Fifth place for Montoya in Chinese Grand Prix

The Chinese Grand Prix would see the BMW WilliamsF1 team come away with only a fifth place finish from Juan Pablo Montoya. As for Ralf Schumacher his race would be ruined when Coulthard was to make contact with Ralf's FW26 in a failed passing attempt. Ralf was forced to pit and he would get out off his car to retire.

The teams were presented with a dry and warm day and the news was that Michael Schumacher would start from the pits rather than the last spot on the grid, after his spin in final qualifying. The race would be 56 laps of the 5.451km Shanghai circuit. For the BMW WilliamsF1 team their drivers would start from 5th and tenth grid positions. The cars would make there way around the formation lap. Michael's car was in the pitlane on the jacks as the team prepares to put new tyres on his car and fuel it.

With Rubens stoping in his pole position the grid would form up. At the start Button would make a poor start. Raikkonen was in second, Alonso third and then Button. But Massa was able to pass Button. Michael Schumacher was 16 seconds behind the leader after he made his start from the pit. Lap two and Barrichello would lead Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Button, Fisichella, Ralf, and Coulthard. Juan Pablo was down in 12th position. Button was attacking Massa with Rubens leading Kimi by 1.7 seconds. Button would finally pass Massa at Turn thirteen. Rubens would set the fastest lap of 1m:35.250.

Massa would have team-mate Fisichella challenging him, with Ralf right behind the Sauber's. Coulthard was right behind Ralf. Lap four and Kimi would go fastest, 1.3 seconds behind Rubens. Fisichella would pass Massa and he would be joined by Ralf going into the hairpin. Button would set a new fastest lap, a 1m:34.701. Lap six and Michael was down in eighteenth. Button was right behind Alonso fighting for third. Kimi was right behind Rubens, the gap been 0.2 seconds. Rubens would respond with a fastest first sector. Button would pass Alonso going into the hairpin before the start finish straight.

Lap eight and Michael was now in seventeenth. As for Juan Pablo he would be languishing down in twelfth. Button would set another fastest lap, a 1m:34.507. Lap nine and Juan Pablo would try and pass Villeneuve but the Renault driver would fight back and repass the FW26. New fastest lap for Button, a 1m:34.122. Both Rubens and Kimi were setting times very close to the BAR driver. Massa would pit from tenth, a 7.7 second stop. He was joined by Panis. The following lap and Fisichella and Coulthard would pit. Rubens was still leading, pulling out a small lead.

Team-mate Michael would have a moment with Klein seeing the Jaguar and Ferrari make contact. Rubens and Kimi would both stop on lap twelve. Klein would retire in the pits. Button would set another fastest lap, a 1m:33.447. Alonso would pit seeing Ralf moving into second place. Button was leading. He would pit on lap fourteen, stopping for over nine seconds. Ralf
would set a stunning time of 1m:33.700. Villeneuve would pit on lap fifteen. Ralf would pit while brother Michael was to spin his Ferrari.

Rubens was back in the lead from Kimi. Juan Pablo would stop from fifth position. The BAR's of Button and Sato were third and fourth. Sato would make his first stop. Michael would set a new fastest lap with a stunning 1m:32.627. Michael was right behind Ralf who was in sixth. Michael would improve his time with a 1m:32.576. Lap twenty and Ralf would be passed by Michael, but Michael would pit with a nine second stop. He would return behind Villeneuve. At the front Kimi was still pressing Rubens. Lap twenty three the gap was just 0.8 seconds.

Lap twenty seven and Massa would make his second stop. Kimi would pit stopping for 6.1 seconds. Fisichella would also stop on lap twenty eight. Rubens would set a new fastest lap, a time of 1m:32.455. Coulthard would pit. Rubens would pit, 6.2 seconds. The Ferrari would return ahead of Raikkonen. Ralf was down in fifth and Juan Pablo seventh. Lap thirty and button was leading by 7.5 seconds. Alonso was in fourth. Michael was down in twelfth. Button would set a time of 1m:33.230 on lap thirty two. There was a question mark over whether Button was on a two stop strategy. Lap thirty three and Alonso would pit, seeing Ralf move into fourth.

Ralf would pit on lap thirty four seeing him come back out behind the Renault of Alonso. Button would pit from the lead, 10.2 seconds. Michael would be seen slowing with a left rear puncture, forcing him to pit. Lap thirty six and second paced Kimi would make another stop, 9.3 seconds. Ralf would see his race fall apart with a spin at the hairpin. This was caused by a contact with Coulthard. Ralf was able to continue but was forced to stop and he would get out of his car and retire. He looked far from happy with the situation. His suspension was broken.

Juan Pablo would pit from fifth place, joined by Sato and Coulthard. Lap forty two and Bruni would lose his left front wheel and he would limp back to his pit. Rubens would pit and return in the lead with Button in second, Raikkonen in third. Fisichella would make his third stop, from fourth place. Juan Pablo was down in sixth. Massa would pit from fifth on lap forty four. Rubens was leading by 8.3 seconds, with Kimi a further 6.2 seconds back. With ten laps left Kimi would be pushing hard to get up with Button. Michael was down in twelfth. With eight laps left Button was now 6.7 seconds behind Rubens. Michael would make his fourth pit stop. He would be lapped by team-mate Rubens

Rubens lead would slowly fall with Button 4.9 seconds behind on lap fifty. Kimi was now just 3.0 seconds behind Button and closing fast. Kimi was 0.5 seconds faster than Jenson on lap fifty two. With three laps left in the race Kimi was just 1.6 seconds behind the BAR. Button was just 3.2 seconds behind Rubens.

But Kimi was not able get close enough and as Rubens crossed in line to win the Chinese Grand Prix Button would finish in second and Raikkonen third just 0.4 seconds behind. Alonso was fourth with the FW26 of Juan Pablo Montoya in fifth. The final three points coring positions were Sato and the Sauber's of Fisichella and Massa.

Pos Driver Team-Engine Time

1. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1h29:12.420
2. Button BAR-Honda (M) + 1.035
3. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) + 1.469
4. Alonso Renault (M) + 32.510
5. Montoya WilliamsF1-BMW (M) + 45.193
6. Sato BAR-Honda (M) + 54.791
7. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) + 1:05.464
8. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) + 1:20.080
9. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) + 1:20.619
10. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) + 1 lap
11. Villeneuve Renault (M) + 1 lap
12. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) + 1 lap
13. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) + 1 lap
14. Panis Toyota (M) + 1 lap
15. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) + 1 lap
16. Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) + 3 laps

Fastest Lap: M.Schumacher, 1:32.238

Not Classified/Retirements:

Driver Team On Lap
Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) 39
R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 38
Zonta Toyota (M) 35
Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 12