Chinese Grand Prix! (warning, race spoilers within)

[bigC]

the final race of the season, the second annual Chinese Grand Prix! :D :beer:

with the driver's championship already decided, the two top teams are now racing for the contructor's title, with Renault holding a slim 2 point lead. McLaren can only hope that JPM can finish the race, or Kimi's car doesn't blow up like it has so many times this season, and they may actually finish ahead of Renault. Ferrari looks safe in 3rd place. McLaren were fastest in Friday practice for this weekend's race, but Renault is not too far behind.

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3726/750.html
results: http://www.formula1.com/race/result/750/10.html

some news:

the JV-JPM feud continues. i wonder if they will "come together" in this weekend's race? JPM is a whiney little byatch--he better watch out. JV may ask if Kamikaze Sato, if he is racing (and not replaced by Davidson), to take out JPM: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story.asp?id=139619

Minardi to be renamed "Squadra Toro Rosso." this team may feature American driver Scott Speed, a good racing name: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/formula_one/news_story.asp?ID=139723&hubName=auto_racing-formula_one

Ferrari feels that they may have a good weekend. umm, so what? the season sucked, and one race will not make up for a lost season. they better hope that next yerar's car will be competitive: http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=34349

Michael Schumacher: racing until 2008? and with Ferrari? so says his manager: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story.asp?id=139484

the FIA may allow tire changes during races next year, something that Michelin does not support. i wonder what Brigdestone feels about this? i'm sure that Ferrari would have loved to refuel and change their tires in several races this year. it may have altered the results, since Schumie had a couple of tire failures when he was in the points: http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_story.asp?id=139387

edited (for brain-cramp). :)

[Shamrock]

inaugural? hmm...nope, 2nd annual :P

last year's results:

1 R. Barrichello Ferrari B 1:29:12.420
2 J. Button BAR M 1.035 sec. behind
3 K. Raikkonen McLaren M 1.469 sec. behind

---------
Ferrari will have a good race? with Schumacher 14th in practice? Barrichello was 6th!

Sato was driving in first practice.

[bigC]

Renault qualified 1-2, with Kimi in 3rd and JPM in 5th. McLaren better have a good start if they want a chance to win the constructor's title. the best driver in F1 (never to win a race) starts 4th in his 101st race while Sato, who may be on his way out of F1, starts in 17th. another driver who may be gone next year (even though he tells everyone that he has a contract to drive for Sauber-BMW), JV, starts in 16th, whilst Massa starts in 11th. the Ferraris, in 6th and 8th, can't wait for the season to end, as Schumie hopes that next year's Ferrari will return the team to the top while Barrichello dreams of winning a championship for Honda (where he will play second fiddle to Button). DC managed a respectable 7th in qualy in his RBR car, and Ralf was 9th fastest, whilst Webber, in the last race for Williams-BMW, rounds out the top 10.

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3735/750.html
results: http://www.formula1.com/race/result/750/22.html

1 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.080
2 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:34.401
3 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.488
4 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:34.801
5 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.188
6 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:35.301
7 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 1:35.428
8 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:35.610
9 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:35.723
10 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 1:35.739

[Mr_LoL]

I quite like this circuit. Its one of the more intersting ones unlike monaco and the hungaroing.

[Shamrock]

I like it too...especially the long straights. I think Kimi qualified 3rd, cause he had more fuel than the Renaults. If JV leaves...good riddance. I didnt like him in CART, didnt like him in F1, dont like him now :)

[bigC]

Alonso wins, beating Kimi, and along with Fisichella in 4th, brings the constructors title to Renault, along with his world championship which he had already won. Ralf Schumacher finished 3rd for Toyota. strong showing for Klien, who finished ahead of DC, and for Massa and Weber, who both started in the middle of the grid but managed to score some points. Button dropped to 8th, and DC was out of the points. JV in 10th. i liked him in CART, i liked him in F1, and i hope he stays with BMW next year. :)

kamikaze Sato had gearbox problems and retired, hopefully from F1 entirely, whilst JPM ran over debris, punctured his radiator, and had to retire with a damaged engine--i wonder if he blames JV for the drain cover coming loose? Rubens, in 12th, will start his quest for the championship next year with Honda. Trulli's Toyota was a lap down. Monteiro finished 11th in his Jordan, whilst both Minardis managed to finish the race, no small feat for that team.

story: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3743/750.html
results: http://www.formula1.com/race/result/750/8.html

1 Fernando Alonso Renault 56 1:39:53.618
2 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 56 +4.0 secs
3 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 56 +25.3 secs
4 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 56 +26.1 secs
5 Christian Klien Red Bull Racing 56 +31.8 secs
6 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 56 +36.4 secs
7 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 56 +36.8 secs
8 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 56 +41.2 secs
9 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 56 +44.2 secs
10 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas 56 +59.9 secs

Renault is the first mainstream car company to win the F1 championship with a works team (apparently. Mercedes isn't mainstream?): http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3725/750.html

Jordan, Minardi and Sauber will all be renamed next year and under new management, as the minnow teams get devoured by the sharks: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3740/750.html

Ralf gets a 3rd place finish, Michael crashes on the formation lap and starts from the pits. Schumie ends up not finishing the race, coming to rest in a gravel trap after spinning out. a fitting end to a futile season for Ferrari: http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3744/750.html

only 4 1/2 months until the start of the 2006 season! :D :beer:

[Shamrock]

I'm not sure that Fisichella in 4th. If it was, it may not stand. He was called in for a penalty with 6 laps to go, I dunno if he answered that penalty. He was in 4th when he was called in, and stayed in 4th after he answered it?

and JPM didnt run over a damaged drain....the rumble strips came apart! Those rumble strips are solid concrete! You see the little CHinese guy grab it and start running!?!? I can see why it punctured a radiator. I thought he messed up his suspension too. He did run 4 laps under the caution after hitting it.

[nitromullet]

I'm not sure that Fisichella in 4th. If it was, it may not stand. He was called in for a penalty with 6 laps to go, I dunno if he answered that penalty. He was in 4th when he was called in, and stayed in 4th after he answered it?

and JPM didnt run over a damaged drain....the rumble strips came apart! Those rumble strips are solid concrete! You see the little CHinese guy grab it and start running!?!? I can see why it punctured a radiator. I thought he messed up his suspension too. He did run 4 laps under the caution after hitting it.
I thought that Fisichella was in 3rd when the penalty got called and slipped to 4th because of the penalty - he did serve the penalty. Either way, Kimi didn't get past Alonso, which is what really mattered. Was anyone else confused why Kimi went in for fuel on the second full course yellow? Why didn't they gamble and at least let him cycle in front of Alonso that way? The McLauren had to still have a lot of fuel in it at that time.

[Shamrock]

you may be right, I was half out of it, from an all day driving trip. He might have been in 3rd. no matter anyway, Alonso was ahead of Kimi