As the cars sat on the grid awaiting the formation lap a lot of work was still ongoing on both Schumacher’s car and Rubens Barrichello’s car, and this was to be bad news for Rubens as his car was left on its jacks as the 15 second barrier was breached and it seems his engine will not start. As the rest of the grid make their way round on the formation lap the Ferrari mechanics are frantically trying to get the Brazilian going, but nothing is happening and they push him into the pit lane to further work on the car.

As the red lights go out it is a good start from Michael Schumacher who has to content with another swerving chop from pole sitter Montoya but it was nothing for Schumacher to worry about as he set about passing the Williams. The opening laps had Schumacher pressing the Colombian all over the circuit looking for a way past the slower Williams. Schumacher makes a move on the outside going into the Adelaide hairpin and Juan’s defensive driving once again kicks in and he locks up running wide forcing Schumacher into the same action. In doing so Kimi Raikkonen in the McLaren get inside Michael and looks to take advantage, but Schumacher holds his line and keeps his second place. Meanwhile Barrichello’s race is over and he looks appalled as he gets out of the car, his body language is one of not a happy person.

20 laps into the race and Schumacher is still keeping the pressure on Montoya who now appears to be having some grip problems, in car with Schumacher shows him adjusting various settings on his steering wheel as well as fiddling with a setting behind his steering wheel. Lap 24 and Montoya is into the pits giving a clear track to Michael Schumacher who has the chance to put in some quick laps, but he has Raikkonen in his mirrors. Schumacher proceeds to set a new fastest lap as he prepares to pit, he is badly held up by De la Rosa on his in lap but he emerges from the pit lane ahead of Montoya with Raikkonen in the lead of the race. However Kimi is in the pits after 1 lap and now the race lead is with Coulthard for another lap before he too pits and Schumacher now has a genuine race lead and is putting the hammer down.

But Schumacher’s race lead is under threat as it appears he may have crossed the white line before the end of the pit lane exit and the race stewards are investigating this incident. However he is not worrying about that at this moment as he pulls away from Montoya who is now struggling to keep Raikkonen behind. And the race stewards investigation has deemed that Schumacher will have to serve a drive-thru penalty for his pit lane exit mistake. Schumacher would have been aware of this and he put in brilliant laps before the decision was made given him nearly 10 seconds of a lead. Schumacher takes his penalty and comes back out in third place just behind Raikkonen and still in with a race winning chance.

40 laps in and the race leaders are now lapping a whole host of cars, this gives Schumacher a chance to make a move on Raikkonen at the Adelaide hairpin once again but Raikkonen defended well and correctly and Michael locks up and has to remain in third place. Race leader Montoya is back into the pit lane for his second stop of the race moving Michael into second with Raikkonen in the lead Ferrari will be hoping then can once again use pit stops to jump ahead of the Williams and McLaren’s. Ralf Schumacher has pitted and he too has crossed the white line exiting the pit lane and will expect a call from the stewards any time soon. The Ferrari mechanics are back out on lap 47 for Schumacher and his second stop but the German continues round for another lap as Ferrari perhaps play a game of cat and mouse with McLaren. Schumacher is in the next lap and 8.8 seconds has him back on his way and he rejoins in third place keeping well away from the white line as R Schumacher takes his penalty. Once the second round of stops shake out Schumacher is running third in the middle of a McLaren sandwich as Raikkonen leads with Coulthard behind.

Coulthard is next to suffer a drive-thru penalty easing the pressure on Michael who seems to be unable to run at his earlier pace as he follows Raikkonen. In the closing laps of the race Schumacher keeps the McLaren in sight as he hopes for a mistake by the young Finn. And that pressure pays massive rewards as Raikkonen runs very wide at the Adelaide hairpin and Schumacher sneaks passed the McLaren. Confusion surrounds the incident as yellow flags were waving due to a stranded Toyota, but Michael only took advantage of a Kimi mistake and had to pass as the McLaren went well off line.

And Schumacher takes the chequered flag to the delight of the fans in the stands, the fans at home and the whole Ferrari team. Schumacher is absolutely delighted as he parades round to parc ferme, wiggling his car all over the track as the joy from the cockpit is clear to see. So the end result in France is the right one for Ferrari but it should have been a lot better had Barrichello get away from the grid. So a dramatic race in France and one that will be remembered for a long time, but a McLaren protest may be underway!

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