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#751 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix

2022-01-21 00:00

Osservatore Sportivo

#2006, Fulvio Conti, Translated by Margherita Schiatti,

#751 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix

Those who criticise Fernando Alonso should put their hopes down if in 2006 they were expecting to see a helpless World Champion because he is satisfie

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Those who criticise Fernando Alonso should put their hopes down if in 2006 they were expecting to see the World Champion in disarray because he is either satisfied, separated at home, or already focused on the new adventure coming in 2007 (with McLaren). No, none of this will happen: whoever beats him (if this were to happen) will do so simply because they are better, faster. That is what the tests are saying, that is, the numbers: the 2006 Renault is reliable, and also fast because this is what the statistics say, with the Spaniard always at the top, so confident as to allow himself the luxury of avoiding the last tests, a small price to pay for someone like Kovalainen. He, the Spaniard from Asturias, the champion of all Formula 1 precocities is ready. If Fernando Alonso was chatty last year, he closed himself off this winter. Using words sparingly, and never in vain. 

 

"We are ready. I have complete faith in my team. One hundred per cent. I saw engineers and mechanics even more motivated in their work than before". 

 

It will be difficult to catch him red-handed: 

 

"The others will have to be better than me. But the way I see it, it’s a four-way fight: ourselves, Ferrari, Honda and McLaren". 

 

And he does not reply to those who have hinted at a potential favouritism toward Giancarlo Fisichella who does not seem to be leaving. Alonso personifies wisdom for a guy who is almost twenty-five years old: he knows all about motorsport and how to handle different situations: contracts, engineers, journalists and fans. And racing. 

 

"Because I have almost twenty years of experience". 

 

He said once, and he was not joking but only alluding to his past, his first go-kart at five years old, his leap into the unknown from Oviedo to Forte dei Marmi, living together with his friend who was a mechanic, his first salary at fifteen years old. He learnt everything, and all of it on his own because Fernando Alonso is a sponge: he studies, listens, absorbs and learns, he treasures things. Nerves of steel, the heart of a 100-meter runner and a great capacity to handle pressure during races. But outside the track, he took something from everyone, from Flavio Briatore in particular, for instance how to navigate the environment, emerge and gain respect, also economically. At the moment, as of today, he has not made a wrong move. Just look at the World Championship last year: he won when he had to, and he scored points when he needed to. Far from Räikkönen, a spectacular charmer but prone to squandering. What was the 2005 question circulating in the paddock: who is better, Alonso or Kimi? If you like, McLaren themselves answered the question, by signing the driver. 

 

"A chapter of my life is over, I gave a lot to Renault and Renault gave me a lot". 

 

Trivial perhaps, but perfectly formal, and politically correct. In seven days the hunt is on, everyone against him. Schumacher, Räikkönen, and Barrichello. 

 

"Let them come, the car is reliable. My hunger is there". 

 

What did Alonso do this winter? Not many know as he is always ready to defend his private life and his relationships. He did not rise to fame due to frivolous news stories, and that is never going to happen. Now they told him that the grand old man, Michael Schumacher, wants the reign back: a year of break is more than enough. And do you know what was the Asturian guy’s only comment on the matter?

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"If I were him, I would have retired a long time ago. Personally, you won’t see me racing in Formula 1 when I am thirty-seven. Too much stress, too much pressure". 

 

An admission of humanity or a lovable lie? He may be a kid (compared to Schumacher), but Fernando knows a thing or two. Keep an eye on the champion. The Spaniard’s ambitions will have to come up against the desperate desire, almost an obsession, to win the eighth world title. Schumacher is bothered when he gets called an ‘ex’. Ex-driver is something that he does not even want to hear, although he already turned 37, his contract with Ferrari is expiring in December 2006 and he swears he has not decided yet if he wants to stay or hang up the helmet and gloves forever. But he does not like the definition of ex-World Champion either, the king who is not on the throne anymore, after having monopolised it with his red overalls for five years. 

 

"Ferrari can only aim for the world title, and I will do everything not to be an ex-champion anymore, but the fastest driver of them all". 

 

The opportunity comes with a new car, far from the uncompetitive one from last year, and especially with a new season, a championship that will begin next Sunday in Bahrain and with Schumacher who does not want to be a supporting actor anymore. 

 

"I suffer when I am in the mix, I don’t like fighting in the midfield; I have done it a few times in my life and too much last year, the story should absolutely not repeat itself this season". 

 

Never again a World Championship as an ordinary competitor. Never again an anonymity that forces you to take risks when you are at the limit and leads you to make mistakes.  

 

"I made some mistakes myself in 2005, more than usual and I thought about it all winter. I said to myself: maybe you have to prepare yourself more and that’s what I did. After I got over the last defeat in China, I went to the gym straight away. And then I got in the car. It is nice to take a break but I could not afford the usual very long vacation, I could not mentally, and I did not feel the need to. I couldn’t wait to start over, to redeem myself. And together with Ferrari, we prepared ourselves very well. Sure, our competitors are very fast, some, like Renault and Honda, impressed me, and you can never trust McLaren, only the track will tell who is right, but I am sure that we will be ready for the first race, in good shape". 

 

Capable of downsizing the flaws that emerged in the many sessions of winter testing, with those vibrations coming from the engine at high speeds which put under stress the gearbox and clutch, and praising the newfound aerodynamic efficiency and those new rules, with the return of tyre changes during the race, which seems to be made on purpose to enhance the aggressive driving style of the German. Whether it will be true glory, we will know shortly, since the first two races (Bahrain and Malaysia the Sunday after) with their scorching temperatures are immediately a very reliable test bench. Schumacher is anxiously waiting for them, even if, faithful to his role as a hyperactive man, he manages to focus on some possible changes in his private life. A future, perhaps distant, because it is not very conciliatory with the track, as a cowboy.

 

"I would like to ride horses as they did in the Far West, I take it as a new challenge, fascinating, that I have to prepare for because taking part in a rodeo is something serious that cannot be improvised". 

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And in the future, maybe more imminent, becoming a father for the third time, another child to go with Gina Maria, who is eight years old, and Mick, the second-born son who is six. With his wife, Corinna, he has not planned anything, she is not pregnant yet, just to be clear, but she admits that she would like to. 

 

"Luckily we are not too old yet, for these kinds of projects".

 

At that point, Enzo Ferrari comes to mind as he claimed that having children slows down their fathers. With Schumacher, it has never happened and if he were to decide to continue with Ferrari, you can bet that it is not going to happen again. But before there will be a watershed moment in 2006. 

 

"When I see my opponents on track, I still think I am the best". 

 

If his rivals, Alonso and Räikkönen do not agree, they can prove it right away. Starting in Bahrain. The other challenge Formula 1 will face in 2006 will be the Eighties Generation against the old men. Fernando Alonso (1981) already shocked everyone last year and then there were Button, Klein, Liuzzi, and Massa already in the Circus. But this year there will be two more: Scott Speed, and most of all, Nico Rosberg, son of Keke, World Champion in 1982 with Ferrari. And it is Nico, a rookie at Williams, who is the youngest driver in the paddock as he is only twenty years old. What stands out is the age gap with Michael Schumacher: sixteen years. The German driving for Ferrari, who recently turned thirty-seven, was already in his second year as junior German champion in karting when Nico was born in 1985 (on June 27th), in the German town of Wiesbaden which gave birth to another great sports champion, John McEnroe. Rosberg Junior will start racing in the same team as his dad, the one owned by Frank Williams, newly split from BMW (who took over Sauber choosing their own path). Anyway, the debut of the young Rosberg is not going to beat the record of precocity that is still held by Kiwi driver, Thackwell (nineteen years and five months old). In fact, Nico broke the record as he drove an F1 single-seater when he was only 17 years old (he drove for Williams on the Catalunya circuit). Last year he raced in GP2, winning the title against Kovalainen, who is now the third driver at Renault. On Sunday, March 12, 2006, the season will kick off, with the first stop in Bahrain, and Giancarlo Fisichella, 33 years old, the combative second driver for the French Renault, is anticipating the start with anxiety and euphoria. Because the Italian driver knows that this is a great opportunity, the most important of his life. He got his hands on the car that performed best in winter testing, a car that learned how to win last year, in the Drivers’ Championship with Alonso and in the Constructors’, and that has all the credentials to do it again. Fisichella, five days before the start of the World Championship. Make a wish.

 

"May I have two?"

 

Please.

 

"Becoming World Champion with the car and my friend Totti with the national football team in Germany. That would be the best. Both kicking bad luck away". 

 

A dream or a utopia? 

 

"Something that could happen. A feasible project. I never felt more in shape in my life and I never had a car that was this fast, even better than the one from last year. Because this one adapts more to my driving style, it gives me more confidence. It is more efficient under braking and it is more stable in the rear. It really makes me dream big". 

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Besides, the stopwatch agreed with you during testing. From the outset, you are the Juventus of F1. 

 

"If anything we are more like Roma, which has been unbeatable lately. On Sunday I was at the stadium, it didn’t go well with Inter but I really enjoyed the win with Lazio. Beating the record during the derby. It would be difficult to ask for more. Like I can’t complain about what Renault is offering me. The budget has increased, and now we have two cars that are really equal, Alonso and I, in a great team".  

 

With the advantage that he has already signed with McLaren. So everyone will put you first.  

 

"That is nonsense. Alonso is loved by the team and he is an extremely fast driver. He is going to be my most fearsome rival in the fight for the title. I have to get a better start than him. Winning the first race, like in Australia last year. And then score some points, always. Because to win the Championship, you need consistency". 

 

You are afraid of Alonso. What about Schumacher? 

 

"He is a great champion but the 2005 season proved that without the car even he is going nowhere. Ferrari will certainly bring a good package but during testing, they always avoided confrontation with others. The only time we did tests together, in Barcelona, they were half a second off. We are the reference point at Renault. And the real opponents seem to be others at the moment". 

 

Which ones?

 

"Honda, for example. Those who are saying they don’t have the experience to win are only fooling themselves. They have a great structure and two excellent drivers like Button and Barrichello. They said the same thing about Renault and you saw how that turned out. Then watch out for McLaren, you can never trust them. Maybe they will start off badly due to their unreliable engines but in the last tests, they didn’t break down. And Räikkönen started to show some extremely fast pace". 

 

Let us suppose that Schumacher finds himself fighting in the midfield again. How does that impact you?

 

"It doesn’t. He is an opponent just like all the others. A lot of talent but that alone is not enough. I know something about that. It is only the second year that I have the right car to win". 

 

And how would you feel with Fisichella in front of all the others?

 

"That would be different. I would deserve it. I only won two races in my life, not enough compared to my abilities. Maybe that is my weakness. If you consider a weakness not being given the tools to be able to stand out".

 

And what is your strength?

 

"I am ready to win the World Championship. I learnt everything during my ten-year career". 

 

What is the biggest strength of your Renault?

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"Reliability. 14.000 km with very few issues. Engine, tyres, chassis, an extraordinary package".

 

And what weakness would you eliminate?

 

"The engine is powerful. But if it was even more powerful, it would be better". 

 

Is Fisichella the anti-Schumacher?

 

"Not only his. I cannot waste this opportunity. It has to be my World Championship, this time it’s my turn". 

 

Here we are. The F1 World Championship will kick off at the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama. And to keep the interest in the competition alive some changes have been introduced to shuffle the cards. But rule changes are not going to be the only changes to this championship: on the horizon, there are some new circuits, racing teams and drivers. Eighteen Grand Prix are planned to take place in just as many tracks. There is only one missing, a piece of F1 history, that is Spa-Francorchamps which is dealing with issues due to renovation works on the track: the organisers of the Belgium Grand Prix, scheduled for September 17, have had to give up their hopes of getting back on track already in 2007. Then, the last race changed. Shanghai, which will instead be the third to last race in the season with the Chinese Grand Prix, will be replaced by Brazil with the last race taking place on October 22, 2006. As far as drivers go, instead, the 2006 World Championship will bring a series of changes. Among the teams, the entry of the eleventh team, Super Aguri, stands out as they obtained the licence at the eleventh hour in January. It is a team Made in Japan: Honda engine, and Japanese drivers, Takuma Satō and Yuji Ide. Then comes Midland F1, in the hands of the Russian-Canadian tycoon Alex Shnaider who took over from Eddie Jordan, who went back to being a banker. BMW-Sauber, after splitting from Williams, has taken over the Swiss team founded by Peter Sauber and will have Jacques Villeneuve and Robert Kubica as their drivers. 2006 marks the entry of Toro Rosso as well, the heir of Minardi which said goodbye to its fans with a big farewell party in Faenza. But there is some part of Italy left thanks to the presence of Vitantonio Liuzzi. There has been some news about Williams, which after the split from BMW will adopt Cosworth engines. Among the drivers, those who stand out are Nico Rosberg, 20 years old, who will have to carry on the legacy of his father Keke, World Champion in 1982. Nico, who has a German passport, is fresh from his triumph in the GP2 Championship. Markus Winkelhock is 25 years old instead and will be a test driver for Midland, his father, Manfred, had raced in F1 and he lost his life in an accident in 1985. And it is up to Scott Speed, the twenty-three-year-old driving for Toro Rosso, to bring back the stars and stripes flag of the United States to the circus after a ten-year absence. The Fin Heikki Kovalainen will have to settle for a role as test driver for Renault, but in 2007 he could be the one replacing Fernando Alonso. Let the party begin. 

 

"In terms of commercial aspects, we are close to an agreement with Ecclestone".

 

On the eve of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Flavio Briatore confirms that the fight between the big constructors and the manager of the Formula 1 circus is almost over. In the first weekend of the season, the participation in Formula 1 from 2008 onwards of the big brands who had come together threatening to create an independent championship if their requests were not satisfied, should be finalised. 

 

Ferrari was among them, although they broke the ranks in January 2005 and signed the renewal of the Concorde Agreement, then followed by Williams, Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Toro Rosso and Midland. Now Renault, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Honda too supposedly decided to play along. 

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"What matters is that Formula 1 is a source of profits instead of costs. Our position is now aligned with Ferrari and the others. Some still have technical matters to define but if it is true that Formula 1 is helping to develop the cars’ technology, it is also true that if we keep it a secret by not telling everyone then it is difficult to justify the costs. From a commercial point of view, the prize money to be distributed to the teams should rise from the current 27% to 50-55%. We should not earn more only to then spend more. In 1995 we won the World Championship spending 100.000.000 dollars. Now we are spending six times as much and personnel has tripled but we are not offering a show that lives up to its costs. Over the course of these years, we have given too much free rein to the engineers. Instead, our job is to make races more exciting, and you can do that also by spending a lot less". 

 

Renault seems to be the favourite ahead of the championship, are they ready to repeat a five-year period like Ferrari? 

 

"We have worked well over the winter, but I don’t know what is going to happen. What matters is being the protagonists, having at least a 40% chance of winning, and not arriving at a race thinking that if we are lucky we can finish third. Whether we then manage to win is another story. The day we are not going to be protagonists anymore, I am not going to keep travelling like a tourist. I know all the places already anyway…". 

 

Alonso is going to McLaren at the end of the season, all the more reason for Fisichella to aim for the title? 

 

"Giancarlo is in an ideal position. I see he is motivated. Let’s only hope he doesn’t follow in Button’s footsteps, who every Thursday says he is going to win…".

 

Then, on a more serious note, he adds:

 

"Our driver line-up seems great to me. And when you have the two of them working together, it’s an advantage. I don’t see the same harmony in other teams". 

 

According to Schumacher, there could be as many as eight drivers fighting for the world title. 

 

"The way I see it it’s two teams and four drivers. So far it is Ferrari and us but I would not underestimate Honda. Instead, McLaren did not seem to be competitive. Besides, they always think that the championship begins in May". 

 

While Michael Schumacher reiterates:

 

"Renault drivers? They are fast but they are not martians. They are not UFOs, or unreachable aliens". 

 

In this definition lies all the determination of the German driver, his grit, and his desire to take back what he deserves, which is the eighth world title of his inimitable career. Everyone is praising Renault, presenting it without hesitation as the car to beat:  

 

"Instead, I would love for it to be Saturday or Sunday already, qualifying or race day, the days of the first verdicts, to understand if they are really that far ahead of us, or if they should be afraid of Ferrari, to get the answers I am looking for and that I will chase all season long". 

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Indeed, this championship that sets off in Bahrain with two hours of free practice is not only the first with Schumacher having no championship crown after years of total domination and it does not only have the novelty of a Ferrari car with the number five, so far from that number one that has seen it triumph all over the world, it is also a watershed season, a fight that has to make the German decide whether it is right to persevere or whether it is better to hang up his helmet, whether it is appropriate to continue fighting or it is more reasonable to put on slippers and enjoy his two children, perhaps with the prospect of celebrating a third. Seeing him like this, clearly wearing his summer uniform, given that it is thirty degrees in this period in Bahrain, he does not exactly look like a man searching for some rest and peacefulness, a retired driver who is enjoying his money after stacking up thousands of turns and kilometres with immense glory. Schumacher has a fierce look, the look of someone who wants to take his throne back and who wants to get back to winning again after an insufferable year as a supporting actor. It would be enough to look at his face after a presumptuous question by a German TV to understand everything. Schumi, asks the man with a microphone, who is going to be in front of you? And he replies with a menacing and proud look: 

 

"Please, rephrase the question". 

 

Better to be more accommodating: who are the favourites for the title?  And speaking in general, he replies: 

 

"Four teams, with all their drivers. There can be room for many of them this year, it will be a very balanced championship where winning races is going to matter but especially scoring points everywhere, on any track. Renault is as strong as they were in 2005, we should look out for Alonso and Fisichella but I wouldn’t underestimate Honda, they have a great car and two excellent drivers, Button and my ex-teammate Barrichello. I expect a great season for Rubens. And I don’t trust McLaren either, they may have issues at the beginning but then they always know how to bring out the best in them. And let’s not forget Ferrari, my chances as well as Massa’s, who seems very talented to me. I would have preferred to have more time, to put together more kilometres, but all in all, I think we come pretty well prepared for this debut. Reliability does not concern me. It is true that in testing we had some mechanical problems, but we were able to solve them. Testing here in Bahrain gave us an advantage, in this race and the next one in Malesia as we already know the right direction to take in terms of choosing the tyres and setup. In Europe, we did not test a lot, and the weather didn’t help us. But it was the right choice to test in Mugello too. Others had three days of testing in Valencia, we had a week at our disposal in Italy. We are not coming unprepared for the great fight". 

 

While waiting to switch to films, he was offered a role in a movie celebrating the Asterix and Obelix franchise (Beckham and Zidane were contacted too) and he was willing to accept: 

 

"As long as they don’t ask me to play Obelix, I am not that fat yet". 

 

At the moment, he still feels like a fully-fledged racing driver. And he wants to prove it on track. 

 

"I like this eight-cylinder engine, it is better than the ten-cylinder one, everything is more balanced and harmonious. Driving is easier, it is more exciting, and you don’t struggle to reach the limit because the car is more stable, I feel like I am more in control of the situation. The first few races could be decisive. We should not have to go back to Europe regretting what we lost along the way".  

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And most of all, doubts should not take hold, creeping into his head, because ahead of the summer he will need to make a decision about his future, Ferrari cannot wait forever, and having a strong start could help him in his decision. Right now, his only focus is on Bahrain and a heated fight. He is not afraid of the revolutionised version of qualifying.  

 

"I think this format will be more fun, it will be fundamental that the fans understand it, and the press will play a big role in this. Fighting all together is good and there could be some exciting duels as a result of that". 

 

Naturally at great speeds. 

 

"Don’t be fooled by the less powerful engine, because engineers are really good. There were talks about being three seconds off on a lap compared to last year. In the end we’ll lose a few tenths".  

 

On Friday, March 10, 2006, cars will make their first appearance on track, an hour of free practice in a season that seems to be bringing some changes, showing, a lot of balance and many drivers fighting for the final victory. 

 

"Racing with Schumacher? What’s the matter, you only need to have the same car. In the summer you will know everything. I am not in a hurry, I can wait. At the moment my present matters, I want to fight for the world title and that is what I am mostly thinking about. The future doesn’t worry me in the slightest. Ferrari, McLaren, I will choose the best opportunity. What matters is fighting on the same level as my teammate. Otherwise, you can’t win the world title". 

 

But the words of Räikkönen seem to take an overall look, already embracing 2007, his possible move to Ferrari. In Finland, the homeland of the driver, they are sure of it: the not-so-talkative blonde already signed for Maranello, or at least he made some heavy commitments, with something more than a simple option. Räikkönen, in his official statements, does not offer the same certainties but he does not do anything to end the speculations. Speaking of his McLaren, he seems to be talking about it as if he were already an ex: 

 

"In four years we have collected little, but we could have won more. Only in 2005 did we have a really fast car, the best, but that wasn’t enough. Anyway, we didn’t manage to get on top of the world, paying dearly for the many reliability problems we had at the start of the season". 

 

With this debut in Bahrain, on the torrid circuit of Sakhir, history could repeat itself. Räikkönen does not seem to be enthusiastic when he speaks about his approach to the new world title. 

 

"We don’t know exactly where we stand, we are way ahead compared to last month, in the last period we haven’t had engines fail all the time but we could still have some problems". 

 

A soft state of mind, almost doubtful, decidedly different from the great optimism of his rivals, all of them ready to bet on their chances. Meanwhile, Fisichella does not hesitate when he speaks of an opportunity that cannot be wasted. 

 

"It is the biggest of my life, I want to win this world title".

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And Alonso vouches for his great opportunity of giving an encore, while the two at Renault feel like they are the favourites and threateningly challenge the others, Räikkönen does not even grant a smile, mortifying any dreams his fans may have, and if there is a need to show some bravado he prefers to do it only about the future, his own of course, not that of his current car. A future that could be painted red to redeem all the frustrations of these past years. Completely opposite instead is the way of presenting himself of the reigning World Champion, the unbridled Alonso. For some time now, the Spaniard has had no doubts about his future, in 2007 he will be a McLaren driver, and this contributes to giving him absolute certainty about the present.

 

"Many have criticised me for revealing my choice early on, but it was better this way: I am sorted out for the next seasons and now I can fully focus on the one that is about to begin. In my team there is great harmony, nobody is giving me a hard time about the divorce, or rowing against me, and I am ready to give my all to remain world champion. It all kicked in when I saw the number one on the car, and we have what it takes to do it again. The new car is very competitive, in winter testing it was great and I feel less pressure on me because I broke the ice, I don’t have to think about my first podium, my first win anymore, I only have to score as many points as possible to win the title again. Everyone says we are the fastest and I can’t wait to start". 

 

Leaving aside what one day could be major challenges for him, an extremely fast McLaren in his hands, but maybe with its usual reliability issues. Someone who does not have time to ponder on the future but has to hold onto the present is Felipe Massa, who makes his official debut with Ferrari today.  

 

"I thought I was going to be more nervous, tense. Instead, I am calm, ready to give it all, to win over the team and the fans and to do well this year and maybe even in the following seasons. Schumacher is an important reference point, I will try to stay close to him with the stopwatch. I shouldn’t get carried away by hopes of world titles, I’ll keep my feet on the ground, thinking only about my first podium and perhaps my first win. My objective is clear: I want to leave a mark". 

 

The first hour of free practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix is an undetermined session. The best time was set by BMW Sauber test driver, the Polish rookie Robert Kubica, who completed 20 laps, the best of which in 1'32"170. That is 0.014 faster than the Williams-Cosworth test driver, the Austrian Alexander Wurz. Kimi Räikkönen was the first among official drivers, setting the third fastest time overall of 1'33"388 with McLaren-Mercedes. Behind him Michael Schumacher with the new Ferrari. Throughout the first 45 minutes of free practice, only seven drivers drove full laps on track: the five test drivers for Williams, Red Bull, BMW, Midland and Toro Rosso, then the Japanese Satō and Ide driving for Super Aguri (which, predictably, was 6-8 seconds off compared to the best). Ferrari came on track with Felipe Massa at 11:53 a.m. (six laps for the Brazilian, the fastest of which in 1'34"925, putting him in eighth place) and with Michael Schumacher at 11:55 a.m. The German first set a time of 1'33"831, then went even faster with a 1'33"469. The official Williams drivers (Australian Mark Webber and German Nico Rosberg) as well as Honda drivers (Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button) stayed in the pits. Fernando Alonso only made two tests with his Renault just like his teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella. Same strategy for Toyota with Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher and BMW with Heidfeld and Villeneuve. It needs to be said that, after a long wait, Ferrari fans can finally have some hope: Michael Schumacher in the second session of free practice set the fastest lap among official drivers. With his Ferrari 248 F1, the German set a 1'31"751, a time beaten only by Honda test driver Anthony Davidson. Behind the German, another test driver follows: the Austrian driving for Williams-Cosworth, Alexander Wurz. But taking into consideration official drivers only, the second fastest time was set by Felipe Massa, who in turn was 0.363 seconds faster than the World Champion, Fernando Alonso. The gap between the Spaniard and Schumacher instead is 0.787 seconds.

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An unexpected performance by Vitantonio Liuzzi with Toro Rosso – former Minardi that has now become the second Red Bull team - who is right behind Fernando Alonso, sixth setting a lap in 1'32"703. Giancarlo Fisichella came eighth with the second Renault. It was a terrible debut for McLaren-Mercedes instead. Kimi Räikkönen was only able to do eleven laps during the second hour of free practice, then he had to stop. The Fin parked on the right side of the track after turn 4 and helped the marshals move the car to a safe spot. The Colombian Montoya did not have any issues but only managed to set the thirteenth time, almost two seconds off Schumacher. Soon after Räikkönen’s McLaren, it is Jarno Trulli’s Toyota giving up on him: stopped on the straight after turn 8, after setting a rather mediocre lap in the few laps he did. 

 

"Schumacher’s lap time doesn’t impress me, it doesn’t seem special to me. He did it with new tyres, while I always had used ones. And here, in terms of tenths, the difference between these kinds of tyres is huge". 

 

Fernando Alonso is not afraid of anything. 

 

"I still consider myself to be the favourite. I thought Honda was going to be faster. With Davidson, they set the fastest time but he is a test driver, he can go flat out with the engine, use as much fuel as he wants, his performance doesn’t seem amazing to me". 

 

The Spaniard gives the cold shoulder to his rivals. At the same time, he keeps having blind faith in his Renault. 

 

"It seemed like I was driving last year’s car, same speed, same rhythm, same feeling, no mechanical issues. My goal is to be on pole and to win, what matters is to make it through qualifying which seems like a lottery. What worries me is the last session, the fight among the ten best. Everyone will try to set their time in the last minutes, with less fuel, and traffic will be hell". 

 

It will be a moment of truth for those, like him, feeling like an announced winner. 

 

"On Friday you can bluff, and some have done that. After qualifying we will know exactly where everyone stands". 

 

Some have already found out the hard truth. Like many times last year, Kimi Räikkönen had to park his McLaren along the straight due to an electrical issue. The furious Fin only mutters a few words: 

 

"It’s a shame, tyres were going well". 

 

But the rest did not work, further confirmation of their lack of reliability. Räikkönen cannot take it anymore, every trouble draws him closer to leaving, while a fight between Ferrari (which opted him in) and Renault is about to break out over his name. Better than Renault. Faster than Honda, if it were not for Davidson, test driver with a licence to fly, low fuel on board and an engine that he can go flat out with because he will not take part in the race, therefore he needs the first place on Friday as a showcase. Ahead of McLaren, which always has a breakdown or two, or an electrical problem, which can dangerously stop Räikkönen in the middle of the straight, or a loss of power in the Mercedes engine, capable of clipping Montoya's wings. The verdict of the first day is a message that Maranello gladly accepts: Ferrari is there, it is faster than its rivals. Or at least, even if Fridays are often deceiving, so it seems. At the end of the second session, Schumacher flashed a smile that had been missing for a long time. 

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Massa complained throughout the first hour of practice but then in the last minutes, with new tyres set the fourth fastest time and was just over 0.4 seconds behind his more famous teammate. Schumacher second, Massa fourth, and in the middle, there were only two intruders who were not at all uncomfortable, test drivers Davidson and Wurz (Williams), a result that would remind them of ancient glory and that could make them dream, if the wise old German cannibal was not the first to give a word of caution. 

 

"I am happy, that is for sure, we have done all the work we had set out to do, and we reached the performance we wanted to, but let’s not get too carried away with compliments. We will challenge for the World Title and I already knew that. We can aim to win here and that doesn’t surprise me either. But it’s all very balanced, the battle will be especially tough, and only after qualifying we will have a clear picture of the situation. We are in good shape but I have to admit that so is Renault. In the beginning, Alonso was extremely quick, he didn’t need much time to be on it and that is a great advantage. I am still convinced that Honda is competitive too and that McLaren could be up there fighting with us, although Räikkönen and Montoya had issues from the start. Many cars still haven’t shown their full potential, let’s stay calm and work. Cultivating hope, but without deceiving ourselves too much". 

 

Still, the fact is that this car seems like only a distant relative of the one from last year. Aldo Costa, designer of the 2006 car, as well as the 2005 one, admits: 

 

"Compared to last season we are at least two months ahead of schedule. In 2005 we had to face an aerodynamic revolution, this year we could take advantage of the regulations’ stability instead and we grew much more than the others. We still don’t have a full picture of where everyone is but inside the team, there is much less preoccupation than twelve months ago". 

 

Also because - Schumacher explicitly confirms - tyres are giving a completely different performance. 

 

"We have worked extensively with Bridgestone, results will show that". 

 

The agreement reached among the teams limiting the days allocated to testing during the season does not seem to be a bother. Between the first and last Grand Prix, they will not be allowed to have more than thirty-six but now Ferrari, as they are developing tyres, can count on the help of Toyota and Williams. The only problem could be the time granted to Valentino Rossi for his training as there are no exceptions allowed to the 36 days, but Maranello will have to try and fit that into the big box too. 

 

"What matters is starting well, scoring a lot of points straight away".

 

And the heat of Bahrain could offer them that opportunity. There is still the unknown factor of qualifying, with the revolutionised format making its debut, where everyone will be on track and there is going to be a progressive elimination of the worst drivers. 

 

"It will be a thrilling battle, we are excited too to see what is going to happen". 

 

There is less pathos when it comes to the number five on the car. 

 

"I haven’t seen it. The only numbers I look at are lap times". 

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Honda is competitive. Ferrari is too. Now it is official: Saturday, March 11, 2006, the lap times of the last free practice sessions confirm what we already saw during Friday's practice. Jenson Button goes fastest in the last session of free practice of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the first race of the 2006 Formula 1 World Championship. The Brit driving for Honda did a lap in 1'31"857, only 0.011 seconds faster than Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari. The German put the Renault of Fernando Alonso and that of Giancarlo Fisichella in their place. The other car from Maranello came fifth, driven by Brazilian Felipe Massa, followed by Jacques Villeneuve’s BMW Sauber. Behind the Canadian were Jarno Trulli with his Toyota, Kimi Räikkönen in his McLaren-Mercedes and the other Toyota driven by Ralf Schumacher. At the end of the field were the Super Aguri driven by Japanese Takuma Satō and Yuji Ide. Meanwhile, Scuderia Toro Rosso’s engine already sparked the first controversy of the Formula 1 World Championship. Whereas all other teams use V8 engines, the newborn team uses a limited V10 Cosworth. The matter made some doubts arise in the circus. 

 

"Does Toro Rosso have some advantages? If you ask me, I have to say yes". 

 

Says Norbert Haug, the boss of Mercedes Motorsport. It appears that some teams are evaluating whether to file a formal appeal. Much, however, will depend on the results of the race opening the 2006 World Championship. Scuderia Toro Rosso, meanwhile, defends itself through the words of co-owner Gerhard Berger: 

 

"There are many V8 engines more powerful than our V10". 

 

A few hours later, qualifying once again became exciting. The first prestigious victim of the new format is Kimi Räikkönen. On Friday the Fin had to stop due to an electronic issue, and on Saturday his rear wing fell off: the car spun out, broken suspension. Then there is no time left to set a good time, Räikkönen will have to start from the last spot on the grid. An all-Ferrari front row at the first Grand Prix of the Formula 1 World Championship. Michael Schumacher will start on pole position, accompanied by Felipe Massa. The second row will be opened with the Honda of Jenson Button with the stopwatch marking a 1'31"549. Next to the Brit will start the Spaniard Fernando Alonso. The reigning World Champion with his Renault. Behind the Spaniard will start the McLaren-Mercedes driven by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, accompanied in the third row by the Honda of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. Eighth place on the grid for the Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella. Betting on the five red could be a winning move. That is what the roulette of qualifying declared, the most thrilling in a long time, and what Schumacher guaranteed, the king who took back his throne in Bahrain by scoring pole position, making it the last addition to an endless series of records. The curse of 65, that number of pole positions which seemed impossible to reach (his last glorious Saturday dates back to July 30, 2005, in Budapest. And it has not happened since August 14, 2004, that there was a 1-2 start for Ferrari from the front row: always in Budapest) and that now allows him to equal Ayrton Senna, has finally been broken. Emotion on the German’s face. But above all, great happiness about his return to the front page. The right reward for the hard work over the winter, the unbridled joy for having quickly buried a horrible year as a supporting actor, the conviction that this all-red front row is the springboard for a story that continues:

 

"A season as protagonists, exciting, fighting until the end for the world title".

 

Ferrari seemed to be competitive on Friday. You could tell from Schumacher's speed over a single lap, from the pace he kept over a longer distance, easily comparable to race pace. Now he is back, this is how he ruled the fight for the starting grid:

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"And it is what I am mostly interested in, the most important thing, more important than being able to equal Senna’s record because when you take a step back after years of successes, it is difficult to come back. You were unbeatable, then you became a nobody, it is not easy to emerge from the midfield, resurface, and start over. The fight is tough, I didn’t expect to beat Alonso right from the first race, the realistic goal was second row, but now the chances of winning the race are many, I’m certainly not pessimistic. We were great at never giving up. Ferrari consolidates itself with defeats. We know how to react. Fight".  

 

He relives some sensations that he had not felt in a long time. And images are those of ancient glory. Like the liberating hug with the mechanics, the celebration after being crowned. For someone whom the history of Formula 1 has defined as a cannibal, a Saturday as a hero is nothing special, it does not award any championship points, and it only offers some joy that could be ephemeral. But behind this result, there are many days of pent-up joy: 

 

"And showing that we can still dream makes me proud. It’s amazing to be at the top again. Now there’s the race, we will prepare as much as possible, and we will do everything we can to take advantage of our chances. Feet on the ground, of course, but a lot of belief in our abilities, a lot of confidence because this car is not the one from last year". 

 

And then there are the new rules, like changing the tyres during the race. 

 

"I don’t know if this favours us, it is a new element, and we will try to take advantage of it. If we are starting on pole, it is not because of a stroke of luck but because we are fast. It is not a fortuitous feat, it is the result of a project that has been going well and that allows us to improve every day. It’s true, testing in Bahrain in February was a big help, but why didn’t everyone do it?"

 

As biting as he was during the good old days. And he does not give in to temptation if some opponents accuse him of bluffing. 

 

"Alonso says I have less fuel on board? I think I have enough".

 

And he is not alone in the scuffle. 

 

"Did you see Massa? I am not surprised by his performance. We knew he was fast, otherwise, we wouldn’t have signed him. In his last attempt, he was penalised by traffic, he could even have stolen my pole". 

 

He liked the new qualifying format. 

 

"In two years we have changed often, too much. This format is exciting, the fans like it and we like it as well, let’s leave it like this". 

 

Even if you can break in a cold sweat, like at the end of the first session, when Räikkönen (giving the chills with his McLaren spinning without the rear wing) was already out and there were twenty-one cars on track and only four minutes and 34 seconds to avoid elimination.

 

"There are risks but there is no shortage of emotions".

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And now, Schumacher suggests, all we can do is bet on the red. The passionate kiss from Raffaela, the girlfriend, pleases Felipe, as does his first row, inches away from his more famous teammate, Schumacher. Massa is ecstatic and he even talks about a near-miss feat. 

 

"Because I will remember this day for a long time, the first time I found myself fighting with great champions on track but I could even have gotten pole if, in the last attempt, I had not been slowed down by Fisichella". 

 

Instead, the regret is still there for those 0.047 seconds that separate him from the other Ferrari.

 

"I am still proud of my performance and the work done by the team. Now a tight battle awaits and I will do everything I can to get on the podium. Ferrari gave me a great chance and I don’t want to waste it". 

 

And the others? They pretend that everything is fine, hoping that the race can make Saturday’s disappointment disappear. Fernando Alonso, who is now a comic book character in Spain, explains that for him the Bahrain Grand Prix is a bit like the first episode of an illustrated adventure: 

 

"Where the villains rage but at the end of the story, the hero always wins". 

 

But Michael Schumacher does not look like the evil old villain. 

 

"I can confess that we did not expect a Ferrari like this. But let’s wait a second before drawing conclusions: let’s see what happens in the race". 

 

Warns the Spaniard, angry at himself for a mistake in his first timed lap at the end of the session:

 

"That forced me to go for another one, deteriorating tyres a bit". 

 

Alonso will start from the second row and he will try to replicate his fabulous starts from the past that many envied the French team. And there is another aspect, race strategy. 

 

"I am sure that we have more fuel on board, and that Ferrari was more on a diet compared to us".

 

The Renault driver concludes, as he was the only one to dismiss the new qualifying format which everyone liked, even his managing director, Flavio Briatore: 

 

"I have never had so much fun".

 

Someone who had less fun was the 2005 challenger, Kimi Räikkönen, who really is in danger of becoming the World Champion of bad luck. This time he earned the title of first elimination of 2006, not even the time to finish the track. Almost as if Fantozzi were in F1: the culprit this time was a failed suspension that suddenly made him bounce like a balloon in his official debut of the season, potentially even causing some serious damage to his arms. 

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And in the end the Fin does not know whether to laugh or cry, after hearing the words of a possible explanation from the sporting director at Mercedes, Norbert Haug:

 

"In eight thousand kilometres of testing, no suspension ever failed". 

 

So the whole paddock was curious about Kimi’s reaction, perhaps with a strong statement. Instead, the Fin first let go of his anger, then indulged in some amiable declarations of pure banality: 

 

"It’s not the best to start from the last place on the grid, but on this track there are many opportunities to overtake and last year I found myself in this position and I was able to get good results". 

 

The Fin is still being talked about, even late in the afternoon, due to market rumours about him that are still persistent. Renault’s offer exists and it was Briatore himself who confirmed it in his own way by replying to a specific question: 

 

"I observe and I act, I don’t do proclamations".

 

With a clear (polemical) reference to how McLaren handled the transfer of Fernando Alonso. An interest, that of the French team, which surely will not be appreciated by Ferrari and which leaves open some interesting, even unbelievable scenarios. Waiting for these events to unfold, some try to focus on the present, for instance, Giancarlo Fisichella. The Italian driver has lost his good spirits.

 

"Because of a butterfly. At least I hope so".

 

The butterfly in question is in reality a valve:

 

"Which made me lose power, a lot of horsepower right at the moment I was on my lap for pole position". 

 

If that were the case, it is a rather small issue, a minor problem:

 

"Otherwise I risk having to change the engine and losing ten grid positions".

 

Another situation he already experienced.

 

"Another nightmare: but I hope that bad luck was all focused on this qualifying.  Let’s put it like this, last year I started off great and then…let’s hope that things will turn around in 2006".

 

Ferrari’s rear wing is legal. The FIA did not find any anomalies on the cars of Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa. Charlie Whiting and Jo Bauer, the FIA stewards who examined the single-seaters, found the rear wing to be in compliance with the regulations, but its alleged flexibility aroused the suspicions of some rival teams. Pat Symonds, technical director at Renault, claims that the part fitted on Maranello’s single-seaters is illegal:

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"There are things you can do and other things you can’t do. There are special rules for special parts but there are some regulations that have an unconditional validity. I know how this rear wing works: it is illegal".

 

Ferrari is therefore preparing to regularly take part in the Grand Prix as a protagonist. On Sunday, March 12, 2006, at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso moved up to second in the first lap, only for Michael Schumacher to begin to pull away. Alonso was involved in a near collision with Schumacher's teammate Felipe Massa, who spun at the first corner. After this point, Massa was never a threat, and he was not helped by a delay in his pit stop to change tyres on the same lap. Alonso's teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, also played little part in the race due to an engine mapping problem which restricted power. He retired on lap 21 due to a hydraulic failure. A live team radio broadcast in which the team informed him that he would have to cope with the engine as well as he could led to Fisichella swearing in response; this incident resulted in future team radio broadcasts being time-delayed. To the surprise of almost no one, Kimi Räikkönen quickly moved his way up the field, only being held up by Jacques Villeneuve and Fisichella for a short period of time, before overtaking both. Further down the field, Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg, who was making his Grand Prix début, touched at the first corner. Both lost a lot of time but managed to recover. Heidfeld's day continued to get worse, as an incident with David Coulthard was investigated after the race. Juan Pablo Montoya finished fifth in his McLaren, having never been a threat throughout the race. Overall, it was a good day for Williams, as Mark Webber finished sixth, with Rosberg being the surprise of the race, ending up in a very respectable seventh place, overtaking Christian Klien after catching him in the last few laps of the race, moving Klien back to a still impressive eighth. 

 

Rosberg set the fastest lap of the race, becoming the youngest driver ever to achieve this in a Grand Prix, breaking a record held by Alonso. Honda suffered mixed fortunes throughout the race. Early on fans were treated to a fight between Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button, as Button slipped down the field due to a slow start. Button eventually fought his way back up, passing Juan Pablo Montoya twice at the end of the straight but losing out again in pit stops. He eventually finished fourth, 0.6 seconds behind Räikkönen in third. Räikkönen fought hard throughout the race, stopping only once on his way to the last podium spot. He climbed nineteen places in the race which is more than any driver since Fabrizio Barbazza started 25th and finished sixth in the 1993 San Marino Grand Prix. During the second round of pit stops, Alonso was able to take advantage of staying out longer than Schumacher by coming out of the pit lane side by side with Schumacher. As they came into the first corner both cars were neck and neck, but Alonso was able to pull out in front of the former world champion. Despite coming under heavy pressure from Schumacher towards the end, the reigning champion started off the season with a well-earned victory. After a contact with David Coulthard, Nick Heidfeld was reprimanded by stewards post-race for positioning his car in a way that forced Coulthard off the race track. Coulthard suffered an engine failure on a cool-down lap and received a 10-place grid penalty for the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix. This was the first race for the Midland, BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Honda F1 and Super Aguri teams, although only Super Aguri was a completely new team, the others all representing buyouts or rebrandings of existing teams. Along with Rosberg, Scott Speed and Yuji Ide were also making their Grand Prix débuts.

 

Who had won the last race last year? Alonso, naturally. And who managed to win the first in 2006? What a silly question, it was Alonso, as always, the reigning World Champion, more than ever hungry for an encore, before bidding farewell to Renault and getting ready to tie the knot with McLaren. Business as usual, even more than before. Formula 1 is not losing its dictator who is now starting to hate Spain: 

 

"The pressure that the public and the press put on me is unbearable". 

 

But he always manages to praise his own country. Nothing new? Yet there is a difference: Alonso beats Schumacher one-nil, and he is already in the lead, stealing his first race but this year Ferrari is competitive and not willing to be humiliated, they are not being lapped or finishing one minute behind, they are losing by 1.2 seconds, a few metres, not much more, after 308 kilometres.

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Alonso wins but it is a partial advantage, from Bahrain the message comes loud and clear, unequivocal, that the match will not end seven-one like in 2005, the Spaniard may win a lot but Schumacher will not stay on the sidelines to watch. At the end of the race, the Spaniard jumps on the car and seems to be imitating a bullfighter with a superstitious gesture that, he said, he will only reveal at the end of the season. Another interpretation claims that it could also be the dance with which he met his new girlfriend. Beforehand, in the car, Fernando had imitated with his fingers the beak of a duck, recalling a famous Spanish TV character that he enjoyed as a kid. It was Alonso then who was the first to humiliate his rivals but this time it did not seem like a knockout, mostly because it was not due to an overwhelming technical superiority but rather due to a trick in Ferrari style, overtaking in the pits, a strategy that rewards those who could not succeed with speed alone, the winning move, worth a round of applause, that allowed him to win the match but does not mean the championship is game over. Last year it was not like that, the Spaniard often strolled, while Schumacher plodded on, floundering amidst his troubles, constantly promising some illusory redemption, only to find himself further and further behind. Alonso had started off strong, he dominated three of the first four races, highlighting his teammate’s first success, Giancarlo Fisichella, which stood out, leaving little to celebrate not only to Ferrari but to all other competitors. Now he speaks of good luck instead, without forgetting his abilities, he prefers to keep a low profile, while Schumacher (tricked not on track but in the pits) is already preparing his comeback, contemplating his revenge in Malaysia where he aims to immediately equalize, a win each, motivated by a car that excites him, encouraging his optimism and that does not make him feel defeated from the start. Now the German has faith because he believes that his pole on Saturday was not by chance and that during the race it was not Renault which had the better of him but a detail, that lap less which the stewards counted in qualifying and that forced him to put two and a half kilos less of fuel in the tank. And then, another certainty in the mind of Schumacher, but in that of Alonso as well, the others are up there too, Räikkönen who is aiming to be something more than a third wheel and who could have the better of the two rivals; Button, who yesterday finished fourth with his Honda, and held his own well during the race after having done well in qualifying. From the first glimpse, it does not seem like a two-way match, McLaren keeps being hit with countless reliability issues but when it manages to work without breaking down into a thousand pieces, it makes its drivers fly and Todt says: 

 

"Räikkönen had an incredible race".

 

A clear message for the present that could have some value in the future as well. Yes, because aside from the battles and emotions that this World Championship is anticipating, there are also duels for 2007. Alonso already has an agreement with someone else, the fragile McLaren, and that leads him to have a more detached relationship with his current mechanics, those men at Renault that he should deeply thank because they allow him to win. The team does not treat him as someone who is separated and living in the same house, but the risk is that he considers himself as one, maybe even ending up compromising everything. And the derby (with Schumacher as a spectator) could involve Räikkönen as well, courted by Ferrari and tempted by a huge proposal from Renault. Racing today but fighting for tomorrow. As of now, it is a one-nil for Alonso. Once again on the podium after seven and a half months. But without the victory he dreamt of on Saturday, after scoring that pole position. Celebrating on the highest step of the podium is Alonso, not the newfound Ferrari. Schumacher, is the joy bigger than your disappointment?

 

"Joy, for sure. Happiness of having found my car again, the red I knew, of being back in the battle that counts, among the protagonists and not because of a stroke of luck or by chance but because this year we are very fast". 

 

You had suggested to bet on you.

 

"I lost by such a small margin, a couple of metres, I could have won. There was a detail which weighed a lot and it was decisive".

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What would that be? 

 

"They didn’t count one of my qualifying laps, and in the morning, they put two and a half kilos less of fuel in the car. I should have had 33 kilograms, we stopped at thirty and a half. That forced me to have my two pit stops always a lap before and that is not a small detail. Mind you, I lost in the pits, Alonso overtook me with strategy. When he came back on track we practically went into the corner together, only that he had the right trajectory and I couldn’t do anything. I tried to fight back, to overtake him, but it was impossible. All it would have taken was one more lap from me before the second stop to make his effort useless. If I had stayed in front, he would have never been able to overtake me". 

 

The same thing can be said for you. You found yourself behind with 18 laps to go and you kept your position until the checkered flag.

 

"When two cars are going at more or less the same speed, overtaking your opponent is almost impossible. I tried on one occasion, but I quickly realised that I risked ruining my race. There was no space, I never really had a chance. On these occasions, you can only try not to make any mistakes and be ready to take advantage of the mistakes of others. That in this case unfortunately did not come". 

 

It seemed that we were back one year, at the San Marino Grand Prix last year: Schumacher attacks, Alonso resists. Will it always be like this in 2006?  

 

"I certainly hope not. Actually, I am sure of it. We have scored eight important points, the championship is long, it will be very balanced, and we must not throw anything away. But most of all, we leave Bahrain with the conviction that we are back to being competitive. This new Ferrari is a great car. It will prove that". 

 

You are not used to being second, do you really not feel frustrated? 

 

"Frustrated is not exactly the right word. It would have been even better, but it is beautiful anyway. If I think of where we were in 2005, at the issues we had at the beginning of winter testing: we did not think we would be that fast straight away. Having tested in Bahrain gave us an advantage here and it will help us in Malaysia too, but it is not the only key to this breakthrough. Our comeback will not be limited to the first two Grands Prix, it will last all season". 

 

First Alonso, second Schumacher and third Räikkönen. Does the German driver for Ferrari still think that this World Championship is going to be very balanced? 

 

"It will be the best in years. For now, three drivers on a level playing field is a great result but it doesn’t end there: I wouldn’t leave out Button and Massa who has a lot of talent and he was just unlucky in Bahrain. Look at his lap times: without that spin, he would have ended up on the podium".

 

But all the interest is directed to the duel between Schumacher and the Spanish Renault driver. 

 

"I have to admit that it was fun. For sure it was exciting for the fans, a great race". 

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Your hug with the mechanics was even warmer. 

 

"In these months they worked a lot. It is the best way to thank them and to motivate them not to give up". 

 

A message to Ferrari fans?

 

"We are back to being who we used to be. Have faith, on my part I can’t wait to be back on track, I would like to be in Malaysia already". 

 

How does it feel to be fighting with the new generations?

 

"I don’t feel like I belong to another generation. That is what my passport says but I don’t believe that. I am as young as they are". 

 

What emerged from the Bahrain Grand Prix are three names in particular. Alonso, Räikkönen, and Rosberg. Alonso because he won the way he won. Räikkönen because he showed how you can start last and finish on the podium. Rosberg because he showcased some blissful recklessness. The World Champion proved himself, despite the show of force by Michael Schumacher. 

 

"Lucky day, for me".

 

Luck and talent, even from the mechanics at Renault who the Spaniard still thanked. But braking to avoid Felipe Massa’s car, the reflexes shown in that episode give the sense of what the Spaniard’s abilities are. And the Fin? The umpteenth come back, told as if he had smoked a cigarette: 

 

"My McLaren was fast, we opted for a strategy with one stop strategy. I gained six points".

 

You do not need to speak with Räikkönen to understand his nature: it is easier to study him when he is driving. Finally, the rookie: Nico Rosberg.

 

"I am not a surname anymore". 

 

Said Keke’s son last year when he won the GP2 Championship, and he reiterated that in Sakhir with a seventh place and some words that can only come from a thoroughbred rookie with a personality:

 

"Who said you can’t overtake in F1? It seems to me that I was able to do that more than once” said the twenty-year-old Fin born in Germany. Dad? “If I were him I would have gone home after the first corner". 

 

Instead, dad Keke shivered for the near-miss with Nick Heidfeld, and then he saw his son even set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix.

 

"Not bad for a rookie, no?"

 

In fact, all of the old school from Jackie Stewart to Niki Lauda joined in the praise for their friend’s heir.

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"I haven’t seen a debut like this in years". 

 

Says Jackie Stewart. And even Jean Todt approved of him, albeit with reservations:

 

"Nico? He is good, now we have to see if he is super good". 

 

Rosberg’s performance still did not shadow the two greats of 2005 who promise to fight again this season. Räikkönen was able to overcome Saturday’s hardships, although the suspension failure still does not sit right with him:

 

"It’s like this. But the team did a great job and the car was ready for the race".

 

And this time Kimi scored points, unlike in the past. 

 

"How many times do I have to repeat that it will be four teams fighting for the title?"

 

Alonso almost raises his voice to reiterate the concept.

 

"You all say that Renault is the favourite but Renault answers that we are in good company".

 

And Ferrari, in the words of Jean Todt, wants to let it be known that Williams, who set the fastest lap, should also be kept under observation. It will therefore be the World Championship of connected stories, with Alonso and Räikkönen competing in the wrong teams, which could even be swapped in 2007.

 

"Again with the future? We just started this season and next Sunday there is another Grand Prix".

 

The Spaniard sentences and concludes, a man and driver of great pragmatism who asks everyone to take a step back and talk about this Bahrain Grand Prix where in all honesty he admits that he was lucky.  

 

"Look, if I touched Massa’s Ferrari now we would be talking about something else. It turned out well".

 

Something that happened again in the final part of the race when Michael Schumacher got closer.

 

"But the lapped drivers were nice to me, a bit less to Schumi. And I gained more precious time".

 

The others are happy, then. And the sensation for everyone is that balance will reign supreme, at least for a few Grand Prix. Räikkönen explains:

 

"I don’t know where we are, or how fast we are. We should be more competitive in qualifying".

 

With the underlying prayer of having a car that does not break down for some reason. 

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Still, the fact is that in 2005 Renault built its success due to an incredible start of the season, a lesson that everyone has learnt. And maybe it is because of this that the French team was celebrating, but restrainedly: Ferrari is close, too close not to worry.  

 

"I could have finished on the podium, fighting with Alonso for the win. The joy of qualifying doesn’t matter anymore, it’s in the past, and now there is just disappointment for how the race went. I had a perfect strategy but that spin ruined everything". 

 

Felipe Massa is embittered. He finished ninth, first of the drivers not scoring any points, that place that so many times last year had been monopolised by another Brazilian wearing red, Rubens Barrichello. But this time it was different: the other Ferrari was fighting up there, in the first laps it seemed like a torpedo, and Massa paid the price of bad luck dearly. Because his leap backwards was not only a result of the spin with which he almost took out Alonso. There was a misunderstanding in the Ferrari garage, a last-minute change of tyre choice, not new tyres anymore but used ones, and that confused the mechanics. Amidst all the commotion an air duct was damaged which then caused some problems with the wheel gun used to change tyres. Result: Massa waited for 47 seconds. 

 

"Even with the spin I could have finished fourth, but the setback during the pit stop was the final straw".

 

He found himself in twenty-first place and from there he started a comeback that led him to almost finish in the points. He has every right to be disappointed.

 

"It comforts me to know that the car is competitive, mine too".

 

Once again Alonso with his Renault was able to steal the scene from Michael Schumacher, he rendered useless the pole position scored on Saturday by the German, but on Monday the Ferrari driver did not want to talk about disappointment. 

 

"We were amazing. In Formula 1 recovering quickly is almost impossible. If I think back to where we were in 2005 and how close we are to Renault now, I say that we pulled off an extraordinary feat. In three months we zeroed out our disadvantage. Doing anything better was impossible". 

 

Who is speaking in such a euphoric way of a second place is not an inexperienced rookie, but the cannibal Michael Schumacher, the driver who stood on the highest step of the podium 84 times, the man who found some ancient stimuli and who dreams of reaching triple figures in terms of successes, maybe even winning Grands Prix until he is forty years old. 

 

Ahead of the arrival in Malaysia, the second stop of a World Championship that appears to be extremely thrilling, Michael Schumacher’s sentences are full of euphoria, they remind those triumphal strolls around the world in the years of his absolute domination. Words of praise for the team:

 

"They all worked tirelessly, defeats have made the team more solid, and Ferrari has proved to be able to fight, react and come back. What is unusual were not our last setbacks but the countless victories of the previous seasons. The risk is that they could make you lose the sense of reality, getting to your head, and then when you have a drop, you don’t know how to control it. Our men were great at finding a way to break the downward spiral, to turn the tide again. In sports, finding the way back to the top again after you fall is the hardest thing. That is why I am speaking of a phenomenal feat. It will be an incredibly tough championship but Ferrari will be in the fight for the title until the last race".

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The messages were clear. And they go to show how after the great comeback, Michael Schumacher is now aiming to overtake. In Bahrain, he lost by 1.2 seconds at the finish line, a couple of metres less compared to Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard left the pits and managed to overtake him going into the corner. The German is still convinced that it was the decision of the stewards to count a lap less in qualifying that penalised him, consequently having him put two and a half kilos less of fuel in the car. 

 

"It was a decisive factor, if I could have waited one more lap for my two pit stops, Alonso wouldn’t have passed and I would have won the race".

 

But the very fact that it all came down to a detail and not due to an overwhelming superiority of the Spaniard, as was often the case last year, leads him to think that already in Malaysia the outcome could be reversed. 

 

"Usually that track does not suit our characteristics but we want to strike while the iron is hot. Testing in Bahrain in February was very helpful, the car adapted well to high temperatures and the heat in Malaysia shouldn’t create any issues. Since the beginning, Bridgestone tyres have behaved very well. Not even close compared to the 2005 ones. Renault is fast but I had said that they were not martians out of our reach. On Sunday we can beat them". 

 

Great optimism by Michael Schumacher aside, in reality, there is some preoccupation at Ferrari for this second round. The eight-cylinder engines have already struggled a lot in Bahrain and on the scorching asphalt in Sepang they will be put to the test. At the debut, the only problem was in the garage: the broken gun during the pit stop of Felipe Massa.


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