23/04/2006
NEWS STORY
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Having broken Ayrton Senna's long-standing record of 65 pole positions, it remains to be seen if Michael Schumacher can today convert this into a victory, what would be his seventh win at Imola.
However, let's keep the Prosecco in the refrigerator just a little bit longer… there's a big race ahead.
First off, let's not write off the Honda driver, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, as the team finally appears to be getting to grips with the problems - mainly tyre related - that have plagued it in the first three races. In qualifying yesterday, both drivers looked very good, and we know that the Japanese team has been working flat out in recent weeks.
Michael will have able support from Felipe Massa, who is sure to be fired up by the local support. The Brazilian is blindingly fast, however, he is prone to overdrive the car, and Imola is a circuit where you pay for your mistakes. This will be particularly important on the first lap on that long, , long, but oh-so-fast, approach to Tamburello and then Villeneuve.
Although Fernando Alonso qualified fifth, write him off at your peril. That said, he knows that it isn't necessary to win races in order to win titles, therefore the Spaniard would most likely be happy to settle for a podium rather than take unnecessary risks.
McLaren however, has its work cut out. In 2005, it was the lead that Renault built in the early part of the season that was to cost the Woking team the title. In 2006 the French team already has a 19 point advantage, therefore Kimi and Juan Pablo are going to have risks.
Both Toyotas qualified in the top ten, clear proof that the team has put the Bahrain nightmare behind it. Although we don't expect the white and red cars to be challenging for the win, another podium, as in Melbourne, is not out of the question.
Thus far this weekend, we haven't witnessed the engine problems seen at some of the earlier races, indeed the cars line up on the grid in the same order they qualified. The big question today, other than tyres, is whether the brakes can withstand the punishment they will receive at a circuit, which, along with Montreal, is known as the brake-buster.
As the cars take their place on the grid, conditions are absolutely ideal, bright sunshine and clear blue skies. Air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 42 degrees. It's hot, very hot!
The cars head off on the parade lap, everyone getting away cleanly.
The grid forms… the crowd waits in anticipation, as do the 22 drivers.
Michael makes a great start ahead of Button, as Barrichello loses out to Massa and Alonso. However, further back Albers had a massive off, the car barrelling over the gravel at Turn 6 after being hit from behind by Yuji Ide's Super Aguri.
Sensibly, the safety car is brought out.
At the end of the first lap, Michael leads Button, Massa, Alonso, Barrichello, Ralf, Montoya, Trulli, Webber and Raikkonen. The Finn having already lost a place.
The safety car continues for one more lap, which is not long enough to benefit Schumacher, who is thought to have been around three or four laps lighter than some of his rivals in qualifying.
The race back on, Schumacher leads Button by 1.057s, having posted a fastest lap (27.199).
Ide returns to the pits and is pushed into the garage. Meanwhile, the stewards announce that the Albers incident is under investigation. We may have seen the last of the Japanese driver.
Trulli pits at the end of lap 5, while Liuzzi spins off after being hit by Trulli. The Toro Rosso continues but the Toyota heads to the pits.
It's very much a typical Imola race, as the drivers appear to settle down for the afternoon.
Behind the first ten, which is the same as it was, Villeneuve leads Fisichella, Rosberg, Coulthard, Heidfeld, Speed and Klien.
Trulli has retired, with a steering problem - having steered into Liuzzi - therefore we have now, along with Albers and Ide, lost three cars.
After 8 laps, Michael leads Button by 2.3s, with Massa closing to within 1.7s of the Honda.
Michael posts another fastest lap (25.708) as he extends his lead to 2.4s. Throughout the remaining drivers, the only gap less than a second is that between Heidfeld and speed, who, fighting for fourteenth, are separated by just 0.9s.
After 11 laps, Ide returns to the track, as Raikkonen closes to within 0.9s of Webber, who is running eighth.
Michael goes quickest in the second sector, going on to post yet another fastest lap (25.218). Meanwhile, Barrichello pits, which probably gives us an idea of Button's fuel strategy, or does it?
Sure enough, next time around the Englishman pits. His stop is shorter than his teammate's (less fuel), and there's also a mistake. He re-emerges in eighth, behind Raikkonen and ahead of Villeneuve. Barrichello is thirteenth.
At the end of lap 16, Ralf Schumacher pits, the German seemingly taking on very little fuel.
After 17 laps, Michael leads Massa by 10.2s, however, the Brazilian is falling into the clutches of Alonso. Montoya is fourth, ahead of Webber, Raikkonen, Button and Villeneuve.
Another fastest lap for Michael (25.179), as he extends his lead to almost twelve seconds. He follows this with a 1:24.642, taking over a second off Alonso, as Massa pits.
The Brazilian exits the pits behind Button.
At the end of lap 20, Michael pits, which hands the lead to Alonso, who was 13.5s down on the German. He rejoins the race in second, ahead of Montoya, Webber and Raikkonen.
Raikkonen continues to hound Webber, as Ralf harries Fisichella for ninth.
For the first time this afternoon, Alonso goes quickest in a sector (three) as he ups his pace, knowing that Michael is just 7.3s behind. Meanwhile, Raikkonen pits.
Lap 23 and Alonso posts a new fastest lap (24.569), as Montoya and Webber both pit.
Alonso continues to push hard, but he needs more of a gap if he is to hold off the Ferrari, which is 8.3s behind.
The current order, after 24 laps, is Alonso, Michael, Button, Massa, Montoya, Villeneuve, Webber, Fisichella and Raikkonen.
At the end of the next lap, Alonso pits, rejoining in second, albeit 11s down on the Ferrari. Villeneuve and Fisichella have yet to stop. As have Rosberg, Heidfeld, Klien and Coulthard.
At the end of lap 27, Villeneuve, Rosberg and Coulthard all pit, which means that Fisichella, along with Klien and Heidfeld, is the only driver yet to pit.
Suddenly, the Ferraris are losing pace, indeed Alonso is now 8.5 second behind Michael, while Montoya is all over Massa. Elsewhere, Heidfeld and Klien both pit.
On lap 29, Michael loses 1.3s to Alonso, the tyres on this stint not really working for him, or indeed Massa. Meanwhile, Fisichella finally pits.
At the end of lap 30, Button makes his second stop. It's a disaster, he ignores the lollipop and drives off, with the fuel rig still attached. He also knocked a couple of his pit crew over. Looking at the replay, the lollipop man (Alistair Gibson) gave Button the all-clear too early. Once the smoke clear, Button rejoins in eighth.
Back on track, Michael appears to have found a little pace, but he is still losing time to Alonso, who is 4.6s behind.
At the end of lap 32, Ralf pits, as Alonso closes to within 3.1s of his brother.
At the end of lap 33, Michael leads Alonso by 2.4s, with Massa a further 21.6s behind. Montoya is fourth, right on the Brazilian's tail, followed by Webber, Raikkonen, Button, Barrichello, Fisichella and Ralf.
Alonso is all over Michael, who is still struggling. Last year it was the German harrying the Spaniard, to no avail, will the Renault driver want to prove a point. Elsewhere, Barrichello pits, a lot earlier than expected.
The leaders comer up behind a Red Bull and Alonso closes in, but to no avail. He was probably playing anyway.
It's a thrilling battle, and both are probably having the time of their lives. Alonso closes in but Michael is having none of it.
The old (sorry Michael), versus the new, what a great advertisement for F1.
Such is the pace of Michael's Ferrari, the two Red Bulls of Coulthard and Klien are able to enjoy the best view in the house.
These two masters of the art run together as one, the crowd is enthralled. Massa, third, has closed to within 14.4s of his team leader, such is the German's pace.
The Renault crew gathers in the pitlane, surely it will be for Alonso. It doesn't seem as if there is any other way past. Pat Symonds goes head to head with F1's other great strategist, Ross Brawn.
It's a short stop for the Spaniard, as Massa also pits. Michael has a little breathing space, but now he will have to stop, but when?
Alonso has rejoined in second, as Michael dives into the pits at the end of lap 43. The German rejoins ahead of Alonso, the battle resumes, which is great news for all of us.
Watching these two titans, its easy to forget that there are others drivers out there. However, after 43 laps, Montoya is leading, but has yet to stop. Raikkonen is fourth, but he also has to stop, ahead of Massa, Button, Fisichella, Webber, Ralf and Rosberg.
At the end of lap 44, Montoya pits, Michael and Fernando continue the battle for the lead. Montoya rejoins in fourth, ahead of Massa.
On lap 45, the two protagonists lap within two-thousandths of one another. Elsewhere, Ralf pits, as does Coulthard. Raikkonen is third, but still needs to stop, as does Fisichella. At least we think that the Italian has to stop.
That said, at the end of lap 47, the Finn pits, as does Coulthard.
Alonso makes a minor mistake at the first part of Rivazza, as Coulthard limps home. Meanwhile, Fisichella makes his second stop of the afternoon. Villeneuve and Rosberg also stop.
Fisichella is all over Button, the Englishman not having the best of St George's days.
Michael and Fernando continuing to lap within four-one thousandths of one another. Quite amazing. Elsewhere, Massa is under attack from Raikkonen.
51 laps, and Michael leads Alonso (just), with Montoya 14.2s behind. Massa is fourth, ahead of Raikkonen, Webber, Button, Fisichella, Ralf and Barrichello. Rosberg is eleventh, ahead of Villeneuve, Heidfeld, Liuzzi, Speed and Monteiro.
The two race leaders continue their cat and mouse game, as Montoya remains 14.3s down the road. The question is, will Alonso settle for second or will he want to prove a point? Then again, there appears to be a lot of brake dust coming from the Renault.
Alonso runs very wide at Villeneuve, a simple lack of concentration or is there a brake problem?
Three laps remaining and Michael is suddenly 2.2s clear, it appears that Alonso is indeed backing off, the 'fading brake' theory looking to be correct.
In just a couple of laps, the Renault has become nervous, brake and possibly tyre fade coming into play.
The crowd cheers, the flags wave, Michael appears to be heading to his eighty-fifth career win, his seventh here at Imola.
Alonso and the Renault have nothing more to give, the German takes the flag, punching the air in delight.
Juan Pablo Montoya takes third place, and the final podium spot, following a strong performance, even though few will have really been watching what was happening behind the two leaders.
Felipe Massa finishes fourth, ahead of Raikkonen, Webber, Button, Fisichella, Ralf and Webber.
In all honesty, reflecting on what we've just witnessed, one cannot help but feel that we have 'enjoyed' a Chinese meal, as opposed to Italian. It was good, at times the taste-buds tingled, but only already we're hungry, needful of something more filling.
Was that really a race that we just witnessed, or merely a demonstration, the old and the new?
In the next five weeks we face three more races, lets hope we get a little more racing, a little more satisfaction.
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