UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > European GP: Lap-by-lap

An analysis of round seven

Start aborted: Ninth-fastest qualifier Giancarlo Fisichella’s Renault stalls just before the red lights go out. The field sets off on an extra formation lap. The race distance is reduced from 60 laps to 59. Fisichella’s car is pushed into the pit lane.

* Lap 1: First-time pole position qualifier Nick Heidfeld is beaten on the drag to the first turn by Kimi Räikkönen. Jarno Trulli grabs third as Mark Webber tips Juan Pablo Montoya into a spin. Ralf Schumacher tries to avoid the mêlée but swipes off his nose. Ferrari team-mates Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher are forced wide. David Coulthard grabs fourth from Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, Tiago Monteiro, Narain Karthikeyan, Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Patrick Friesacher, Christijan Albers, Giancarlo Fisichella, Takuma Sato and Ralf Schumacher – the latter two of whom both pit for repairs. Räikkönen is 1.9s clear by the end of the lap.
* Lap 2: Michael Schumacher passes Karthikeyan; Fisichella does likewise to Albers.
* Lap 3: Räikkönen still leads by 1,9s. Michael S passes Monteiro; Fisichella dispatches Friesacher.
* Lap 5: Barrichello scrambles past Button. Fisichella has dealt with both Jordans.
* Lap 6: The top two are 12 seconds clear of Coulthard. Montoya passes Button for ninth.
* Lap 8: Trulli loses third after serving a drive-through penalty – his crew had not cleared the grid within the 15-second limit before the start. He drops to ninth. Barrichello passes Liuzzi.
* Lap 9: Räikkönen sets fastest lap – 1m30.940s.
* Lap 11: Barrichello is the first driver to make a scheduled stop: he drops from sixth to 12th.
* Lap 12: Heidfeld peels in and rejoins in fourth. Villeneuve passes Karthikeyan.
* Lap 13: Räikkönen leads Coulthard by 19.9s.
* Lap 18: Räikkönen makes his first scheduled stop, as does Trulli.
* Lap 19: Massa, Liuzzi, Montoya and Friesacher pit. Montoya gets out ahead of Liuzzi, whom he had hitherto been shadowing.
* Lap 20: Coulthard, Michael Schumacher and Albers come in. Alonso takes the lead.
* Lap 21: Monteiro pits.
* Lap 22: Alonso laps in 1m30.816s and leads Räikkönen by 7.7s. Fisichella and Karthikeyan pit.
* Lap 23: Alonso and Button refuel on schedule. Coulthard serves a drive-through for speeding on his previous pit visit.
* Lap 24: Villeneuve pits.
* Lap 26: Ralf Schumacher pits.
* Lap 27: Sato pits.
* Lap 28: With all the stops complete, Räikkönen leads Heidfeld by 2.0s. Alonso is third from Barrichello, Coulthard and a knot comprising Massa, Michael Schumacher and Montoya. Liuzzi, Trulli, Button, Fisichella, Sato, Ralf Schumacher, Villeneuve, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Albers and Friesacher complete the order.
* Lap 30: Räikkönen runs wide at Turn 5 and cedes the lead to Heidfeld. Albers is handed a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags.
* Lap 31: Heidfeld pits and Räikkönen reclaims a comfortable lead, 15s clear of Alonso. Heidfeld resumes in fourth, behind Barrichello.
* Lap 33: Barrichello refuels and slips back behind Heidfeld.
* Lap 34: Räikkönen runs wide at Turn 1 while trying to lap Villeneuve, and locks up his front-right tyre in the process. Ralf Schumacher spins off at Turn 6 and becomes only the race’s second retirement.
* Lap 37: Friesacher makes his second stop.
* Lap 40: Montoya tries to pass Michael Schumacher around the outside of Turn 1. It does not work.
* Lap 42: Monteiro is served with a drive-through for ignoring blue flags.
* Lap 43: Räikkönen refuels and rejoins second, 10s adrift of Alonso.
* Lap 44: Alonso laps in 1m 30.711s. Massa and Liuzzi pit.
* Lap 45: Montoya and Trulli refuel.
* Lap 46: Alonso loses several seconds with a trip through the gravel at Turn 7. Michael Schumacher and Button pit.
* Lap 47: Räikkönen resumes the lead – but only just, from Heidfeld – as Alonso pits. Coulthard comes in too.
* Lap 48: Barrichello makes his third and final stop.
* Lap 49: Sato pits.
* Lap 50: Heidfeld and Fisichella pit.
* Lap 51: Räikkönen leads from Alonso, Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli, Massa – fresh from a jaunt through the gravel, Liuzzi, Button, Sato, Villeneuve, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Albers and Friesacher.
* Lap 52: Räikkönen is easing his pace with an apparent vibration from his right-front wheel. Alonso closes.
* Lap 54: Michael Schumacher runs wide through the gravel.
* Lap 55: Massa slows and pits to replace a damaged front-left tyre. He drops to 14th. Räikkönen still has 4.0s in hand on Alonso.
* Lap 57: Two to go and the gap between the leaders is down to 2.7s.
* Lap 58: …and 1.5s.
* Lap 59: Räikkönen’s front right suspension fails on the way into Turn 1. He’s out. Alonso scores his fourth win of the year by 16.5s from Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Fisichella, Montoya, Trulli, Liuzzi and Button. Räikkönen is classified 11th from Sato, Villeneuve, Massa, Monteiro, Karthikeyan Albers and Friesacher.

Source: The FIA

Written: Mon, 30 May 2005 23:58:26