Fernando Alonso took his first win of the season, and the second for the Renault F1 Team. Alongside him were Jarno Trulli and Nick Heidfeld. Is youth taking over?
Go go go! As the lights go out, Fernando Alonso made a clean start and took the first corner in the lead, ahead of Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella. Mark Webber (Williams) was 4th, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren), Nick Heidfeld (Williams) and David Coulthard (Red Bull). After ten laps, the two front-runners were more than six seconds apart, with Fernando leading the race at a furious pace: he continuously set fastest lap, while reigning world champion Michael Schumacher was running 13th.
There were 54 laps left when the two BARs of Jenson Button and Anthony Davidson conducted a synchronised retirement, following engine failures.
The first pit-stop window opened after 19 laps, when Christian Klien’s Red Bull headed to the pits. Ralf Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld followed a lap later, while race-leaders Alonso and Trulli stopped on the 20th tour. Giancarlo Fisichella took over the lead… for a lap, until diving into the pit-lane along with his closest rival, Mark Webber. The two men returned to the fray in the same order, while Kimi Raikkonen led – the Finn stopped two laps later, and Fernando once more took over the lead. The McLaren exited the pits ahead of Webber, by a tyre valve failure saw him limp back to the pits, his right rear tyre in shreds.
Giancarlo Fisichella then began suffering handling problems. Losing time in the second sector, he was slowly caught by his closest rivals, Webber (4th) and Ralf Schumacher (5th). The German however had his sights focused on the Williams, and tried a move at Turn 15 – touching the Williams. Nick Heidfeld (Williams) in 6th took advantage to get back in touch, and for a lap, the three men fought wheel to wheel to gain positions. The order finally shook out as Webber, Heidfeld and Schumacher – while Giancarlo made hay and opened up a gap. But his respite was short-lived and two laps later, the Williams were on his tail again.
Rubens Barrichello opened the second pit-stop window on lap 36 – and one lap later, Webber attempted a manoeuvre on Fisichella at the hairpin. The two men collided and both retired, their cars too badly damaged to continue. Just one Renault was left in the race, while Heidfeld snapped up third position, ahead of Ralf Schumacher, Montoya and Coulthard.
With just 16 laps left, Fernando Alonso made his final stop. Ralf Schumacher did likewise, also changing his nosecone, one lap later; thereby dropping time to Montoya, who made up a position. The Colombian was now 4th, and on lap 42, Heidfeld and Trulli both stopped. The lead trio would not change: Alonso-Trulli-Heidfeld.
After 50 laps, Rubens Barrichello returned to the pits to retire. Team-mate Michael Schumacher then lay in 7th position – with just 13 cars left in the race.
Nothing more would change until the finish: Fernando Alonso took his first win of the season, and the Renault F1 Team’s second. He was alongside Jarno Trulli and Nick Heidfeld. It looks like it’s time for a generation of new faces to take over!
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