Kimi Raikkonen wins his first race of his career ahead of Rubens
Barrichello and Fernando Alonso. Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli, Michael
Schumacher, Jenson Button and Nick Heidfeld make the top 8.
The first few laps were filled with drama, on the formation lap Villeneuve
stalled while at the start Fisichella stalled. At the first corner Trulli and
Michael touch, Trulli spins and Michael damages his front wing. Montoya gets
hit and loses his rear wing and is forced to pit as does Pizzonia and
Verstappen who were also involved.
With Fernando Alonso in the lead David Coulthard chases him but he retires
with a blown engine moving Heidfeld into second. Raikkonen was third with
Button, Barrichello and Panis behind.
A lap later Raikkonen moves ahead of Heidfeld while Barrichello and Panis get
ahead of Button.
The race order on lap 6 was: Alonso, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Barrichello,
Panis, Button, R Schumacher and Webber. Trulli who started second was 9th.
Michael Schumacher was in 14th and 52 seconds behind (he had to pit following
his hit with Trulli). Montoya was 17th and 2 laps down.
On lap 8 Michael Schumacher was given a drive through penalty for hitting
Trulli and pits on lap 10 to take the penalty.
By lap 12 Alonso was still in the lead with Raikkonen closing in 3.8
seconds behind. Barrichello managed to get ahead of Heidfeld with Button
moving into 5th after Panis made his first pit stop.
Michael Schumacher was 14th and 82 seconds behind.
Olivier Panis retired a lap after he pitted.
On lap 14, Alonso made his first pit stop which proved that he was on a
light fuel load. He rejoined in 4th place. Raikkonen took the lead. Nick
Heidfeld also pitted from 4th and stalled, he rejoined after losing time in
11th place.
Jarno Trulli made his pit stop on lap 16 from 6th, he rejoined in 7th place.
On lap 19 Kimi Raikkonen makes his first pit stop giving the lead to
Barrichello. He rejoins in second and 17 seconds behind.
On lap 22, Barrichello pits handing the lead back to Raikkonen. He rejoins in
3rd behind Alonso. Ralf Schumacher who was in 4th also pits.
Race order on lap 23 after everybody made their scheduled (or unscheduled)
stops: Raikkonen, Alonso, Barrichello, R Schumacher, Button, Trulli,
Heidfeld and M Schumacher.
Panis, Coulthard, Fisichella and Villeneuve retired.
On lap 26, Michael Schumacher had to pit for the 3rd time (the first
changing the front wing and the second for the drive through penalty). He
rejoined in 10th a lap down.
On lap 31, Montoya makes his second pit stop. He pitted at the start of the
race to replace his rear wing. He rejoined in 15th 2 laps down.
The second round of pit stops started around lap 34. Of the top 8 Alonso,
Button and Heidfeld made their second stops.
A lap later Trulli makes his stop. Webber pits and retires.
On lap 38 Barrichello pits from second and retains his place ahead of Alonso.
On lap 40 Raikkonen pits from the lead. He rejoins in the lead as he was a
massive 50 seconds ahead of Barrichello. Ralf Schumacher also pitted from 4th.
He also retained his place.
Michael Schumacher took 6th from Trulli and 5th from Button on lap 41 but
pits 2 laps later.
Race order after lap 44 - Raikkonen, Barrichello, Alonso, R Schumacher,
Button, Trulli, M Schumacher and Heidfeld.
On lap 47, Raikkonen was 30 seconds in the lead and was given a 'go easy'
sign. Michael Schumacher in 7th was pushing hard to try and catch and pass
Trulli and Button. He was 10 seconds behind.
On lap 51 Trulli spins but recovers, this allows Michael to close right behind
him.
On the final lap Jenson Button makes a mistake and loses 2 places
So Kimi Raikkonen wins his first race of his career ahead of Rubens
Barrichello and Fernando Alonso. Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli, Michael
Schumacher, Jenson Button and Nick Heidfeld make the top 8.
Renault have managed to finish both their cars in the points for the second
race in a row, Ferrari, Williams and Sauber have also managed to finish both
their here while Jaguar was the only team failing to finish either car so far
this season.
For the second race in a row Michael Schumacher whilst managing to score
points has failed to finish on the podium.
In the Constructors' World Championship, McLaren leads with 26 points ahead
of both Ferrari and Renault with 16 points each. Williams in 4th with 14
points ahead of Sauber with 4 and BAR with 2 points.
In the Drivers' World Championship, Kimi Raikkonen leads with 16 points
ahead of David Coulthard with 10 points. Juan Pablo Montoya, Rubens
Barrichello, Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher and Jarno Trulli are all on 8
points.
Analysing the fuel loads on which the drivers qualified, Alonso and Trulli
were on a lighter fuel load than the other top teams by around 5 laps. They
were still on a 2 stop strategy like the rest.
Kimi Raikkonen had a heavier fuel load but Rubens Barrichello and Ralf
Schumacher had the most fuel on board. Around 3 laps worth of fuel more than
Raikkonen.
We cannot tell how much the fuel load was with Coulthard as he retired before
his first stop nor for Michael Schumacher or Juan Pablo Montoya whom pitted
very early in the race and may have topped up their fuel loads.
