Subscription

Car Racing

Motorcycle Racing

Racing in Oz

Shop

2005 EUROPEAN F1 GRAND PRIX

2005 F1 GP: R7 of 19, 2005 European GP, May 29, Nurburgring

RACE RESULT:

• 60 lap race, air temp 25°C, track temp 45°C
• 1 Fernando Alonso, Renault
  "I was happy with the second place but we were so quick and pushing McLaren and Kimi all the way and they eventually had a tyre failure ... We were very lucky today but also very quick."
• 2Nick Heidfeld, Williams-BMW +16.5
  "It's obviously great to be second today after yesterday's pole position of. I didn't think I was able to win, but a podium finish was within reach. We knew that Kimi would have a better start and in fact he went in front from the start, but I still had a go at him into the first corner but ultimately he held on to his position. I pushed as hard as I could in the first stint to open a good gap from the cars behind me and our strategy of three stops paid off, because towards the end I was in third position. The car was good and I didn't make any big mistakes.Barrichello was getting closer and closer in the closing laps but I pushed hard and could keep him behind me even despite having lost my rear tyres a bit. Then Kimi had the accident and it was just luck to claim second place"
• 3 Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari +18.5
• 4 Coulthard, Red Bull +31.5
• 5 M Schumacher, Ferrari +50.4
• 6 Fisichella, Renault
• 7 Montoya, McLaren
• 8 Trulli, Toyota
  "After an afternoon like that, a point is certainly better than nothing, but it could have been much more. Unfortunately we had a problem firing up the engine on the grid and because of those few seconds we earned a drive through penalty that completely spoiled my chances. I pitted earlier than we intended because I was stuck in traffic and after that my race was fairly anonymous because it is nearly impossible to overtake here. But I kept pushing, pushing and pushing and it paid off when Raikkonen had his problem at the very end. It's a pity because otherwise after such a good qualifying and start we would certainly have made the podium and I could even have won. Still, given everything that happened I'll settle for 8th place."
• 9 Liuzzi, Red Bull
• 10 Button 11 Raikkonen 12 Sato 13 Villeneuve 14 Massa 15 Monteiro 16 Karthikeyan 17 Albers 18 Friesacher
• RACE START:
• START ABORTED, 1 extra warm up lap: Fisichella stalled on the grid
• OPENING LAP: contact between Webber and Montoya; R Schumacher loses front wing
  Webber retires
• Raikkonen overtakes the lead from Heidfeld; Coulthard moves up from 12th to 4th
• PENALTY:
• Trulli - drive thru penalty; Toyota mechanics on the grid after 15 second signal
• Coulthard - drive thru penalty; for speeding in pitlane
• RETIREMENT:
• Webber (contact, lap 1)
  "Today just disappointing. Nick and I didn't get away from the grid that well that put us both in difficult positions into the first corner. I had Trulli and Alonso trying to get down the inside so I braked a bit later attempting to defend my position, especially from Jarno, because it was very important to keep him behind for our strategy. I just, just quite couldn't stop and hit the side of Juan Pablo. It was a shame because we had strong potential today."
• R Schumacher (spun off track, lap 35)
• Raikkonen (final lap - tyre/suspension)

FERRARI RACE REPORT

• Jean Todt (Team Principal): "This was a very difficult race. In the chaos after the start, we ran the risk of seeing both our cars out of the race and, at the end of the first lap, Rubens was ninth and Michael fourteenth. We had to fight from start to finish. Rubens, who had chosen an aggressive strategy based on three stops, drove a great race, managing to get on the podium, after the leader retired on the final lap. Michael, who had opted for two pit stops, finished fifth. Obviously, these are not the results we aspire to, but at the moment, we have to settle for what we can get. If we cannot get near the front of the grid, then it is hard to win the race. This race marks the start of the second third of a long season. We know we still have a lot of work to do along with Bridgestone to get back on top and we will do that with our characteristic determination and methodical approach. I am convinced that we will soon succeed. These ten points are the result of a great job from our drivers and the entire team."
• Ross Brawn (Tech Dir): "It was a frustrating start to the race because of what happened at the first corner. Considering that at the end of that lap we were last and close to last, I think we had a fantastic race. Rubens was very good and drove a great race. Michael had a two stop strategy which meant he obviously had a heavier fuel load. I think this led to his tyres being a bit "difficult" in the closing stages. Possibly the balance on his car was not quite so good either. Rubens was on a three stop, which meant less stress on the tyres and his were very good. He had race winning pace today. Unfortunately, problems on the first lap meant we could not exploit that fully."

WILLIAMS-BMW RACE REPORT: Nick Heidfeld runner-up in the European Grand Prix

• The BMW WilliamsF1 Team left the Nürburgring, with mixed emotions. While Mark Webber had to retire early, following a first corner collision with McLaren-Mercedes’ Juan Pablo Montoya, Nick Heidfeld secured his second consecutive second place.
• The pole-sitter was one of only two drivers on the grid – the other being Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello – to contest the race on a three-stop strategy, and this paid off. At the start, Nick was passed by Kimi Räikkönen, but up until his final pit stop, the McLaren-Mercedes driver was never able to open a clear gap on the German.
• After his final pit stop, Nick rejoined in third position, behind Raikkonen and Alonso, but while the Finn made some mistakes, the German delivered a flawless race and made no mistakes whatsoever.
• With around 20 laps to go, race leader, Kimi Räikkönen, flat-spotted his right front tyre and was subsequently hampered by massive vibrations.
• Nonetheless, he seemed to be on the way to clinching the win, but on the very last lap, the vibrations resulted in a suspension failure and Räikkönen went off, thus giving Nick the opportunity of securing his second consecutive second place, behind Fernando Alonso.
• Sam Michael (Technical Director WilliamsF1): "It was a fantastic drive from Nick which made our three-stop strategy work. We were on hard tyres to complement our plan and it proved to be the right decision. It was the harder compound from Michelin which made it onto the podium today. It is another good result for us and it is just what the team needed. Mark had an accident in the first corner which was a shame as he was on a different race strategy with higher fuel load compared to Nick and the other cars around him."
• Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "It has been a turbulent race with many incidents in which we have been involved. Mark's race was over in the first corner. Nick delivered another error free race. He was on three stop strategy which meant he was taking a bit of a risk. This enabled him a drive without traffic and he made full use of this opportunity. Pole position and a second place in the race made a great weekend for him and for the whole team. Though, one must feel sorry for Kimi. He was dominating the race and to retire in the last lap obviously is very bitter."

TOYOTA RACE REPORT:

• A difficult afternoon's work at the European Grand Prix saw Panasonic Toyota Racing's Jarno Trulli pick up a point for 8th place. Trulli made a strong start to be up to third early on but a drive through penalty earned for a starting grid infringement by the team dropped him down the order. A gritty drive from there ensured that the Italian secured another points finish. Ralf Schumacher had an even harder race after he became involved in a first corner clash and had to pit for a new nose. He was battling up through the field when he spun shortly after half distance. After a successful evening of haute cuisine by German chef Johann Lafer on Saturday this result was slightly harder to swallow but it keeps Toyota in 3rd place in the constructors' championship on 44 points.
• EURO FIGHTER: Jarno Trulli battled all day to bring his car home in 8th place finish, enough to keep him in the top three of the drivers' championship on 27 points. It could have been more but for an early drive through penalty for an infringement on the grid that dropped him down the order.

BACK TO SATURDAY QUALIFYING

• After just 6 races the controversial new 2005 qualifying format spread over 2 days has now been scrapped. Qualifying will revert back to a single flying timed lap on Saturday.
  FIA (Max Mosley): "It's very important to have the grid sorted out on Saturday. It irritates the public not knowing who is on pole. If you follow a particular driver and you know he's going to be on pole you might change your plans for Sunday. But on the other hand if you know he's at the back of the grid you might go and do something completely different. People need to know - it's no good telling them two hours beforehand."
  M SCHUMACHER: "The new qualifying procedure should work in our favour, because it's a well known fact that qualifying was our biggest problem in the past. Now, we'll be able to make up for the disadvantage we've been having through deciding on how much fuel to take on board. So those news are not bad at all."
  RENAULT (Symonds): "single session is a sensible compromise for the rest of the season ... the public was confused with the aggregate system, and knowing the qualifying result is much better for the media too."

HOME GP FOR HEIDFELD & SCHUMACHER BROTHERS

• NICK HEIDFELD: "I learned how to ride a bike near the circuit when I was 3 years old and my father often used to take my two brothers and me there when we were young. In the winter, we would go sledging on the Nordschleife! When I was 8, I started go karting there as well, so it's easy to understand why I have a special relationship with the circuit"

BAR-HONDA BACK AFTER 2 RACE BAN

• BUTTON (BAR): "It's been very strange watching races. It's so exciting to be back here!
  We have been very positive about doing the best that we can. Our problem will be having to go out first and second in quallie on Saturday. I like the new system, but I wish it had been delayed a race!"

CIRCUIT

• Nürburgring Germany 
• track modified in 2002
• 88 km from Cologne, in Eifel mountains
• 60 lap race
• 5.1 km (vs 4.56 km, old track)
• lap record: 1m 18.805 Frentzen, Williams Renault, 1997
• PREVIOUS WINNERS
• 2004: M Schumacher, Ferrari
• 2003: R Schumacher, Williams
• 2002: R Barrichello, Ferrari
• 2001: M Schumacher, Ferrari
• 2000: M Schumacher, Ferrari
• 1999: Herbert, Stewart Ford
• LAST YEAR RESULT
  1 Michael Schumacher , Ferrari , 60 laps
  2 Rubens Barrichello , Ferrari
  3 Jenson Button , BAR
  4 Jarno Trulli , Renault
  5 Fernando Alonso , Renault
  6 Fisichella, Sauber
• 2004 pole 1m 28.351, M Schumacher, Ferrari

QUALIFYING & RACE PREVIEW

• HEIDFELD'S FIRST EVER POLE: German Williams-BMW driver Nick Heidfeld achieved his maiden F1 pole in front of home crowd. Raikkonen 2nd, Webber 3rd. Michael Schumacher is down at 10th
• HEIDFELD: "It is fantastic to get my first pole position in Formula One after so many years, and it is even more to have achieved it here at my home Grand Prix in front of my supporters. There is not much more one could ask for. I didn't do too much running yesterday and I was a bit concerned this would affect my performance today, but obviously we made the right tyre choice. This good result today shows Monaco was not a one-off and we are obviously working in the right direction. I am very much looking forward to the race."

GRID:

• 1 Nick Heidfeld, Williams-BMW 1m 30.081 (vs 2004 pole 1m 28.351)
• 2 Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren-Mercedes
• 3 Mark Webber, Williams-BMW
• 4 Jarno Trulli, Toyota
• 5 Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren-Mercedes
• 6 Fernando Alonso, Renault
• 7 Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari
• 8 Ralf Schumacher, Toyota
• 9 Giancarlo Fisichella, Renault
• 10 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
• 11 Massa 12 Coulthard 13 Button 14 Liuzzi 15 Villeneuve
• 16 Sato 17 Monteiro 18 Friesacher 19 Karthikeyan 20 Albers

WILLIAMS-BMW QUALIFYING REPORT:

• Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "Today's qualifying result is great success for both drivers and all technicians. Yesterday we were not been able to achieve sufficient mileage and collect enough data to make our tyre choice. However, at least for qualifying, the decision was the right one. We'd like to congratulate Nick to the first pole position of his F1 career."
• Sam Michael (Technical Director, WilliamsF1): "We obviously have had a good qualifying session and both drivers and the team have recovered well from yesterday. It's a credit to the engineers to get the right set-up, tyre choice and strategy with not much information.We are confident of a strong showing in the race and have no issues on reliability and the brake and engine cooling is under control. Now we are looking forward to a strong race tomorrow."

FERRARI QUALIFYING REPORT:

• Ross Brawn (Tech Director):"We were not in a strong position to challenge for qualifying, but I think we have a good race set-up and we have a nicely consistent tyre for tomorrow. This will be an important factor as the forecast is for very high temperatures. In this afternoon's hotter conditions, the car did not react quite as well as in the morning, but within the scope of changes we are allowed to make for the race, we can compensate for that for tomorrow. Unlike Monaco, there is potential to get something out of a good race strategy and of course it is possible to overtake at this track. So, I am optimistic that we can do something good in the race. We have to hope that both drivers make good starts and then as things settle down, wait and see if the race comes to us."
• M SCHUMACHER: "I want to congratulate Nick on his first F1 pole. It was a super lap and he deserves it. On my qualifying lap, I had a bit of understeer, especially in Turn 10 and lost some tenths there. As usual so far this season, I am looking forward to the race when we should be more competitive than today.It is hard for me to predict what we can expect tomorrow, because there have been times over this weekend when things did not look too promising. But the same can be said of Monaco and we had great race pace there, so I just plan to push hard and see what happens, trying to pick up as many points as possible."

TOYOTA QUALIFYING REPORT:

• Dieter Gass (Chief Race Engineer): "I think we can be very pleased with the qualifying today. Jarno did another very good lap and Ralf is in a good position too. Ralf reported too much understeer, so overnight we'll look at the data to understand why. But other than that we had no problems. I think we have made the proper tyre choice for the race. That means we can look forward to tomorrow afternoon. We are confident about our race strategy so we'll see how it pans out. Hopefully we can bring a good result home for all the supporters who will be here to cheer us on."

RACE PREVIEW:

• McLAREN-MERCEDES
• RENAULT
• RED BULL
• TOYOTA
• BAR-HONDA
• WILLIAMS-BMW

Advertising Enquiry