SCHUMACHER LEAPS TO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
(Image taken from Yahoo)
Well...now you 'know' this site's been around for a while - the first Grand Prix report I did for this was for last year's Chinese Grand Prix.
This time around the main point of interest was DC getting a new temporary teammate till the rest of the season, Dutchman Robert Doornbos, last seen racing for the old Minardi team and not looking that classy while doing it. Of course last year China was the season finale and the championship was all wrapped up. This year it was the first of three final 'flyaways' and the title was anything but done and dusted, Alonso had the championship lead but not the form.
Well Jenson and DC survived the first round of qualifying with the Toyota's being the big name casualties this time round. Coulthard failed to make it through to the final round apparantly due partly to communication issues. Jenson got himself a spot in the top 10 though, as did Doornbos. De la Rosa was actually the first guy to set a serious time in the final session but compatriot Alonso grabbed pole for keeps with Fisichella backing him up in second with Jenson starting fourth despite setting the same time as Barrichello in third.
As for the race itself well DC wound up one stopping. This made him heavy with fuel - too heavy in fact and he found himself sliding fast into 18th due to his resulting lack of speed. This didn't look a smart move but then with everyone else multi-stopping he found himself in the points...of course he had to pit himself but getting back into the points wasn't a problem so he looked set for a solid eighth place...only to run wide to allow Webber through before finishing in ninth.
Jenson in the meantime initially benefitted from an off-the-grid battle with Raikonen and Barrichello to make third and the Brazilian was to prove a familiar face throught the race, the two Hondas duelling regularly with mixed results. Tyre graining during a wet-dry race had the Brit sliding down the field only to surge back late on where he was able to have the last laugh over his teammate when Rubens crashed into Heidfield allowing Button to dodge the accident and say 'seeya - that'll be fourth then'.
Up front, it was initially a case of the Renaults running away with things but Michael had other ideas, his Bridgestones proving more solid than the Michelins. Just as the Ferrari came up to the Renaults though, Alonso performing badly on a mixed set of tyres. Knowing his teammate couldn't hold Michael up forever, Alonso let Fisichella into the lead and eventually submitted to the inevitable when Michael passed him after the Italian ran wide after a pitstop. Alonso regained second pretty smoothly but this was Michael's second win in a row.
This leaves the championship contenders neck at neck on points with 116 points each. Michael does technically have the lead over Alonso though as he's won seven races this season to Alonso's six. Behind them, Fisichella is up to 3rd with 63 points, Massa's down to fouth on 62, Raikonen's in fifth with 57 with Jenson in 6th on 45. DC's still in 12th with 14 points.
Schumacher leads the championship for the first time this season. What can Alonso do about it?
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