SCHUMACHER TAKES NURBURGRING WITH NO LIGHT AT END OF JENSON'S TUNNEL
(Image taken from Yahoo)
Well in a previous incarnation, the Nurburgring was known as one of the classic circuits and hosted the German Grand Prix in the 1960s and 70s and so when German Michael Schumacher fans wanted a second worship session a newer version of the track was first brought in for the European Grand Prix a few years back. The local hero came into the '06 race off the back of his first win of the season and further down the grid Honda were scrabbling for excuses for the team's lack of race pace while the F1 Japan feel of Super Aguri got diluted by the replacement of the cack Yuji Ide with French ex-Renault tester Franck Montagny.
The first qualifying session was pretty much decided by some idiot in the paddock hitting the wrong button, sending up a red flag signal without the existence of an actual red flag. Both Jenson and DC were pretty much sorted at this point but Klien was the big loser in this cackup. Once again DC fell foul in the second session and had to settle for 14th place while Jenson made the top 10. The final session looked like a Ferrari show before Button put himself on top. The Honda was not on form though and both Alonso and Michael were able to toast the Brit's time with even Barrichello outqualifying him. Jenson would start sixth while the reigning World Champion picked up his first pole of '06.
In the race itself, DC caught himself caught up in first corner carnage and soon wound up down in 20th and then needed to head to the pits for a new nose. A nosecone change is the kiss of death during Grand Prix and after two laps further damage from the early incident ended his race completly. Certainly not what the Scotsman had in mind.
Jenson on the other hand did better at the start, making it up to fourth and surviving a safety period without going backwards. However, Raikonen was soon all over him and pushed him down to fifth not long afterwards and Button never looked like catching him after that. He got as high as second before hitting the pits, came out outside the points before looking like he was on for pcking up points when his engine died after 28 laps.
And so at the front it was Schumacher vs Alonso again with Alonso holding on to his lead from the start while Massa trailed his more experienced teammate in third. It looked like a pretty straightforward win for the Renault driver only for Ferrari to outsmart the oppisition at the pitstops yet again to take the lead and for Schumacher his second win in a row. Alonso held off Massa to secure second while Massa picked up the first podium of his career.
Lessons learnt from the Nurburgring: The red flag button is not to be pressed unless there is actually a red flag.
So, now the Championship looks like this: Alonso leads with 44 points, Michael second with 31, Raikonen 3rd with 23, Fisichella fourth with 18, Massa up to joint fifth alongside Montoya with 15 and Jenson down to seventh with 13. DC still on joint 14th with just one point.
Now Alonso could do with a win on home turf.
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