Following a review by the FIA of the timekeeping records and with evidence
that Giancarlo Fisichella started his 56th lap prior to the race being
stopped, the FIA based their race classification on the order of the race on
lap 54 (story). Therefore, Giancarlo
Fisichella was declared the winner ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando
Alonso. David Coulthard, Heinz Harald Frentzen, Jacques Villeneuve, Ralf
Schumacher and Jarno Trulli make the top 8.
An amazing race, one that will be remembered for a long time. Kimi
Raikkonen won the race from Giancarlo Fisichella even though Fisichella
was ahead when the race was stopped. Raikkonen in fact won on a technicality
by the Sporting regulations that states in Article 154: "Case C. 75% or
more of the race distance (rounded up to the nearest whole number of laps).
The cars will be sent directly to the parc fermé and the race will be deemed
to have finished when the leading car crossed the Line at the end of the lap
two laps prior to that during which the signal to stop was given."
At that time the race order was Kimi Raikkonen, Giancarlo Fisichella, Alonso
Trulli, David Coulthard, Heinz Harald Frentzen, Jacques Villeneuve, Mark
Webber, Jarno Trulli, Ralf Schumacher and Cristiano da Matta and so those are
the final standings.
The race saw 4 safety car periods and 6 cars spinning out at the same turn
including Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.
With rain pouring down prior to the start of the race, the race directors
decided to delay the start for 10 minutes. After that the race was started
under the safety car so that some water can be cleared under non-racing
conditions. What made the situation worse is that only intermediate tyres
where brought in as the new FIA regulations only allow a single specification
wet tyre. Had the drivers used full wets, the track would have dried quicker
and possibly lesser cars would have crashed out.
A number of drivers opted to start from the pits after refuelling as the
wet conditions threw out the strategies for a dry race. Jos Verstappen,
Heinz Harald Frentzen and Antonio Pizzonia started from the pitlane as they
opted to refuel.
On the first lap Olivier Panis decided to pit to refuel. Fisichella refuels
on the lap before the safety car goes into the pits.
The safety car pits on lap 7 and the race started with Coulthard taking
Barrichello at the first corner. Barrichello continued to lose places with
Raikkonen, Montoya, Webber and Michael Schumacher going through in the
following laps. Raikkonen made a great move on his team-mate a lap later and
took the lead. Montoya also managed to squeeze past Coulthard.
Race order after lap 11: Raikkonen, Montoya, Coulthard, Webber, M
Schumacher, Barrichello, Alonso and Button.
On lap 14 Coulthard managed to take 2nd place back from Montoya who
appeared to struggle with his tyres. On lap 16 Michael Schumacher manages to
take 3rd from Montoya. Justin Wilson spun out of the race on lap 17. Ralph
Firman suffered what appeared to be a front suspension failure and spun into
Olivier Panis forcing them both out and the safety car was deployed.
As the safety car was deployed, almost all the cars opted to make their pit
stops, Raikkonen however opted not to pit. Alonso made his pit stop and his
pit crew fitted dry tyres so he had to make an extra stop to put intermediates
again!.
Race order on lap 24, Raikkonen, Coulthard, M Schumacher, Barrichello,
Montoya
Montoya spins out and Pizzonia spins at the same place and hits Montoya's
stationary car!
A couple of laps later Michael Schumacher spins out at the same place and
hits Pizzonia's stationary car. Safety car was deployed and Raikkonen opted to
make his pit stop and rejoins in 9th.
At the restart, Coulthard had a good start but Barrichello was caught by
Ralf Schumacher who passed him momentarily but Barrichello managed to retake
his position.
Race order on lap 32, Coulthard, Barrichello, R Schumacher, Webber, Button,
Raikkonen, Fisichella
Jenson Button gets caught out in the same location and spins out crashing
into the barrier. Safety car gets deployed for the 4th time. At the restart,
Kimi Raikkonen managed to move into 3rd passing both Alonso and Ralf
Schumacher in 2 superb moves.
Alonso managed to take 4th from Ralf Schumacher in a superb move. Alonso
was then penalised with a drive thru penalty for overtaking under yellow. It
isn't clear if it was his move on Ralf Schumacher or during the safety car
period.
Race order on lap 43, Coulthard, Barrichello, Raikkonen, R Schumacher,
Fisichella, Trulli.
Webber spins at the same location as all the others but superbly manages to
control it and get his car back on track.
As the Bridgestone tyres show their advantage over the Michelins in drying
conditions, Barrichello manages to get past David Coulthard and puts in a
number of fastest laps. Unfortunately for Barrichello, his car shutdown and
slowed to a halt at the side of the track.
Race order on lap 48, Coulthard, Raikkonen, R Schumacher, Fisichella,
Alonso, Frentzen, Trulli, Villeneuve.
Ralf Schumacher makes his pit stop and rejoins in 9th. Coulthard makes his
pits stop and rejoins in 4th.
Fisichella manages to take first place from Raikkonen who was struggling
with his tyres.
On lap 54, Mark Webber spins on the approach to the main straight and
crashes heavily. The safety car is deployed yet again and Fisichella and
Raikkonen both pit. Alonso unaware of the debris on the straight hits one of
the tyres from Webber's car and crashes violently into the tyre barriers and
is pushed across to the other side of the track as a result. He manages to get
out of his car but was taken to hospital for a checkup. The race was stopped
as a result. As the race was more than 75% complete, the decision was made not
to restart the race and the sporting regulations state that the winner of the
race is the car leading the race 2 laps prior to when the race was stopped.
So the race result was Kimi Raikkonen winning the race ahead of Giancarlo
Fisichella and Fernando Alonso. David Coulthard, Heinz Harald Frentzen,
Jacques Villeneuve, Mark Webber and Jarno Trulli make the top 8.
Update
Following a review by the FIA of the timekeeping records and with evidence
that Giancarlo Fisichella started his 56th lap prior to the race being
stopped, the FIA based their race classification on the order of the race on
lap 54 (story). Therefore,
Giancarlo Fisichella was declared the winner ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and
Fernando Alonso. David Coulthard, Heinz Harald Frentzen, Jacques Villeneuve,
Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli make the top 8.
