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A faith place
finish for Mark Webber was a great result for him and the team. Mark would
later say that he did not expect to get fifth prior to the start of the race
but once he was up and running he felt he could have achieved better. Nick
Heidfeld would return in an accident with Michael Schumacher. It appeared
that Michael put the squeeze on Nick leaving him no room.
that For me the start
of the Australian Grand Prix was a moment that I had been looking forward
to, seeing Mark Webber drive in a BMW WilliamsF1 car in a Grand Prix. As an
Australian this was long overdue to see an Australian in a competitive
Formula One car. The grid would see Row one with Fisichella and Jarno
Trulli, Row Two Mark Webber and Jacques Villeneuve, Row 3 was David
Coulthard and Christian Klien. The second BMW WilliamsF1 of Nick Heidfeld
was on Row 4.
 The drivers would strap into their cars and would all take off on the
formation lap for the fifty eight lap race. After a long winter of testing
it was all go for the 2005 Formula One season. Mark was told to warm up his
brakes by his engineer. With the drivers having to make their tyres last the
whole race the drivers would line up on the grid.
But Raikkonen would have problems forcing the cars to do another formation
lap. Bad news for Kimi. As the cars pulled away there would be lots of smoke
from Ralf's Toyota. Kimi would be pushed off the grid. The McLaren mechanics
would restart Kimi's car, seeing him to start from the pitlane. The race was
now
fifty seven laps. Ralf's problem was an oil reserve issue.
They would form up again on the grid. Fisichella would lead with Trulli
second MW was passed by Coulthard into the first corner. On the firs lap
Webber was in fourth with Nick fifth. Nick had pushed past Villeneuve at the
first corner. Fisichella was 1.4 secs up after the first lap. Kimi and
Michael were in a great battle for 15th position after Kimi started from the
pit lane. On lap two Trulli would
set the fastest lap of the race 1m:29.938. Fisichella would extend his lead
from Trulli. Fisichella would respond with a 1m:29.164 followed by a
1m:28.615.
Mark was starting to close in on Coulthard, just 0.3 behind. Mark was six
seconds behind the leader. Mark would drag Nick along behind him. Lap six
and Fisichella set another fastest lap, a 1m:28.387. Sixth to eighth was
Klein, Montoya, Barrichello. Villeneuve in eighth was been challenged by
Alonso.
Coulthard would respond to Mark setting his best lap time. Lap seven and
Fisichella was 2.2 seconds ahead of Trulli. Fisichella again was fastest
with a 1m:28.053. Alonso would run wide behind JV losing a small part of his
bodywork.
A battle for fifth position was forming between Nick, Klien and Montoya. Lap
nine and Trulli would set fastest lap with a 1m:27.852. Lap ten and
Fisichella was maintaining his two second lead over Trulli. Coulthard was
still in third 8.6 seconds back. Mark was under a second behind Coulthard.
Fisichella was
running strongly with another fastest lap, 1m:27.390, on lap twelve. Button
and Ralf were down in 11th and 12th.
 With forty three laps left in the race Fisichella was now three seconds
ahead of Trulli. It was now a question of who would stop for fuel first. Lap
sixteen and Mark was attacking Coulthard for third position. Coulthard would
have a moment with the Minardi of Friesacher hitting him and losing some of
his bodywork. This would allow Mark to draw alongside the Red Bull. The
Minardi would pit. Coulthard would respond with a fastest lap of 1m:26.853.
Alonso would pass Villeneuve for ninth.
Trulli would pit with Nick going to be the fist WilliamsF1 driver. Trulli
would be refuelled followed by Nick. Albers would also pit retiring in his
garage. Mark was now in third while Ralf would pit on lap twenty from 12th
position. Lap twenty one and Mark would pit, stopping for 10.0 seconds.
Coulthard had another fastest lap, 1m:26.741, with his team waiting for him
to put a new front wing on the RB1.
Team-mate Klein would pit joined by Sato. Coulthard would pit on lap twenty
one. Montoya and Barrichello were up in second and third.
Mark was in sixth and able to get out ahead of Trulli, while Alonso would
set a fastest lap, a 1m:26.473. Ralf would pit for a second time. With
thirty five laps remaining both Fisichella and Montoya would pit. Alonso
sets another fastest lap, a 1m:26.066, and another with a 1m:25.683 on lap
twenty four. Barrichello was in the lead.
Barrichello would pit on lap twenty five. Alonso would also pit. Mark was
right behind Coulthard. Nick was down in ninth. Michael Schumacher was
behind the FW27. Fisichella was 12.5 seconds in the lead from Coulthard,
while Michael would pit on lap twenty seven. He would co0me out behind
Villeneuve. Massa was yet to pit. Mark was in third right behind Coulthard.
Coming up to half distance Albers was the only retirement. Fourth through to
eighth was Barrichello, Montoya, Trulli, Alonso, and Klein. Nick was running
in ninth. Trulli was the big loser in the first round of pit stops.
Raikkonen was in tenth.
Lap twenty nine and Fisichella's lead was now down to 10.4 seconds. Alonso
would pass Trulli for sixth on lap thirty one. Mark continued to attack
Coulthard. Fisichella was told to keep up his pace with Coulthard been
faster, responding with a 1m:28.122. Twenty five laps remaining and Mark was
looking good. The BAR's of Button and Sato were down in 13th and 14th. Klein
was attacking Trulli for 7th. Fisichella was 12.2 seconds in the lead on lap
thirty four. Raikkonen would damage the right hand side aerodynamic devices
after running off at Turn 13. Michael would close in onto Kimi.
 As for the tyres Michelin were leaving their Bridgestone rivals behind them.
Tiago Monteiro would spin his Jordan but keep it running. Trulli would pit
on lap thirty seven. Barrichello would start to close in on Mark. Monteiro
would pit with twenty laps remaining. Webber would pit on lap thirty nine,
fuelled to the end. Raikkonen would also stop, having the damaged bodywork
removed. The following lap and Klein and Nick would pit. Mark was down in
sixth. Button was attacking Trulli, taking 11th position from the Italian.
Fisichella would pit on lap forty two, joined by Coulthard. On lap forty
three Nick would crash into the side of Michael. Nick would stop in the
gravel while Michael was able to keep going after help from the marshals.
Nick was going down the inside of Michael and the Ferrari appeared to put
the squeeze on the WilliamsF1 FW27. Michael would return to the pits to
retire. Nick was not happy with Michael's move on him. At the front Alonso
was in the lead but he would pit seeing Fisichella return to the front.
Alonso was able to come out in front of Coulthard. Mark was down in fifth,
with Montoya in sixth.
With eight laps remaining Fisichella was 11 seconds in the lead from
Barrichello, Alonso, Coulthard, and Webber. Montoya was in sixth. Klein
seventh and Raikkonen eighth. Fisichella's lead would drop down to eight
seconds. The Renault engineers gave Alonso the option to use the overdrive
button twice to pass in order to attack Barrichello. With five laps
remaining Fisichella's lead was down to 6.8 seconds. The next lap it was
down to 6.1 seconds on lap fifty three. Montoya would have a moment in Turn
one with with his front tyres looking very worn. Alonso was 1.5 seconds
behind Barrichello with three laps left.
Mark was only 1.4 seconds behind Coulthard with two laps remaining.
Fisichella was looking good for a race win in Australia, his first for
Renault. Alonso in third would make it a great result for the Renault team.
Mark was now only 0.5 seconds behind Coulthard. Fisichella would cross the
line winning what the team described as a perfect race for the Italian.
Fisichella said he was really happy. Barrichello was second, Alonso third,
Coulthard fourth, Mark Webber fifth, Montoya sixth, Klein seventh, and
Raikkonen eighth. |
