25/06/2006
NEWS STORY
 |
There is talk that Michael Schumacher was running heavy in qualifying, let's hope there's a grain of truth to this. For if there isn't, we can expect another Renault-fest today, with the guys in blue, and yellow, putting the title(s) a little further out of reach.
We've been told that both Renault drivers are free to race one another, but that doesn't make much of a difference because its hardly likely that Giancarlo is really going to come close to giving Fernando a hard time, no matter how much Alan Permane, or anyone else for that matter, screams and shouts over the radio.
Sadly, our only hope, for we don't believe for one minute that Toyota has finally come good, is that the McLaren revival has begun, and that Kimi can finally get his championship bid back on track.
Over the years Montreal circuit has thrown up a few surprises, and not for nothing is it compared to Monaco, for it is an unforgiving track which punishes the slightest mistake. We saw Fernando make two mistakes in free practice, and we all remember last year's little moment, which eliminated the Spaniard from the race. In fact, in four appearance here, Fernando has only finished once (fourth in 2003), hence some regard the 'Circuit Gilles Villeneuve' as his bogey track. Today the Spaniard has the opportunity to prove them wrong.
For the last couple of weeks the media has been obsessed with the goings on in Germany, and the tedium that was the British Grand Prix did little to help matters. Let's hope that for just over ninety minutes, Formula One can give the world an alternative to soccer - even if it's only an all-out fight between the two Renault drivers.
Over the past twenty-four hours, there's been a major kerfuffle - part of an ongoing kerfuffle really - about the legality of the wing on the BMW, with Honda threatening to protest the German team should it should either of its drivers finish ahead of its own drivers - not too difficult in light of some of the Japanese team's recent results. The FIA has since looked into the situation and has declared the wing to conform.
For much of the season there has been murmuring about the legality of wings, much of it driven by a section of the media. Initially the FIA insisted that the wings in question were legal, but then recently advised team to fit separators which prevent the problem.
The bottom line, if this whispering campaign is to end, is for the FIA to act, and act now.
Ahead of today's race, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is 47 degrees. It's bright and sunny.
The big news is that David Coulthard will start from the back of the grid, following a late decision to change his engine. The Scot would have started from sixteenth on the grid, alongside Toro Rosso's Tonio Liuzzi.
On the grid, Speed asks his crew to tell him the temperature of his engine because; "if I find out later that Tonio's engine was five degrees cooler, someone's head's gonna roll!"
The field head off on the parade lap, the drivers generating as much heat into their tyres as possible. Michael Schumacher takes forever taking his place, holding up all the cars behind him. Bad news for those at the front of the grid, the Renaults.
Fisichella appears to jump the start as Alonso and Raikkonen get away cleanly, further back, Michael loses out to Rosberg then Montoya.
At the end of the first lap Alonso leads, as Rosberg 'jumps' the chicane, he is under fierce pressure from Montoya and the two tangle. Rosberg is out, as Montoya returns to the pits. The safety car is deployed as the German's WilliamsF1 is removed from the track.
Further back, not for the first time this season, the Midlands have collided, necessitating Monteiro to head to the pits, where Montoya is already having a new nosecone fitted. Albers wasn't so lucky, his race is already over.
Behind the safety car, Alonso leads from Raikkonen, Fisichella, Trulli, Michael, Button, Villeneuve, Massa, Heidfeld and Webber.
No sooner has the safety car left the track, Montagny's engine blows big time, another 'early bath' for the Frenchman.
Fisichella posts a fastest lap (17.966), but it appears he may receive a penalty for that jumped start. Sure enough, the driver is handed a 'drive through'.
As Kimi watches Alonso, Michael is all over Trulli, Massa is also hard on the heels of Villeneuve.
At the end of lap 7 Fisi serves his penalty, exiting the pits in fifth, which is not too bad under the circumstances.
Fisi's penalty plays into Michael's hands, the German continuing to harass Trulli.
At the back of the field (almost), Coulthard is all over Montoya who is hounding Ralf Schumacher. The German is in no mood to capitulate to his former teammate.
As he shadows Alonso, Kimi posts a string of fastest laps, as Trulli falls 11s behind. Michael is fourth, behind Trulli, 1.1s ahead of Fisichella, who is 6s ahead of Button.
Montoya gets past Ralf on lap 12, as Raikkonen goes head-to-head with Alonso on the main straight. The Spaniard holds off the Finn but the McLaren clearly has the legs to make a move sooner or later. Interestingly however, it is Scott Speed who is quickest through the speed-trap (201.32 mph).
It's all over for Barrichello, the Brazilian's first retirement this season. The Honda driver heads straight into his garage.
Meanwhile, Montoya's race is also over, the Colombian pulling off track at the end of the pit straight, having clouted the 'wall of champions'. This will not do his job prospects any good.
The Alonso/Raikkonen and Trulli/Michael battles continue, as down the field Massa and Heidfeld are hard on the heels of Villeneuve and Speed is all over Klien. Coulthard is giving Ralf a hard time also.
Webber is the first of the 'big guns' to pit, the Australian stopping on lap 16.
With Michael unable to get past Trulli, the leaders have a 16.5s advantage. Furthermore, the German is now under pressure from Fisichella. Elsewhere, Massa has passed Villeneuve and is now heading after Button.
A new fastest lap from Alonso (15.957), who now 'enjoys' a 1.1s lead over Raikkonen.
Ralf is slow on to the pit straight and Coulthard almost nails him at the first corner, but runs too deep, giving the German a little breathing space. Meanwhile, Kimi posts a new fastest lap (15.841).
At the end of lap 22, Alonso pits, handing the lead to Raikkonen. The Spaniard exits the pits in second, as Kimi goes quickest in the second sector, which is exactly what he needs to do. Unfortunately he's unable to maintain the pace, and loses ground in the final sector.
Michael finally gets past Trulli, the Italian appearing to give way to the German, though surely not.
At the end of lap 24 Kimi pits, as does Ralf. The Finn has a problem with his rear wheel, and exits behind Alonso. Ralf, who has just pitted, is now cruising, who clearly has a problem.
Ralf goes off at the hairpin, but continues, as Massa passes Button to take fourth. Ralf returns to the pits.
After 27 laps, Alonso leads Raikkonen by 5.8s, with Michael third, 3s down, ahead of Massa, Massa, Villeneuve, Heidfeld and Fisichella. Though of these, only Fisi has pitted.
Michael has a slight brush with the wall, but is able to continue. However, his brother, who is back on track following two pit stops, receives a drive through for speeding in the pitlane.
Michael, who still has to stop, is now 1.6s down on Raikkonen, who is 6.5s down on race leader Alonso. Massa is 22.1s down on his teammate, ahead of Villeneuve, Fisichella, Heidfeld and Trulli.
At the end of lap 32, Michael finally pits, which rules out the one-stop theory. He returns to the action in third, ahead of Massa.
Next time around it is Villeneuve that pits, as Michael misses the chicane at the end of the main straight. A lap later it is the Canadian's teammate, Heidfeld, that pits.
After 36 laps everyone has pitted except for Massa, who is clearly on a one-stop strategy. It also puts his qualifying lap in perspective.
Raikkonen is 8.7s down on Alonso, who looks to have the race sewn up, meanwhile Michael is 19s down on the Finn. Fisichella is 13.5s behind the German.
As Michael cuts the chicane once again, his deficit to Raikkonen is up to 22.8s, as Alonso closes in on the German.
Behind the leading four, Trulli is running fifth, 15s down on Fisichella, and 7.1s ahead of Massa. Villeneuve is all over the Brazilian, enjoying a lead of 3.2s over his BMW teammate. Button is ninth, 9.5s down on Heidfeld, and 8.7s ahead of Klien. Webber is running a disappointing thirteenth, behind Coulthard and Speed, but ahead of Liuzzi, Ralf, Sato and Monteiro.
Michael has another moment, this time at the chicane.
Asked if he wants a balance change during his pit stop, Trulli is adamant; "No, no, no" he says.
Raikkonen is one of several drivers struggling with grip, the Finn really fighting the car. We have also seen Alonso experiencing similar problems. That said, on lap 47, Fisichella posts his fastest lap of the race (16.779), while Alonso passes Villeneuve as though the Canadian is standing still, which he most certainly isn't.
At the end of lap 48, Trulli pits, exiting alongside his teammate, who sensibly lets him by.
Both BMWs are on Massa's tail, as Alonso pits at the end of lap 49. Elsewhere, Ralf has spun at the hairpin but continues, the German losing it on the 'marbles'. Moments later, race-leader Kimi almost comes to grief, such is the amount of rubber detritus on the track. This, together with the stress put on the brakes here, means that we could be in for some surprises in the final laps.
At the end of lap 52, Fisichella pit, just as he was within 11s behind Michael, who is now 25s down on Alonso. Next time around race leader Raikkonen stops… literally, his engine cuts out. Thankfully his crew get him going again, but this plays into Alonso's hands.
The Finn exits the pits just ahead of Michael, but the German still has to stop again. Meanwhile, the BMWs continue to hound Massa, who is driving a faultless race.
At the end of lap 54 Heidfeld pits, as does Ralf, who is making his fourth stop this afternoon… he's either collecting the crystal glasses or the World Cup coins. Next time around, it is Villeneuve that stops.
Michael is really giving Kimi a hard time, as Alonso enjoys a 25.2s lead. The Spaniard is appraised on the situation; "they should finish 35 or 40 seconds behind you", he is told over the radio. The supreme confidence of the French outfit.
At the end of lap 57 Michael pits, exiting in third. During the pit stops, Heidfeld got ahead of Jacques Villeneuve.
It's all over for Villeneuve who goes off into the wall - not that wall - after losing it on the marbles. That said, he had previously complained of a brake problem. Watching the replay, the Canadian was a passenger, there was absolutely nothing he could do.
The safety car is deployed, which is good news for Kimi and Michael, but bad news for Alonso, so much for that 25s lead. Meanwhile, Ralf goes off again, once again at the chicane. Ironically, Jacques was passing the Toyota driver when he had his crash. Needless to say the German heads back to the pits.
The field lines up behind the safety car, all Alonso's hard work appears to be in vain, as Raikkonen, Michael, Fisichella, Massa and Trulli line up behind him. That said, there are two back markers (Trulli and Heidfeld) separating the Renault drivers from his pursuers.
As the safety car pulls into the pits, so does Ralf, his race is clearly over. Ahead of the departure of the safety car Klien is told that Button is "not good" at re-starts, and to therefore take advantage.
Alonso's re-start is dreadful, which is great news for Alonso, but bad news for everyone else, especially Raikkonen. The Spaniard heads off into the distance once again.
As the field tippy-toes over the marbles, Klien appears to get a nudge from (teammate) Coulthard, which allows the Scot, and Toro Rosso's Scot Speed through. Villeneuve's retirement promotes Button into the points. However, Coulthard is closing in on his English rival.
Michael Schumacher posts a personal best (16.401), but remains 2.7s down on Raikkonen.
"OK mate," Coulthard is told over the radio, "get Jenson, let's 'ave 'im!"
And 'ave 'im the Scot most certainly does, the Red Bull going head-to-head with the Hondas down the main straight and nailing the Englishman at the corner leading on to the pit straight.
Kimi goes off at the hairpin, and Michael is through. The Finn is able to continue, but he's lost out on eight points for second. Elsewhere, Sato has hit the wall, the eight 'casualty' in this afternoon's race.
Another ten points in the bag for Fernando, who increases his championship lead to 25, while Renault takes home 15 from a possible 18.
A special mention for Michelin which claims its 100th World Championship Grand Prix victory. How sad that we only have the pleasure of the French manufacturer's company for another nine races.
Another convincing win for Fernando, while Fisichella's race was lost at the start. That said, do any of us really believe that the Italian would have troubled his teammate this afternoon.
A strong drive from Michael, following what has been a strange weekend for the Italian team, it's pace up and down from session to session. That said, considering his fuel load in qualifying, together with those many laps behind the mobile chicane that is Jarno Trulli, this was a strong performance from the seven-time champion. He is still clearly enjoying his racing, if only he would cut the crap and admit that he's staying on for another season.
Kimi Raikkonen will understandably feel extremely peeved with his third place, however, the final 'off' followed two torrid pit stops, making it a difficult afternoon for the Finn.
Despite the fluffed start it was a typical performance from Fisichella, while Massa gave a very convincing performance, the Brazilian clearly getting better and better with every race, though sadly not appearing to get the plaudits he deserves.
Trulli takes sixth, his first points of the season, while Heidfeld and Coulthard take the remaining points. The Scot, the second oldest man on the grid, gave another typically dogged performance, and like Michael, has demonstrated that he still has the zest and ability to fight.
A typical Montreal race in many ways, though this time it was the marbles, rather than brake-wear that caused all the damage.
Next week we head to Indianapolis, scene of one of the most shameful days in the sport's history. Let us hope that we get a great race and that our American friends get to see the good face of Formula One.
May we also call on the FIA to sort out the nonsense surrounding flexing wings. The issue might make great copy and sensational headline for some, but for the rest of us, who are sick to death of the warnings of protests and counter-protests, it is all wearing a little thin. If the wings are legal please say so, if they're not, or if there is any doubt, please act.
To check out our Canadian Grand Prix picture gallery, click here