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With Kimi Raikkonen setting the
quickest time in qualifying but due to an
engine change we would see the Finn start from eleventh. Team-mate Montoya
was on pole with Alonso second. For the BMW WilliamsF1 team Mark Webber and
Antonio Pizzonia would start from fourteenth and sixteenth places on the
grid. The grid would get away for their formation lap for the 53 lap race.
There was overnight rain but the sun is clear for the race.
Montoya
would take his pace on the grid and the rest would form up behind him. With
the start of the race it would be Montoya leading from Alonso and Button.
Monteiro would suffer damage to his Jordan but was able to keep going. Kimi was down in eleventh while
Antonio and Mark were in fifteenth and eighteenth. Coulthard would pit at
the end of the first lap. He was joined by Mark who was to have his front wing
replaced. Montoya's lead was 1.5 seconds over Alonso. Coulthard was involved in a collision losing some of his
bodywork. It looks like Mark had hit Coulthard coming out of the first
chicane. What ever strategy Mark had had now gone out the window with his
pit stop. But it was reported that he did take on fuel at his stop.
Lap two and Montoya would set a fastest lap, a 1m:23.166. In fourth was Sato
leading Barrichello and Michael Schumacher. Trulli and Fisichella followed
the Ferrari pair. Lap three and Juan Pablo was 2.4 seconds in front. Antonio was
in fourteenth. Lap four and another fastest lap for Juan Pablo, a 1m:22.829.
Trulli would pass Michael for fifth. Kimi was stuck behind Villeneuve who
was in tenth. Now it was Alonso's turn for a fastest lap, 1m:22.740, on lap
five.
Button
and Sato were still in third and fourth. Lap seven an another fastest lap
for Alonso, 1m:22.685. Juan Pablo's lead was now down to 2.2 seconds. Only
Montoya and Alonso were running in the 1m:22 second bracket. Button was 8.9
seconds behind Fernando. The next lap and Juan Pablo would extend his lead
back out to 2.4 seconds. But Fernando would respond with another fastest lap
on lap nine, 1m:22.476. Mark was down in eighteenth running behind
Coulthard.
Montoya and Alonso were extending their lad over third placed Button, by lap
eleven it was out to 14.9 seconds. Fourth placed Sato now had a group of
cars right behind him, with Barrichello, Trulli, Michael Schumacher, and
Fisichella running in close formation. Lap twelve another fastest lap for Alonso,
1m:22.376. Montoya's lead was now just 1.9 seconds. Monteiro would pit his
Jordan.
Lap fourteen and Michael would make his first stop, 9.8 seconds, pitting
from seventh. Kimi was still stuck behind Villeneuve. Juan Pablo would set
another fastest lap, a 1m:21.988. Barrichello would now pit on lap fifteen. He was
joined by Villeneuve freeing up Raikkonen. But had the damage been done for
the Finn. Juan Pablo was really pushing with a new fastest lap, 1m:21.828. He
was now 2.5 seconds ahead of Alonso. It was really a two horse race. Lap
sixteen and Sato would pit from fourth. Kimi was now in eighth, right
behind Ralf Schumacher. Mark was now in sixteenth place.
Lap seventeen and
Button would make his first stop. Sato was back in the pits one lap after
his first stop. Klein would pit from ninth. Lap nineteen and Alonso would pit
from second, stopping for a long eleven seconds. Massa had also pitted from
eighth. Fernando would come out in front of rival Raikkonen. Antonio was now in
seventh. The following lap and Juan Pablo would make his stop.
Trulli would
stop from third. Juan Pablo would come out behind Fisichella. Kimi was able to
pass Alonso at the second chicane. Lap twenty one and Fisichella would pit seeing
Juan Pablo back in the lead. Ralf would pit from second. Antonio would make
his first stop. Lap twenty four and Kimi would set a fastest lap, 1m:21.629, to
be just 2.2 seconds behind Juan Pablo. On the next lap the Fin would pit coming
back out in a fantastic fifth place. Kimi's stop was 11.5 seconds, possibly
indicating that he may be fuelled to the finish of the race.
Lap twenty six and the order was Montoya, Alonso, Fisichella, Trulli,
Raikkonen, Button, Ralf Schumacher, and Barrichello. Lap twenty eight and
Mark would pit from fourteenth having been stuck behind Coulthard. Kimi was
now 33.7 seconds behind the leader. But it would go wrong for the Finn when
he would be forced to make another stop getting a new left rear tyre. The
tyre was delaminating forcing him to stop. Coulthard would make his second
stop of the race on lap thirty.
Kimi was now down in twelfth his chances of a race victory gone, as well as
his championship hopes. Mark was now one lap down, while Antonio was in ninth.
Albers was given a drive through penalty for ignoring waved blue flags. Lap
thirty one and Juan Pablo's lead was now 9.1 seconds. Fisichella and Trulli
were third and fourth. The closest fight was between Barrichello and Michael
Schumacher for seventh. Lap thirty six and Button would pit from fifth. Team-mate Sato was down in
fourteenth.
Kimi was past Massa for tenth while Michael would make his second
stop. The following lap and Rubens would pit from seventh. Button was now in
eleventh and Michael twelfth. Rubens would come out right in front of
Button. At the front Juan Pablo's lead was now 9.0 seconds on lap thirty nine. Lap
forty and Alonso would make his second stop. Fernando would rejoin behind
Trulli. The next Lap and it was Juan Pablo's turn to pit, while Villeneuve
would pit from ninth.
Fisichella and Trulli would both pit. Antonio was now in sixth ahead of
Kimi. Lap forty two and Ralf would pit from fourth. He was joined by Massa. Juan
Pablo was back in the lead from Alonso. Antonio was in fourth just 0.5
seconds behind Fisichella. Rubens would pit again getting a new left rear tyre
fitted. Klein, Sato and Mark would all pit on lap forty four. Mark would get ahead
of Sato in the run down to the first chicane.
Antonio was also in for his second stop, returning in seventh position. Mark
was down in fifteenth. Lap forty five and Montoya was leading Alonso by 11.4
seconds. Fisichella was third with Raikkonen fourth. But Kimi would spin his
car at the second chicane letting Trulli past the McLaren. Kimi was lucky to
keep his car going as he went across the gravel. But on lap forty nine Kimi
was able to get back past fourth placed Trulli going into the Parabolica.
Antonio was right behind sixth placed Ralf Schumacher.
At the front Juan Pablo's lead was now down to 7.4 seconds on lap forty
nine. His left rear tyre looking quite worn. Michael Schumacher was challenging
eighth placed Button, just 0.9 seconds behind on lap fifty. Juan Pablo's
lead was now down to 6.2 seconds. His tyre was looking very second hand. Lap
fifty one and his lead was 4.9 seconds. Kimi would set a fastest lap, 1m:21.504,
as he closed in on third placed Fisichella.
With One lap remaining Juan Pablo's lead was now just 3.5 seconds. But he
was able to keep his car going and cross the line just 2.4 seconds ahead of
second placed Alonso. Fisichella was in third, Raikkonen fourth, the Toyota's of
Trulli and Ralf Schumacher fifth and sixth. Antonio would come home seventh
in a great effort on his part after having been brought after Heidfeld
withdrew himself. Button was in eight. Mark was down in fourteenth. Despite
the two points from Antonio for the BMW WilliamsF1 team the 2005 Italian
Grand Prix could not
be considered a good result. |