Italian GP: Christijan finishes in last place

By Huw Alban
September 10 2006

It would have taken mass unreliability or a massive accident for Spyker MF1 to gain any points today, but the bear minimum of a two car finish would have been nice on their debut race. Unfortunately it was not to be with Tiago Monteiro retiring in the pit lane.

The start of the Italian Grand Prix was full of dramas for the new Spyker MF1 Team. Although both drivers were away cleanly ofr the formation lap, Christijan Albers got bogged down at the start and dropped right to the back from 18th place on the grid.

Tiago Monteiro managed to keep his 20th position, but an overhead at the first chicane at the start showed by Spyker MF1s having to take to the grass to avoid other competitors. Yamamoto has taken full advantage of the start and gotten ahead of both Tiago and Christijan.

By lap two Yamamoto has dropped back behind the Spyker MF1 drivers, but the TV coverage is showing Albers right behind his team mate and shaking his fist at him. A cut away shows that Monteiro has overcooked the first chicance and taken a short cut across the grass, cutting in front of his team mate.

By lap four the Dutchman is ahead of his team mate and lapping faster immediately.

On lap 9 Nico Rosberg retires from the race with some kind of transmission problem. Albers is 18th, and Monteiro 19th. Spyker MF1 are lapping in the low 1.26s whilst the pace at the front is high 1.22s.

Lap 19 and Christijan makes his first stop of the day. When he exits the pit box he almost collides with the Honda of Jenson Button who was released only a few seconds earlier. Christijan jinks out of the way just in time and lets the Englishman through. Phew, that was a close one. Meanwhile Yamamoto has retired from the race, Pedro de la Rosa has parked his McLaren in the gravel somewhere. Christijan rejoins in last place, with Tiago in 17th position, Takuma Sato is in between the two Spyker MF1s 13 seconds behind Monteiro.

Takuma Sato pits on lap 25, but Christijan is unable to benefit and stays in last place.

Tiago Monteiro makes his first stop on lap 28, and maintains his 17th position ahead of Takuma Sato.

With 20 laps remaining the positions for Spyker MF1 are unchanged. There are still only three retirements; amazing reliability from the teams today at a circuit that is wickedly cruel on engines.

Lap 38, and Christijan's lap times have dropped right off. Tiago is doing 1.26s, but Christijan is in the high 1.28s and 29s and 30s. You can't help but wonder whether he's nursing a problem.

Lap 40 and Monteiro make his pit stop, and easily maintains his 17th position. On his next quick lap Tiago Monteiro sets the fastest first sector of the race so far! Cool!

On lap 43 Tiago makes another pit stop, and retires from the Italian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso has had an engine failure whilst all this has been going on, and Christijan has hauled his Spyker M16 to within 16 seconds of the Super Aguri of Takuma Sato. It was unlikely that Christijan could catch him as he is lapping in the 1.30s and Sato is keeping his car within the 1.28s.

Christijan Albers finished the race in 17th place, with an uncharacteristic DNF for Tiago Monteiro. Not exactly the best of displays for the new Spyker MF1 team, but then at least we got one car to the finish.

Final timesheet from the Italian Grand Prix:

1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes
3 Robert Kubica Sauber-BMW
4 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault
5 Jenson Button Honda
6 Rubens Barrichello Honda
7 Jarno Trulli Toyota
8 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-BMW
9 Felipe Massa Ferrari
10 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth
11 Christian Klien RBR-Ferrari
12 David Coulthard RBR-Ferrari
13 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth
14 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Cosworth
15 Ralf Schumacher Toyota
16 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda
17 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota

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