China 2006
JUST TO MAKE THE RUN-IN TO THE TITLES EVEN MORE TENSE, RENAULT HAD PROBLEMS WITH A WHEELNUT THAT COST FERNANDO ALONSO (2ND) THE WIN AND GAVE IT TO MICHAEL SCHUMACHER BUT RENAULT STILL MANAGED TO TAKE BACK THE LEAD IN THE CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP FROM FERRARI (BY 1 POINT). MICHAEL AND FERNANDO ARE NOW EQUAL ON POINTS - MICHAEL ON TOP AS HE HAS NOW WON ONE MORE RACE THAN FERNADO. FERNANDO HAD PREVIOUSLY SEEN A 25 SECOND LEAD DISAPPEAR TO VIRTUALLY NOTHING WHEN HIS CAR BECAME UNBALANCED AFTER THE FIRST PIT-STOP. RENAULT HAD TO PUT ON NEW TYRES AT THE FRONT TO REPLACE ONES THAT WERE STARTING TO FAIL AND THE WHEELNUT DELAY AT THE SECOND AND FINAL PIT-STOP COST A FURTHER 20 SECONDS. A HEROIC LAST STINT FROM FERNANDO, WHEN HE THREW CAUTION TO THE WIND IN THE DAMP CONDITIONS THAT HAD CHARACTERISED THE RACE, SAW HIM OVERHAUL MICHAEL BY 1 OR 2 SECONDS PER LAP BUT HE EVENTUALLY RAN OUT OF LAPS WHEN HE WAS JUST A COUPLE OF SECONDS BEHIND. THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT IF IT HAD BEEN DRY THE RENAULT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THE FERRARI AND IF THE WHEELNUT PROBLEM HAD NOT OCCURRED THEN FERNANDO WOULD HAVE WON. BUT THIS IS F1 AND, AS MURRAY WALKER WAS FOND OF SAYING, 'IF' IS 'F1' SPELT BACKWARDS AND IT IS THE 'IF ONLY'S' THAT CAN BRING TENSION, EXCITEMENT, HEARTACHE OR JOY DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE. ONLY TWO RACES TO GO NOW!
STARTING GRID
| |
| 1.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 2.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
| 3.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 4.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 5.
|
Kimi Raikkonen
|
| 6.
|
Michael Schumacher
|
| 7.
|
Pedro de la Rosa
|
| 8.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 9.
|
Robert Kubica
|
| 10.
|
Robert Doornbos
|
| 11.
|
Scott Speed
|
| 12.
|
David Coulthard
|
| 13.
|
Vitantonio Liuzzi
|
| 14.
|
Mark Webber
|
| 15.
|
Nico Rosberg
|
| 16.
|
Ralph Schumacher
|
| 17.
|
Jarno Trulli
|
| 18.
|
Tiago Monteiro
|
| 19.
|
Sakon Yamamoto
|
| 20.
|
Felipe Massa
|
| 21.
|
Takuma Sato
|
| 22.
|
Christijan Albers
|
RESULT
| |
| 1.
|
Michael Schumacher
|
| 2.
|
Fernando Alonso
|
| 3.
|
Giancarlo Fisichella
|
| 4.
|
Jenson Button
|
| 5.
|
Pedro de la Rosa
|
| 6.
|
Rubens Barrichello
|
| 7.
|
Nick Heidfeld
|
| 8.
|
Mark Webber
|
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers :
| |
| Michael Schumacher
|
116
|
| =Fernando Alonso
|
116
|
| Giancarlo Fisichella
|
63
|
| Felipe Massa
|
62
|
| Kimi Raikkonen
|
57
|
| Jenson Button
|
45
|
| Rubens Barrichello
|
28
|
| Juan Pablo Montoya
|
26
|
Constructors :
|
|
| Renault
|
179
|
| Ferrari
|
178
|
| McLaren
|
101
|
| Honda
|
73
|
| BMW
|
35
|
| Toyota
|
30
|
| Red Bull Racing
|
16
|
| Williams
|
11
|
| Scuderia Toro Rosso
|
1
|
| Midland
|
0
|
| Super Aguri
|
0
|
Race Results posted by
David Little
2nd October 2006
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