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For the
WilliamsF1 team the Malaysian Grand Prix was a race that promised so much
but failed to deliver even a single point with both cars out of the race
with Nico suffering an engine failure and Mark an hydraulic failure.
With the
WilliamsF1 cars of Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber staring from the
second row of the grid the cars would move off on their parade lap for the
fifty eight lap 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix. Leading the field around was pole
position holder Giancarlo Fisichella followed by Jenson Button. Both of the
McLaren's were on row three.
 The start of the race would see Fisichella keeping his lead into the first
corner. Mark and Nico would be fighting with Alonso now in third. Kimi would
spin off into the gravel bringing out the yellow flags. It seemed that Kimi
took a hit from another driver. Button was in second with Mark fourth. Nico
was behind Mark in fifth. Lap one and Fisichella was leading from Button,
Alonso, Mark, Montoya, Heidfeld and Nico. Klien would pit with a flat left
front tyre.
Lap two and it was a fastest lap for Fisichella, 1m:37.058. Mark was
attacking Alonso for third. Fisichella was running fast with another fastest lap on la
three, 1m:36.438. Nico was down in seventh. Button was 2.0 seconds behind
Fisichella. But lap four would see Fisichella with another fastest lap, a
1m:36.039. Rosberg was now up to sixth after forcing Heidfeld into a mistake
in the final corner.
Lap six and Mark was just 0.4 seconds behind Alonso, but he was 9.7 seconds
behind the leader. Giancarlo sets another fastest lap with a 1m:35.821. Lap
seven and Nico was right with Montoya but he would suffer a major engine
failure ending his race. There was a huge plume of smoke and some oil fire.
Mark was still in fourth 0.4 behind Alonso. Heidfeld, Trulli, and Villeneuve
were sixth to eighth. Alonso was running with a heavy fuel load and was
delaying Mark.
Lap eight and Button was now 3.8 seconds behind Fisichella. The Red Bull
team would eventually repair Klien's car and send him back out. Lap ten and
the top ten was Fisichella, Button, Alonso, Webber, Montoya, Heidfeld,
Trulli, Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and Coulthard. Coulthard would pit on lap eleven with
what was reported as a transmission problem been stuck in sixth gear.
 Michael Schumacher was down in eighth, after having passed Villeneuve. Klien
was back in the pits. Fisichella was again running quick with another
fastest lap on lap twelve, 1m:35.488. Mark was still running close behind
Fernando. Ralf would pit on lap fourteen from eleventh. Lap fourteenth and Michael would
pass Trulli for seventh.
Mark would pit from fourth on lap fifteen. He was really been held up by
Alonso but could not get pass the Renault. Mark was now down in tenth. Lap
sixteen and Villeneuve would pass Trulli for seventh. Another fastest lap
for Fisichella on lap sixteen, 1m:35.294. Button was now 7.1 seconds behind the
Renault. Alonso was in third with Montoya fourth. Heidfeld and Michael were
fifth and sixth. But the race would end for Mark Webber with what appeared
to be an engine failure but was later announced to be an hydrallic
failure. He would pull his car off the track. Nico was already out of his
driving suit watching Mark's retirement.
Fisichella would pit on lap eighteen, stopping for 11 seconds. Button
leading with Alonso 14.56 seconds behind him. Fisichella was in third. Button would pit
on lap twenty returning behind Montoya. We had the two Renault's at the
front with Fisichella pushing hard. He was 5.4 seconds behind Alonso. Lap
twenty nine and Trulli would pit from ninth. Button was just 0.6 behind
Montoya.
 A few drops of rain would start to fall. Lap twenty three and Alonso was
leading by 5.7 seconds from Fisichella. On lap twenty four Montoya would pit
from fourth. He was joined by Michael Schumacher who stopped from sixth.
Villeneuve would also pit. Button was 7.5 seconds behind Fisichella. lap
twenty five and Heidfeld would pit from fourth. Massa and Barrichello were
the only drivers not to stop.
Massa was now in fourth, Montoya fifth, Heidfeld sixth, and Michael
Schumacher seventh. Lap twenty six and Alonso would pit from the lead. Fisichella was
now leading from Button by 8.5 seconds as they started lap twenty eight. Alonso
was now in third 7.7 seconds behind Button. Alonso was pushing hard with a
fastest lap on lap this lap, 1m:35.010. The following lap and Massa would
make his only pit stop.
With Alonso having to stop again things were looking good for Fisichella but
Giancarlo was been told to push by his engineer. Barrichello would finally
pit from seventh on lap thirty two. Alonso was 14.3 seconds behind the leader. Alonso
had closed the gap to Button, it was now 4.3 seconds. Montoya was in fourth.
The order on lap thirty four was Fisichella, Button, Alonso, Montoya,
Heidfeld, Michael Schumacher, Massa, Villeneuve, Trulli, Ralf, Barrichello,
Speed, Albers, Liuzzi, Sato, Monteiro and Ide.
Alonso was been told to make up at least a second on Button. Trulli would
pit from ninth on lap thirty seven. Barrichello was given a ten second penalty
for speeding in the pit lane. Ide would retire his Super Aguri. Button was been
held up by traffic. At the front Fisichella would pit on lap thirty nine. He
was joined by Button. Ralf would pit from ninth.
Button would come back out behind Montoya. Alonso was now leading by 7.8
seconds from Fisichella. Button was now fifteen seconds behind second placed
Fisichella. Lap forty two and Villeneuve would pit from eighth. Alonso and
Montoya had yet to make their final stops but even so Button's chances of a
race victory blown. Montoya would pit from third on lap forty three. A seven
second stop for the McLaren.
 The next lap and Alonso was in for his final stop. 6.4 seconds for the
Spaniard. Fisichella was now ahead of Button and looking good for victory.
On his out lap Alonso was pushing very hard. Button was in third and Michael
fourth. Alonso was 11.7 seconds behind Fisichella on lap forty four. A new
fastest lap for Alonso, 1m:34.803. Michael would pit from fourth on lap
forty six. Fisichella's lead was now only 9.9 seconds. Can Fisichella keep
his team-mate behind him?
Lap forty six and Fisichella's lead was down to 8.5 seconds with ten laps
remaining. Button was 6.4 seconds behind Alonso. Lap forty eight and
Fisichella's lead was 8.3 seconds. Montoya was in fourth from Heidfeld and
Massa. But for Heidfeld his race would come to an end with an engine failure
on lap fifty. His retirement would see team-mate Villeneuve now in seventh.
At the front the gaps between the top three seemed to stabilise.
With six laps to go the two Ferrari's were running close together in fifth
and sixth with Massa ahead of Michael. Lap fifty two and Alonso was now 8.0
seconds behind Fisichella. Button was 5.3 seconds behind Alonso. Ralf was
closing in on seventh placed Villeneuve. The next lap and Fernando had close
the gap to his team-mate by 0.5 seconds, 7.5 seconds. Button was now 4.9
seconds behind Alonso. The next lap Fisichella's lead was now 6.8 seconds.
Could Alonso take the lead? Montoya was till in fourth.
With the start of the final lap Alonso was 6.7 seconds behind his team-mate.
Fisichella would complete the last lap and cross the line to take victory in
the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix. Alonso was second followed by Button,
Montoya, Massa, Michael Schumacher, Villeneuve, Ralf Schumacher, and Trulli
taking the final point. |
