming with confidence.
Another good race as F1 a la 2005, continues to entertain. That said, there were only ever two likely winners today, would we be pushing our luck to ask that someone else gives Kimi and Fernando a run for their money?