Michael Schumacher won the San Marino Grand Prix after withstanding the pressure from Championship leader Fernando Alonso in the second half of the race. While Schumacher took the chequered flag, it really was a case of a race lost for Renault as much as a race won for Ferrari. The result was Schumacher’s 85th Grand Prix success, the first competitive win since Suzuka 2004. Michael Schumacher ended the Renault’s winning streak, holding off the fast charging Renault of Fernando Alonso for almost final 26 laps. (more…)
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Schumi, the greatest qualifier ever
Michael Schumacher made F1 history on Saturday when he broke Ayrton Senna’s pole position record in Imola, the scene of Ayrton Senna’s tragic death 12 years ago. Schumacher, who has won this race six times in the past not only achieved this feat at the very track where the Brazilian claimed his final P1 slot but also infront of Tifosi at Ferrari‘s home. Michael Schumacher became statistically the greatest qualifier, who now has 66 poles to his name, clocked a 1:22.795 to beat Jenson Button to the P1 slot. Barrichello is third in his Honda, ahead of Felipe Massa and Alonso is only 5th in his Renault. More about qualifying soon..
Ferrari to test Imola revamp
Michael Schumacher says Ferrari is gearing up for an all-out assault at Imola. Ferrari is preparing a significant upgrade for its first home Grand Prix of 2006. The red car driven by Michael Schumacher at Imola later this month will boast better aerodynamics, a stronger V8 engine with revised pistons, new front and rear suspension and new Bridgestone tyres. ”We are going to work flat out for three weeks,” Schumacher vowed. The 37-year-old will test the new Imola-spec package next week at Barcelona. Ferrari Principal Jean Todt said: ”I think we can be competitive at Imola — exactly how competitive, we will find out. ”Much depends on the other teams. We will have a significant upgrade in Imola, but we will not be the only ones.”
The seven-time champion, who crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix having struggled for pace on cold tyres, said that his performance in Melbourne is not representative of Ferrari’s competitive level in 2006. “performances like that of this weekend are not our objective,” said Schumacher. “This year is completely different,” he said. “This time we are much more competitive and our all-round package is much better than it appears. However, in the course of this weekend we did not show this. (more…)
Drama filled 2006 Australian Grandprix
Aborted start! 2 Formation laps! 4 Safety car sessions!. Incident, accident and drama and though it all came Fernando Alonso walked away with his 1st Australian Grand Prix and his second of the season to strengthen his early stranglehold on a second straight drivers’ title. The only thing missing is rain on a perfect day of Formula1.
It was not such a good day for Giancarlo Fisichella and Juan Pablo Montoya in the second Renault and McLaren as both had their own drama even before the race had got underway. Montoya, who qualified in fifth position, was bust warming up his brakes and tyres as he exited the final turn to approach the starting grid. The Colombian lost control of his McLaren and it seemed he was in for a long day from the back of the pack. Fortunately for him Giancarlo Fisichella inexplicably stalled his Renault on the front row of the grid. This forced another formation lap and Montoya was able to regain his position and Fisichella started the race from the pit lane. (more…)
Button stuns with Australian pole
Honda’s Jenson Button beats both Renaults to pole position in Melbourne. Second fastest in qualifying this afternoon was Giancarlo Fisichella followed by teammate and reigning world champion Fernando Alonso. Australia’s Mark Webber will start in seventh place after a personal best lap of Albert Park in his Williams. Most of the session had been about the Renaults and McLarens until Button put that stonking lap time in. Montoya looked most likely to take pole position and set the mark for much of the 20-minute final session. But a spin on one hot lap and then a curious drop in the final sector of what would have been Montoya’s quickest tour rendered him fifth overall.
Ferrari’s World Champion Michael Schumacher failed to make the top 10 for the final shootout as rain ruined Michael Schumacher’s flying lap in the final minutes of the second knock-out session. His team-mate Felipe Massa caused the second red flag of the day when he crashed out at Turn 9. The Ferrari driver lost out on the entry to the chicane and skated across the gravel before smaking the wall and ripping off the right rear corner.
Rubens Barrichello has been knocked out of Australian Grand Prix qualifying after the first 15-minute segment. The Brazilian Honda driver, who has once again been struggling with the handling of his car, left his fast lap very late in the session and was then baulked half way through it by Yuji Ide. Check back for more details.
Fisichela and Renault all the way
Italian Giancarlo Fisichella won the Malaysian Grand Prix from pole, making this a 1-2 for Renault. World Champion Fernando Alonso finished seven seconds behind, while British driver Jenson Button came home in third place in his Honda some 12 seconds behind the leader.
Juan Pablo Montoya finished in fourth place in his McLaren-Mercedes, followed by Ferrari team mates Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher in fifth and sixth.
Jacques Villeneuve finished in seventh place, with Ralf Schumacher in the Toyota finishing in the final points paying position.
Fizzy pops up!
Giancarlo Fisichella has had a difficult time so far this season but an engine change after Bahrain, allowed because his car failed to finish for other reasons, meant that the Italian went to steamy Malaysia with the potential to outshine his rivals. And so he did in the final minutes of the qualifying session as he took third career Pole Position away from Jenson Button by two-tenths of a second. The Renault driver’s final lap in the third and final phase of qualifying stopped the clocks in a 1:33.840s, a tenth clear of the field. Jenson button starts a cool second in his Honda while Nico Rosberg did a sensational job in what is his second Grand Prix weekend to qualify his Williams Cosworth third.
It is a great result for me and a great answer after the last race. We made a big mistake in Bahrain, but anyway now the package is fantastic and the reliability and performance is good and I am sure now I will have a chance to do well said Fisichella.
South Africa shed chokers tag
South Africa can be called chokers no longer, after burying the ghosts of 1999 with victory in a match even more extraordinary and nail-shredding than its illustrious forebear. Australia had just posted a world-record 434 for 4 in a single innings – the first 400-plus total in the history of the game . And yet they still lost – by one wicket, with one ball to spare. The home side’s victory sparked wild celebrations on and off the Wanderers pitch.
South Africa 438 for 9 in 49.5 overs (Gibbs 175, Smith 90, Boucher 50*) beat Australia 434 for 4 (Ponting 164, Hussey 81, Katich 79) by one wicket to win the greatest one-day international in the history of the game. How often do you see something like this. (more…)
Alonso beats Schumi in Grand Prix of Bahrain
The 2006 season burst into sensational life in Bahrain this afternoon, as champions past and present, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, fought out a tense duel which resulted in victory for the Spaniard by only 1.246s.
It was close, but Fernando Alonso started his title defence very much in the way he ended his championship season last year by winning. Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, chasing his 85th win after taking a record-equalling pole position on an all-Ferrari front row, had to settle for second place after a thrilling battle with his young rival.
Schumacher, spearheading Ferrari’s recovery from a dismal 2005 season, had led from the start while a determined Alonso roared past the German’s new Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa at the third corner after starting fourth. Starting fourth the Renault star forced his way past the slow starting Jenson Button and soon after past Felipe Massa to set up the battle with Michael Schumacher. (more…)
Ferrari front row
We have a Ferrari front row in Bahrain. That’s right, Michael schumacher is on pole for tommorows season opener Bahrain Grandprix . In the process Michael Schumacher equalled Ayrton Senna’s record of 65 Pole positions and a superb performance from Massa on his Ferrari debut put him alongside Schumi in tommorows 57 lap Bahrain International Circuit. Stay tuned for more news.