02/07/2006
NEWS STORY
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How ironic that here in America, home of the conspiracy theory, the World Championship appears to be on the point of receiving a much needed shot in the arm.
Ferrari's astonishing pace in qualifying has stunned everyone. At a time when we were all bemoaning the 25-point advantage that Fernando Alonso enjoy, the Italian team appears to be on the verge of pulling off a remarkable victory.
Alonso is concerned, Briatore is concerned, Symonds is concerned… however, Bernie is rubbing his hands, and possibly various other body parts, in glee, at the prospect of Schumacher of taking a bite out of the Spaniard's lead, and the possibility of the World Championship going down to the wire.
Although they would be quick to deny it, and who would blame them, Michelin does appear to have gone for a conservative tyre choice here, and despite some brave performances in qualifying we don't expect Michelin to celebrate its 101st win today, but rather Bridgestone to celebrate its 98th.
Right now, Ferrari and Bridgestone look unbeatable here, and the glorious sunshine, as opposed to the predicted rain, doesn't help.
Behind the two red cars however, providing Michelin hasn't been too cautious, it should be good to see the scrap between the Renaults, Hondas, McLarens, BMWs, Webber and Ralf Schumacher.
In case you are not aware, Nico Rosberg has been penalised for not visiting the weigh-bridge when instructed during qualifying, and subsequently loses all his times and starts from 22nd on the grid. Please note, that's weigh-bridge, not Weybridge the town in Surrey. Toro Rosso opted to change the engine on Tonio Liuzzi's car, which means the Italian starts from 21st, exactly where he was meant to start from. While Jarno Trulli has opted to start from the pitlane in order that the team could work on his car overnight following a problem during qualifying.
What is good to see is that despite the shameful way they were treated last year, the race fans are back in their thousands… which is great news for everyone. Let's hope F1 gives them a great race, even if its only the battle for third - assuming Felipe won't dare to challenge Michael.
As the field prepares to head off on the warm up lap, the air temperature is 36 degrees C, while the track temperature is 42 degrees. It is hot, hot, hot and sunny.
The tyre warmers come off, crew members moves to the side of the track, the field heads off behind Michael.
The flags are waved, banners raised, air horns scream, as Michael leads the field back to the grid - so different from twelve months ago.
Michael makes a great start but Massa's is better, into the first corner Alonso and Michael are side by side, however there's carnage behind them.
A number of cars are off in the gravel, including a Toro Rosso (Speed) both McLarens, Webber, Heidfeld, Klien and Montagny. Christijan Albers heads back to the pits.
As the safety car comes out the replay show Nick Heidfeld's BMW somersaulting over another car as the cars collided whilst jostling for position at the first corner. Indeed, there two incidents, resulting in the loss of seven cars. It is the second of the incidents, when Montoya touches Raikkonen, that launches Heidfeld, who hits Button, a victim of the McLaren clash.
Button's pit is asking him if he needs a front wing; "I don't know" he replies. The Englishman returns to the pits where his crew can see for themselves whether he needs a wing. That said, there is smoke coming out of the back of his car.
After four laps, the safety car leads Massa, Michael, Alonso, Fisichella, Barrichello, Villeneuve, Ralf, Rosberg, Monteiro and Coulthard.
Last year we 'lost' 14 cars at the final corner at Indianapolis, this year we lost seven at the first.
At the end of lap six the safety car pulls off, but it heads off to the left rather than into the pitlane, and that catches Michael on the hop, as Massa heads off into the distance. At the back, Monteiro is involved in an incident with Sato - the Midland heads back to the pits, while the Super Aguri is out on the spot.
Along the main straight the yellows are being waved, and it clear that there is debris on the track.
After nine laps, we have just thirteen runners, with Button and Sato added to the seven we lost at the start.
Michael is running behind Massa, with Alonso a further 3.9s down the road, just ahead of his teammate. Monteiro pits again, which seems to indicate that we're about to lose another driver.
The yellow flags have now been replaced by the 'oil flag' on the main straight.
Alonso falls further behind Michael (4.3s), as a 'train' begins to form behind him, the Spaniard is really struggling.
At the beginning of lap 15, Fisichella finally passes his teammate, who clearly has a problem, going very wide at the first corner. The Italian now sets about closing the gap to the Ferraris which are 7.2s up the road.
Indeed, Fisi hits back with a personal best (14.019), as Alonso attempts to hold off Barrichello, Ralf and Villeneuve, who are running as one.
Funny enough, Alonso has upped his pace, as Michael goes quickest in the first sector, and Massa goes quickest in the second. Neither driver matches the fastest lap which Michael posted on lap seven (13.213).
The race stewards have announced that they are investigating the incidents at the start.
On lap 21, Giancarlo Fisichella posts a new fastest lap, crossing the line at 1:13.155. "That's very good," the Renault driver is told over the radio, "you're catching the Ferraris, keep it up".
Massa is slower than Michael, who is now 8.2s ahead of Fisichella, as Alonso continues to head Barrichello, Ralf and Villeneuve.
It's all over for Villeneuve as he pulls off track, smoke pouring from the back of his car. The Canadian had been running strongly until this point, and looked certain of some decent points. And then there were 11.
At the end of lap 24, Barrichello is the first driver to make a legitimate stop, as Michael posts a personal best (13.209).
The big winners, well almost, are Rosberg and Trulli, who started form the back of the grid - well, pitlane in Trulli's case. Thanks to all the attrition they are now running eighth and tenth. Elsewhere, Massa posts a new fastest lap - 1:12.961.
Fisichella is now unhappy with the balance of his Renault, though his crew assures him that they'll work on this when he stops.
Ralf Schumacher goes quickest in the second sector, as Alonso now enjoys a 2.3s advantage.
At the end of lap 26, Michael pits, as do Fisichella and Albers. Meanwhile, Massa posts a new fastest lap (12.954).
Next time around it is the Brazilian that stops, which means that Alonso is leading.
Massa re-emerges behind Michael, the German having done a very, very quick out lap.
At the end of lap 30 it is Alonso that pits, heading back to the fray 6.7 seconds later.
Michael leads Massa, with Trulli third, though the Italian still has to pit. Fisichella is fourth ahead of Alonso, Ralf, Barrichello, Rosberg, Coulthard and Liuzzi.
After 34 laps, Alonso is complaining of oversteer, the exact opposite of what he's been suffering for the rest of the weekend.
Other than Liuzzi, who is all over Coulthard, the field appears to have settled. The one to watch however, is Trulli, who is running third, 2.6s down on Massa, and appears to be on a one-stop strategy.
At the end of lap 39 the Italian pits, as do Liuzzi and Albers. It's a long stop for the Dutch driver, who appears to have a problem. "I can't shift," he tells his crew, who respond by pushing him back into his garage. And then there were ten.
After 42 laps, Michael leads Felipe by 4.5s, with Fisichella a further 11.5s down the road. Alonso is fourth, 8.7s down on his teammate, with Ralf fifth, 1.8s behind, ahead of Barrichello, Trulli, Rosberg, Coulthard and Liuzzi. Next time around Rosberg pits, rejoining in ninth, just ahead of Liuzzi.
Fastest through the speedtrap at this stage is Fisichella (206.295 mph), ahead of Michael, Trulli, Villeneuve, Ralf and Alonso.
Coulthard pits at the end of lap 48, rejoining just ahead of Rosberg - which is probably the last action we're going to see this afternoon. That said, good work by the Red Bull team and DC.
As Barrichello pits, Michael goes quickest in the first sector, going on to post a personal best (12.962). Next time around the German posts a new fastest lap (12.895).
Alonso is under pressure from Trulli, who is just 1.3s behind, with Ralf also closing in. The Spaniard, who has to stop again, is bound to lose position to Trulli, who is on a one-stopper, but what about the other Toyota?
At the end of lap 52, Massa pits, rejoining in third, ahead of Alonso. Next time around Fisichella pits.
Meanwhile, Trulli is told to "push, push!" as his crew sense that he can take the final podium spot from Fisichella. Trulli is on Bridgestones remember, whilst Fisi is on the (conservative?) Michelins.
Finally, Michael pits, re-joining the race still leading from Massa, Alonso, Fisichella, Trulli and Ralf.
At the end of lap 55, Alonso pits, re-joining in sixth behind Ralf. Meanwhile, Michael posts a new fastest lap (12.719).
Rubens is told to "hurry up" as the Honda crew senses that "Alonso is there for the taking". This is the World Championship leader we're talking about, a man who currently holds a 25-point lead in a bullet-proof car, a man who came here on the back of four consecutive wins. Why is he suddenly struggling, why is he "there for the taking"? It doesn't make sense.
Rosberg attempts to get past Liuzzi but can't make it stick, and consequently loses ground.
After 61 laps, Michael leads Massa by 12.5s, with Fisichella third, ahead of Trulli, Ralf, Alonso, Barrichello, Coulthard, Liuzzi and Rosberg.
Trulli is 3.7s down on Fisichella, while Barrichello is 4s behind Alonso, who is in turn 3.6s down Ralf.
At the end of lap 63, Ralf Schumacher makes an unscheduled pit stop, indeed he drivers straight into his garage. And then there were nine.
This promotes Toro Rosso's Liuzzi to eighth place, which gives an added incentive to Rosberg, who is running 2.9s behind. In reality it should be a 'no-contest', since this is WilliamsF1 v Toro Rosso, with the British team having the benefit of Bridgestones.
With six laps remaining, the race order appears settled, with all nine remaining drivers lapping at a steady pace and the gaps remaining constant.
Coulthard's pace has dropped, allowing Liuzzi to close to within 7.4s, as Rosberg falls further behind the Italian.
Michael takes an 'easy' win from his Maranello teammate, the two red cars separated by 7.9s. Fisichella takes third, 8.6s down on the Brazilian, with Trulli fourth, ahead of Alonso, Barrichello, Coulthard, Liuzzi, and Rosberg.
Sadly the first lap incident deprived us of a couple of drivers who might have had a say in the outcome of this race, most notably Raikkonen, and even Webber, but it was not to be.
A convincing win for Michael and a strong second for his teammate, as Ferrari take a small bite out of both Alonso and Renault's championship leads.
The German is ecstatic, and despite having driven an F1 car for 94 minutes still has the strength to lift Massa high in the air, and the humility to thank all his crew. Anyone who thinks that Michael Schumacher is ready to quit, is ready to step aside and pass the mantle to Kimi or Fernando has merely to watch him following today's victory, he is as hungry and determined as ever.
An excellent drive by Fisichella who completely overshadowed his teammate, though one has to question why, why was Alonso so uncompetitive here, why did he appear to roll over?
A superb performance from Jarno Trulli, who, for the second consecutive race gives Toyota points. Whoever opted to start the Italian from the pitlane and put him on a one-stop strategy deserves a major pat on the back.
Decent performances from Barrichello and Coulthard, the Scot scoring points for the second consecutive race. That said, had there not been that first corner melee things might have been entirely different.
Congratulations to Tonio Liuzzi for giving Toro Rosso its first point, the Italian driving a sensible, but determined race.
As for Nico Rosberg, in a word, disappointing. The WilliamsF1 isn't the best car out there, not by a long chalk, but the German simply didn't seem to be giving 100 percent today, indeed at a time when he should have been pushing Liuzzi his times were all over the place.
That said, WilliamsF1 is one of several teams that will be introducing major new parts at Magny Cours in two weeks, let's hope the Grove outfit can repeat the sort of form it showed at the beginning of the season.
Some say that Formula One has made a "triumphant" return to Indianapolis, to America, but that's for the people to decide.
From here, other than that first lap incident, which always looks good on TV, particularly on news broadcasts, it was pretty much the same sort of processional we've already witnessed too many times this year, albeit with different colour cars out front.
However, for now, let's savour Michael's performance, and his appetite for winning.
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