Italian GP - RaceMichael Schumacher has recorded his 90th career Grand Prix win this afternoon at Monza, taking the lead from Pole-sitter
Kimi Raikkonen in the first round of pit stop and controlling the race from that point onwards. With
Fernando Alonso working his way
up to third position only to suffer an engine failure on lap 44, Schumacher has slashed Alonso’s advantage from ten points to just two.
Alonso will be devastated to see his title advantage reduced to such a slim margin, but for Formula One fans, the controversial decision yesterday from the race Stewards has thankfully not played a role in the gap reduction, just a rare Renault failure.
Schumacher took the chequered flag eight seconds clear of
Kimi Raikkonen who drove a great race for McLaren Mercedes but did not quite have the pace at those critical moment of the race to deny Schumacher the win.
Robert Kubica drove a stunning third Grand Prix of his career to take his first podium position. Starting sixth the Polish racer made a great start to bully his way up ahead of team-mate Heidfeld at the first turn and run fourth. He sustained a great deal of pressure race-long only to lose out to Alonso in the second and final round of stops. With Alonso’s V8 grenading a few minutes later, Kubica duly took the third position.
Giancarlo Fisichella had a low-key race in the second Renault using a one stop strategy to finish in fourth position ahead of
Jenson Button who struggled for straight-line speed all day in his Honda.
Rubens Barrichello finished sixth on a one stop strategy in the second RA106.
Jarno Trulli did a good job to claim two points for Toyota using a one stop strategy and some good defensive driving in the final laps of the race. For Heidfeld, a poor first lap combined with an error with his pit lane speed limiter in the first round of stops, he battled back to score the final point.
Felipe Massa’s race was effectively over as he followed Alonso down to the first chicane as the engine blew on the Renault. With oil going down onto the track surface, Massa took to the grass and when he rejoined the circuit he had picked up a front-right puncture. He would chase Heidfeld across the line to finish ninth and out of the points.
Mark Webber made a great start in his Williams Cosworth quickly gaining seven positions on the first lap. The Australian would push on to the chequered flag and take tenth position in his Williams Cosworth. Team-mate Nico Rosberg was an early retirement with a driveshaft failure.
Christian Klien beat David Coulthard home to 11th in the Red Bull Ferrari battle while Scott Speed beat Tonio Liuzzi to 13th in the Toro Rosso Cosworth in-house fight.
Ralf Schumacher had a tough race and was just 15th in his Toyota ahead of Takuma Sato and
Christijan Albers in the sole surviving Spyker MF1 Racing Toyota.
It is advantage Ferrari in the constructors’ championship and as Schumacher announces his retirement from the sport at the end of the season, it is clear the title battle is wide open with three races remaining.
Earl ALEXANDER © CAPSIS International
