From Thursday, May 19, 2005 engines will be roaring again in the Principality of Monaco. And, for the first time since the beginning of the Formula 1 World Championship, Prince Rainier III will not be in the stands, after passing away on Wednesday, April 6, 2005. The Sovereign Prince of Monaco never missed a round. Many enthusiasts of the sport consider it the most prestigious race of the championship, capable of putting F1 in the international spotlight. But it is not the easiest: the street circuit has often surprised us with unexpected results. It is certainly a tricky challenge for both cars and drivers, even though engines are not pushed to the limits. Suffice it to say, in the last four years we had four different winners, belonging to four different teams. In 2001, Michael Schumacher prevailed with its Ferrari, followed by David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes), Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-Bmw) and Jarno Trulli behind the wheel of his Renault. The French team, with Alonso and his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, are the favourites considering the features of their car. But two more teams are seeking the win: McLaren, after Kimi Räikkönen’s triumph in Spain, and Toyota, which has made significant progress. Ferrari, considering the problems reported until now, will be an outsider. Saturday’s qualifying will be crucial: being out of the first two rows is a strong disadvantage in Monte Carlo since overtaking is prohibitive - although anything can happen during the race, especially in case of unbalanced performances. After five days of testing in Fiorano, Scuderia Ferrari takes its usual technical measures to get ready for Monaco: stiffened suspension, customised brakes, maximum downforce, more torque with low engine speed. However, tyres are the main issue once again. More than elsewhere, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello will have to find the best compromise between being fast in a flying lap and being consistent during the entire 78 laps of the race. Bridgestone has worked hard along with Scuderia Ferrari, also motivated by the fact that the investigation on the punctures found on the German driver’s F2005 established that one of them was caused by a tyre cut while the other by some debris on track. Michael Schumacher admits:
"We are doing everything we can to bounce back and I’m convinced we will. I can’t say it will happen in the next Grand Prix, but I still believe you will see us back on top, we can win again. Certainly, the new rules have put us in trouble, mostly because of tyre wear, which has completely changed compared to the past. But we are trying to adapt. We have already improved, although the results are not comforting".
Michael Schumacher, who has won five editions of the Monaco Grand Prix, also counts on the F2005 qualities:
"It’s a great car, very fast, and we believe it will adapt well to street circuits too. We will have to put all of our efforts into reaching the first places in qualifying. If we manage to be in the front rows, it’ll be a great step forward. That is why we will focus on the flying lap as soon as we find the best setup".
Therefore, the sixth round of the World Championship will be a big deal for Scuderia Ferrari. It could act as a springboard to try climbing the rankings that have been unsatisfactory so far. Rubens Barrichello thinks positively as well, confident that bad times must come to an end. And why not start from Montecarlo, without forgetting that their rivals are strong and that they are looking forward to getting rid of the Maranello team, which is still following them threateningly? Jarno Trulli has won only once in Formula 1. Yet he is a winner of the most famous race of the sport: the Monaco Grand Prix. It happened one year ago when he was a Renault driver and a certain Fernando Alonso had to stay behind him in most of the races.
"Don’t ask me why I’m so fast in Montecarlo. I enjoy the track and I’ve always had a good run".
Thirty years old, married to Barbara who gave him a son, Jarno Trulli avoids mentioning bad luck, which played an important role in his 2004 performances and that he left on his old car, now belonging to Fisichella. On the contrary, Toyota has evolved and he has brought it to the podium three times.
"This proves one of my theories: if the car works, I get good results".
You did not win though…
"I will. There is still a lot of work to do. I’ve made the most of the car so far".
Your fans expect you to win again in the Principality, but your testers Zonta and Panis have been pessimistic in the last few days.
"I am considered one of the favourites and that’s amazing, but last year’s achievement doesn’t make me faster. Toyota has done a great job so far: we will see how the car works on Thursday during practice. In Montecarlo, the driver matters more than elsewhere, but the driveability does too. And tyres are crucial of course".
A memory of your triumph?
"It was an awesome moment because the atmosphere is unique and because I dominated both qualifying and race. And mostly because I fulfilled the dream of every driver: winning your first race here".
According to Enzo Ferrari, a driver loses a second each lap when he has a son. Your Enzo is almost one month old: what were the consequences?
"The same as Michael Schumacher’s. It doesn’t seem like his two kids prevented him from winning five Championships in a row".
Speaking of titles: Kimi Räikkönen, third in the standings, believes in his comeback. You are second, 18 points behind Alonso: are you thinking about it?
"It depends on our progress, as well as the others’ performances. Halfway through the season, we will understand whether we’ll be able to say ‘yes, we can do it too’ or postpone this speech to next year".
In case of postponement, who do you think is the favourite?
"Renault and McLaren. And then Ferrari, if they fix the tyres problem. We stay in the first four positions".
Toyota was eighth in 2004, and is now following the front-runner Renault: did you expect such a step forward?
"I knew we would improve a lot. We’re actually further ahead than I expected".
How much do we owe it to Jarno Trulli?
"Racing with Toyota at the end of 2004 was crucial. It allowed me to give the right directions and to find a competitive car in the springtime".
What are the secrets to winning in Monte Carlo?
"With the actual rules, the first secret is to do well in the previous race. My third place in Spain will enable me to face the first qualifying among the last when the track is well rubbered in. A good placement on the starting grid is key since overtaking is impossible".
The most peculiar corners?
"The Loews hairpin is unique in Formula 1. We face it in first gear at 50 km/h. The steering wheel has to undergo changes, otherwise we can’t go through".
As a viewer, the tunnel is impressive.
"Impressive, but not that hard, although we reach 305 km/h towards the end. The lighting is appropriate. The only caution is to stay on the racing line or you end up on the slippery asphalt and take a big risk".
What is your favourite section, where you manage to gain some tenths on your rivals?
"The Swimming Pool complex. The entrance is fast, around 200 km/h, and it provides a good change of direction from left to right. There’s a speed detector there, so we can see who is seriously fast".
They say noblesse oblige. And that is why motorsport and worldliness mingle every year in the Principality, even though the reigning family is mourning Rainier III. The yachts in and out of the harbour get bigger, more impressive and extreme. Cars around the streets are worthy of a museum of wonders and the girls performing on ships and cars are part of the show. This is not enough: on Wednesday, May 18, 2005, Steinmetz, a Dutch jewellery company specialised in diamond cutting, introduces - in front of Natasja Vermeer, sexy protagonist of the TV show Emmanuelle - two special helmets designed for McLaren drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya, decorated with small, precious diamonds. On the helmet of the Finnish driver, they form his nickname: Ice Man. Value? Undeclared. Unbelievable. Then, in the next few days, we will get to meet the movie stars that are now in Cannes. Red Bull Racing will look for the dark side of the Force hosting filmmaker George Lucas and the main characters of his Star Wars - Episode III. Ferrari will host fan, but also customer, Tom Cruise. But sports and the Grand Prix are discussed as well. Formula 1 cars grow new wings every race. Not wings to fly, but to stick to the asphalt, mainly in the Principality circuit, where aerodynamics matters a lot. Thus, we can see weird flaps everywhere in the car: on the nosecone, on the engine cover, and behind the wheels. We can also notice that Ferrari added a pair of them to its wheel hubs. Small but important details prove how every team is trying it all to win the most prestigious race of the season. And every driver thinks he can be the winner. Just before the first practice, which will make the entire Monegasque basin tremble with the cars’ roars, optimists are countless. Michael Schumacher too does not count himself out of the fight to reach his sixth win here.
"Winning? Hard but not impossible. Ferrari has taken care of every detail and we believe we are on the right path. Qualifying will be crucial. Pole position is the best, but even the front rows would be good. We were definitely in a better condition last year after the first five races. But I have never thought I was unbeatable. Sooner or later, we had to be following our rivals. Anyway, there are still fourteen races left, we have time to recover and 140 points available".
The German thinks they have to worry about McLaren, Renault and Toyota’s drivers. The world champion does not want to talk about the 2004 tunnel accident when he got rear-ended by Juan Pablo Montoya’s Williams.
"We don’t need to come back to it, let’s stay in the present".
But when he is asked who was at fault, whispering and smiling he answers:
"Montoya’s".
Rubens Barrichello is as confident as Michael Schumacher and he declares without any fear:
"We’re here aiming for third or fourth place".
We must recognise that, despite the results reached so far, Scuderia Ferrari always enjoys great respect and regard from its rivals. Kimi Räikkönen is clear:
"I believe that Ferrari would be ahead of us if they had Michelin tyres. They may have issues with Bridgestone, but they surely have some innovations ready for this race. They can win, just as much as I can: my triumph in Spain gave me confidence and I’m even hungrier than I was before. Our car is very fast".
Championship leader Fernando Alonso is on the same wavelength. The Spaniard is not hiding his ambitions anymore:
"I want to win the World Championship. We have new aerodynamics and we’ll be fast. Besides the usual names, I would add Williams to the favourites: they might be the surprise. Ferrari? Of course, the Italian team is one of the contenders".
Winning ambitions that encourage Italian drivers as well. Jarno Trulli says:
"Last year I finished first with Renault. Beating them at the wheel of a Toyota would be satisfying. I personally consider myself one of the potential winners".
Giancarlo Fisichella takes courage as well, after his fifth place in Spain:
"I really like this track. I’ve always felt good in street circuits".
However, on Thursday, May 19, 2005, Fernando Alonso is lightning-fast, with Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya’s McLarens following, and Scuderia Ferrari struggling. And then we have the sun, and the luxurious boats crowded with rich men and beautiful women, while VIPs will show up on Sunday because they are now busy with the red carpet for the Cannes Film Festival. Montecarlo sticks to the script, including gossip about the Grimaldi family: Albert is now the target, after succeeding his father Rainier. In Montecarlo, the engines start on Thursday. It keeps the Circus there one day more, with obvious positive implications for the opulent economy of the Principality. The race result might be the usual roulette, but free practice will be a mirror of the current World Championship.
In order we have Fernando Alonso, unquestionable leader of the World Championship with Renault, followed by Alexander Wurz - a tester - and David Coulthard, giving prestige to an exceptional sponsor: the latest episode of Star Wars. Then we have Giancarlo Fisichella with the other Renault and the two McLarens. Jarno Trulli, second in the World Championship and 2004 winner, is in the back:
"Bad day, no matter what I tried, the result didn’t change".
He finally gets the thirteenth time. The team from Maranello gasps: Michael Schumacher is eleventh, 1.3 seconds behind, and Rubens Barrichello fifteenth, 1.8 seconds behind. The German driver perceives a weird vibration during practice and he loses half a session, right when the track is faster. Schumacher does not understand what the problem is, and neither do the mechanics. His comment is laconic:
"We will analyse the car piece by piece, but I don’t know where we are. We were competitive in the morning".
On the other hand, Rubens Barrichello surrenders:
"If our rivals keep this pace, we’ll end up being lapped".
What if they slowed down?
"Then we might have chances. But not too many, because pole position is not within our reach and overtaking is impossible. We must qualify in the top six to finish in a good position. Unfortunately, I think it’s going to be hard: results speak for themselves".
What’s wrong with this Ferrari after five years of great achievements?
"It’s a complicated situation, and we are unable to get out of it. Maybe the track wasn’t rubbered in, maybe we’re just not doing well. Let’s hope we don’t waste another weekend".
And the tyres?
"They improved, even though our rivals’ tyres are still better. It’s more of a general problem. I had trouble with the brakes in the morning and with the general setup of the car in the afternoon session. On the other hand, such a big gap can’t be only due to the balance. I have probably lost half a second because of oversteering. Anyway, Renault and McLaren have a different pace and they are uncatchable".
Ferrari was an example of aerodynamics to everybody until last year: why are you struggling on a slow twisty track now?
"This car is the heir of the F2004 but we couldn’t find that something that took us to the next level. Our rivals fly while approaching slow corners, while we don’t have traction".
Did you expect such a hard Grand Prix after Imola and Barcelona?
"The real disappointment was Spain because the car did well but we had tyre issues. Montecarlo has never been favourable to us: in the last three years, despite a clear dominance in the championship, we never won".
Can we find at least one positive aspect?
"I have a lot of confidence in the team and we have an extra day to work. A good driver can make the difference on this track".
Scuderia Ferrari does not hide anymore. On the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix, the garage is opened up, exposing the hardly hidden flaws of the F2005.
"We are inferior in two areas regarding reliability. We are putting all of our efforts there".
The explanation is left to Luca Colajanni, head of the GeS press office. The gearbox does not work and neither do the tyres: these are the reasons behind the worst start of the season since 1997.
"According to our predictions, we have twenty points less than we estimated".
There is no magic recipe and nobody from the Maranello team is expecting a miracle in qualifying. On Friday, May 20, 2005, the problem with Michael Schumacher’s car is fixed: after feeling a vibration at the front of his car, the driver had decided to interrupt the free practice. The mechanics had the whole day to examine it piece by piece. The result is positive: no problems with the suspension, but a flat-spotted tyre after braking too hard. At least this is the official version because, at first, the technical director Ross Brawn did not blame it on the tyres. Bridgestone keeps being a delicate matter. Ferrari is not good enough in the flying lap. And, since overtaking is impossible in Montecarlo, it means losing the race. Luca Colajanni admits:
"Reaction time and adaptation to the new rules of our Japanese partner have been slower than Michelin. It happened in 2003 as well, but we still have unconditional trust in them".
The team works overall, you want to redeem yourselves.
"Our recipe to get out of this situation is working, not on quantity, but on intensity, compliance with the procedures and care for the details. Ferrari spirit is alive".
Rubens Barrichello usually has self-control but not this time: his reaction is surprising. An outburst that makes us think about a transfer of the Brazilian driver at the end of the season, even though the Maranello team denies the rumours:
"We would actually be surprised if he kept quiet. At the beginning of the season, he always thinks his time has come. He started off in Australia taking second place and then we failed him three times. He has every right to be disappointed".
Ferrari is self-critical on another question as well. Beginning with the old F2004, even modified, is officially considered a mistake. Who was wrong?
"We had our reasons. It’ll be clear in the second half of the championship".
End of self-criticism. Ferrari remembers they deserved the win in Imola and that second place in Barcelona was within their reach. In other words, they did something good. Jean Todt who, in quality of San Marino ambassador, meets two charitable organizations, points out:
"We haven’t won in six races only".
The Ferrari crisis worries Bernie Ecclestone too.
"Ferrari is Formula 1. It’s boring if they always win, but if they don’t and they’re in the midfield, the interest in the championship decreases. Schumacher is anything but over. On the contrary, he will win again and he might even win the title. If he doesn’t, we will find him even more motivated next year. The show? Overtaking is like scoring in football. You see so many overtakes in MotoGP and you possibly don’t remember any of them".
With the purpose of regaining interest in Formula 1, the fourth qualifying reform in three years has been approved: only one session on Saturday with a race setup, one lap per driver, starting from May 29, 2005, at Nürburgring. But, from next year, chief executive Ecclestone wants to go back to the free-for-all: two sessions, 25 minutes each, with all cars on track. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Fisichella talks for quite some time to the Renault engineers, making plans for practice and qualifying. The Italian driver consults Pat Symonds, team director, Denis Chevrier, head of engine operations, and Bob Bell, responsible for chassis. With the latter, he admires the latest version of the R25, the car that will hopefully make him win the Monaco Grand Prix. A valid ambition?
"Why not? I’ve got what it takes to aim for the win. The urge, the experience, and a fast car. We must think about the best possible result".
Could it be a turning point to the season, after the triumph in Australia, the following three races to be forgotten and the retrieval in Spain?
"Championship is still pretty long. But this is certainly an important round, big points to award".
Who are the most dangerous competitors?
"My teammate Alonso and the McLaren duo. Fernando is great, Räikkönen has got the morale on his side and Montoya is fast here, as he proved in 2003 winning with Williams".
Renault has some upgrades in terms of aerodynamics…
"It’s a last-minute surprise for our rivals. We didn’t try it on Thursday. It should help us improve even more".
What does it take to be faster in Monte Carlo?
"Precision and a lot of concentration. If you get distracted, your race can end very badly. As I said, I love this circuit and I hope it repays my preference”.
Ferrari does not seem to be in good shape…
"I feel sorry for them, but they have won a lot. McLaren and us are doing better than the others. And Ferrari is part of the others. Italian fans will have a chance to support Jarno Trulli and me".
Let us finish with Alonso…
"I’d be happy if it were a race between him and me. We’ll see…".
On Saturday, May 21, 2005, Alonso himself finds out that winning this World Championship will not be easy. He has been worrying about a Ferrari comeback for weeks and he has now understood he has to watch his back from Kimi Räikkönen. They are the new generation of Formula 1 and the implications are significant for them: first of all, winning the championship; and then succeeding Michael Schumacher and a possible Ferrari seat from 2007. Monte Carlo is the ideal place to stand out. The Finnish driver gained the first round, securing the pole position: perfect lap, track record, and a gap of 0.5 seconds from his rival. McLaren is once again the silver arrow that Michael Schumacher was mad about in the late Nineties. Renault is competitive as well but, in Barcelona, they already had to settle for second place. Fernando Alonso tries to defend himself. Being 27 points ahead of the second after five races means he can manage his lead until the Italian Grand Prix at least. Mark Webber is temporarily third on the starting grid, followed by Giancarlo Fisichella in fourth place. Not easy for them to gain positions on Sunday morning because the gap is huge. Scuderia Ferrari crisis is declared by now.
"We didn’t have a 2.5 seconds gap in qualifying since 1994, with Alesi and Berger".
This is the comment after a day that marks the new lowest moment of the season for the team from Maranello. Barrichello’s ninth place and Schumacher’s tenth may be misleading. More drivers could be ahead of them: Ralf Schumacher, involved in a bad accident, and Juan Pablo Montoya, disqualified for a silly mistake in free practice – he almost stopped on a straight where the average speed is around 280 km/h, provoking a multi-car accident. But even Minardi is close and Patrick Friesacher is thirteenth. Somebody jokes about Ferrari: if Friesacher had Michelin tyres, he would be fighting with the former invincible team. Bridgestone tyres keep struggling. Ferrari took the responsibility for building a fragile car (Rubens Barrichello loses oil), but when the engine, gearbox and setups work, drivers do not make any mistakes and weather conditions are ideal, Red Bull Racing and Sauber-Petronas are faster. The main problem is the flying lap. Rules say that, during the first qualifying session, cars must use new tyres and keep them until the end of the race. With brand-new tyres, Alonso, Räikkönen and the rest of the group gain a second each lap, while Ferrari loses it. The gap narrows during the race, but a track record when you are almost lapped is pretty useless, even more so in Monte Carlo because there is no space for overtaking.
"We understood the problem and we’re working on it. It looked like we made a step forward during the tests in Fiorano until we arrived here and found out we made a step back".
Expectations? Low in the short term. Michael Schumacher looks at the fifth place:
"We can improve in the second qualifying, study a good strategy and take advantage of our good pace. And then, you never know, if it rains, anything can happen".
The World Champion still believes. If you do the maths, he still has a chance and he will try everything, hoping the F2005 becomes competitive. He gets angry with the dirty track:
"I was the fourth on track and this circuit improves with time".
Engineers would love to say he is right. 0.7 seconds could really depend on the track conditions, but they lack 2.5 seconds to get closer to Kimi Räikkönen. At the end of qualifying, Michael Schumacher quickly runs away on his scooter after showing some moderate optimism in his declarations. Rubens Barrichello does not hide the problems, but he is still confident about the future. What are the issues with Ferrari?
"I don’t want to repeat the same thing all over again. The gap is huge and there are reasons why. Our tyres don’t work in the flying lap. But there’s no need to cry. We must keep working. We should be better in the race".
It seems like the tyres are not the only difficulty.
"I’ve been saying this since the beginning of the year. We need to maximise the gearbox and seek a general reliability that we haven’t found yet. The F2005 is fast, it works well and it can give us great satisfaction. But we currently don’t have a car that makes a better qualifying possible. And of course, it affects the race result".
Is the risk of being lapped realistic?
"Hopefully not. On the other hand, gaining positions in a street circuit, and finding the track clear at the right time, is hard. I wish it could happen, gaining some positions, Ferrari does its best in the second half of the Grand Prix".
Winning the World Championship is a lost challenge.
"It isn’t, we can be back on top. Actually, we’ll do it next week at Nürburgring. We will possibly start winning again in Germany".
Why do you feel like that?
"McLaren is the best at the moment. So, looking at the standings, we are not that far from the teams aiming for the top positions. We’ll close the gap. It’s a dark time and many people at Ferrari have lost their smiles. I must be optimistic. I’ll put all my efforts and fight: together we have won and together we have lost, we’ll try to go back to the way we were".
Rubens Barrichello talks about gap. Isn’t a 2.5-second gap too big?
"It is not accurate. Clearly, our competitors gained five-tenths but we also lost as many. That is why we’re now fighting against ourselves".
Which is the right way to recover?
"It is like having AIDS: one medicine is not enough. You need a complete cure. We still need some time, but this team is highly motivated".
On Sunday, May 22, 2005, after the second qualifying session, Fernando Alonso is 0.4 seconds behind Kimi Räikkönen’s McLaren, while Mark Webber and Giancarlo Fisichella are respectively third and fourth. Juan Pablo Montoya did not finish his lap, which means he will start at the back of the grid next to Ralf Schumacher. The aggregate times brought Raikkonen on pole position, 0.083 seconds ahead of Alonso. Webber and Fisichella, one second behind, line up in the second row, followed by Jarno Trulli and Nick Heidfeld, over two seconds behind. In the fourth row, we have David Coulthard and Michael Schumacher with a gap of more than 3.5 seconds. Patrick Friesacher is thirteenth, achieving the best qualifying result for Minardi since Hungary 1995. Ralf Schumacher got a penalty of 0.5 seconds for using tyres that were not officially meant for him; the penalty was supposed to be added to the aggregate times of qualifying, but an accident that occurred during the Saturday session prevented him from making timed laps. Narain Karthikeyan dropped ten positions on the starting grid to replace his engine. The stewards decided to cancel the time set by Juan Pablo Montoya in the first qualifying session since the Colombian driver, during Saturday’s free practice, caused a collision among three drivers behind him (Ralf Schumacher, Coulthard and Villeneuve) because of his excessively low speed. A few hours later, at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen kept the first position, followed by Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jarno Trulli.
On lap 23, Christijan Albers - already lapped - spun in the middle of the Mirabeau corner; thus, Michael Schumacher rear-ended David Coulthard, who had slowed down to avoid crashing into the Dutch driver, provoking irreparable damage. The track was temporarily blocked and the safety car was called, to let the stewards re-start the Minardi, which was obstructing the passage. Renault took the opportunity to pit both cars during lap 25, unlike Kimi Räikkönen, considering his heavier fuel load. At the end of the safety car, Räikkönen kept doing fastest laps after fastest laps and, after pitting only once during lap 42, he managed to keep the lead of the race ahead of Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, the latter began struggling with tyres and that is why Williams’ drivers Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber overtake him and get on the podium. The Spaniard finished fourth, closely followed by Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher (who started from the back), ahead of the two Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Barrichello. If somebody has never seen an overtake in Montecarlo, then he should better find a video of Monaco 2005. All of a sudden, the narrow streets of the Principality seemed highways: Jarno Trulli overtook Fisichella, Heidfeld and Webber overtook Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher overtook his teammate Barrichello - without getting any team orders, given the angry reaction of the Brazilian. But there were more attempts: Villeneuve on Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher on Ralf. Out of the fray, the uncatchable Kimi Räikkönen: second win of the season, making it two in a row, fourth in his career, preceded by his sixth pole position. Everyone who thought Alonso could win the World Championship easily must review their predictions. McLarens are once again the silver arrows that disturbed Michael Schumacher’s dreams in the late 90s. And the Renault seen at the Monaco Grand Prix was already less competitive.
"Inexplicable tyre problem".
This is the analysis of Flavio Briatore. Inexplicable because other teams use Michelin tyres as well: McLaren, Williams, reborn after the double podium with Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber, and Toyota, which keeps scoring points. It is an issue that must be investigated: for the first time, R25 wore the tyres out too fast and left Alonso and Fisichella at the mercy of other drivers' overtakes. Tradition says Monte Carlo is unpredictable, or there would be no reason - talking about sports, definitely not economic reasons as there are plenty and all of them with a lot of zeroes - to race through the streets of a city that can barely handle the daily traffic. The show began after 24 of the 78 planned laps when the average viewer starts being tired. Albers’s Minardi spun and blocked the way to the rest of the group. Michael Schumacher rear-ended Coulthard and the safety car came out. Ferrari pitted to change the German’s front wing, while Renault took the opportunity to refuel. Fernando Alonso left the box ten seconds later, while Giancarlo Fisichella lost three positions, ending up at the back of the grid.
It is a shame for the World Champion: halfway through the race, Bridgestone tyres started working and he was thirteenth. Optimistic by nature, Michael Schumacher pushed his car to the limits, did the fastest lap and reached better positions. On the contrary, Rubens Barrichello kept making mistakes: his engine switched off in the pits. The mechanics quickly turned it on again, but when the Brazilian left, he forgot to push the pit speed limiter button. It takes a bit more than a second to exceed the 60 km/h speed limit for a Formula 1 car. The pit lane is jam-packed with detectors. The stewards noticed the infringement and gave him a drive-through penalty. The Brazilian lost 15 seconds and four positions. Result: after 60 laps, the cars from Maranello are eleventh and twelfth. The show can begin. Nobody could reach Kimi Räikkönen anymore and Renault started having issues. It was time to overtake. Everybody tried: Jarno Trulli passes Giancarlo Fisichella jumping on a kerb, which is actually a disguised sidewalk. But Toyota’s suspension broke and the Italian driver had to pit again for a check. Jarno Trulli will say afterwards:
"I was faster than Fisichella, at least three seconds per lap. He made a big mistake by trying to resist at the Mirabeau corner. He lost his line and he could have let me through. Instead, he left no space. Then I wanted to pass him at the following corner, the Grand Hotel hairpin. But I unfortunately hit the kerb and the car became unbalanced. So I had to pit to check the car and I ended up out of the points. I had a perfect strategy and I lost an almost guaranteed second place".
Giancarlo Fisichella will reply:
"I don’t know what Jarno is saying. If I don’t get out of the way, he’ll crash into me. Both of us would still be stuck in that corner. Trulli has gone too far this time, that was a risky overtake. I was thinking about the podium and it turned into the hardest race of my life. We shouldn’t have pitted to refuel with the safety car on track. My Renault became undrivable: my rear tyres deteriorated. Hard tyres were not a bad choice, but the car knocked them out".
Fernando Alonso has got the same tyre issues: Nick Heidfeld passed him at the first attempt and Mark Webber at the second, because the Spaniard resisted unfairly, by cutting the chicane. The last lap was the most exciting one: Michael Schumacher approached a group of drivers composed of Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso. The World Champion overtook his teammate and attacked his brother on the finish line, almost touching the Toyota wheel. Both of them complained, but Michael observed:
"I’m a driver".
The standings are now tight: Fernando Alonso has got 49 points, Kimi Räikkönen 27 and Jarno Trulli 26. Ferrari goes back to Maranello with a seventh and eighth position. Räikkönen versus Alonso: it is their fight for the World Championship now. It is a good battle between two talented young drivers. Twenty-five years old for the driver from Espoo, twenty-four for the driver from Oviedo. It has not happened for quite some time. It will surely be one of the main themes of a long championship. The Monaco Grand Prix, other than confirming McLaren as the best team at the moment, the one to look out for, and seeing Williams back to good positions - also due to the internal challenge between Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber (three cars with a German engine on the podium, whether Mercedes or Bmw) - points out a Ferrari in recovery, at least on race day. Apart from Schumacher and Barrichello’s placements, both of them scoring points in the same race for the first time this season, the performance of the F2005 was remarkable, letting the reigning World Champion do the fastest lap of the race and a series of fast laps as if it were the old Ferrari, the one that dominated far and wide. Even though we should not talk about bad luck, the team from Maranello had to face a couple of problems that have very little to do with competition, but that penalised the final result. Schumacher’s rear-end collision with David Coulthard’s Red Bull Racing, who stopped in the middle of the track, and Barrichello’s additional stop for exceeding the speed limit in the pits, possibly prevented Ferrari from fighting for the podium. A positive note comes from Michael Schumacher himself.
Whilst causing controversy and negative reactions, even violent, in his teammate and Ralf Schumacher, he has shown the determination and spirit of competition that defined the first years of his career. And that extra point, brutally scored during the last lap, might be a big deal at the end of the championship. Even in gentle ways, the Brazilian driver does not spare some criticism to his teammate:
"A World Champion does not need to do that stuff. We could have ended up off track".
Then, a few minutes later, he adds:
"The only thing I can say is I wouldn’t overtake like that. We got three points, but we could have gone back home with no points. My conscience is clear. Let’s put feelings aside: I asked him for explanations but he didn’t reply. Anyway, we will certainly keep talking, but we’ll start working like robots. Do you want to know if he gives me a birthday present? I don’t know. I’ve already got my gift. My wife carries it in her belly: she’s pregnant with our second child".
Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher’s complaints do not upset Micheal Schumacher. His reply does not take long:
"This is racing in Formula 1. It’s not like taking a break in a café. I was 0.06 seconds behind them. I thought I could attack Rubens. I saw some space and I did it. I don’t think we took a big risk, we didn’t even touch. Then I tried to do the same with Ralf but I couldn’t, unfortunately. I’m a driver and these situations are part of my job".
Leaving aside these discussions, can Michael Schumacher be satisfied with a seventh place?
"I would usually be disappointed. It was a weird race; I also lost a lap behind the safety car. Given the circumstances, I’m quite happy with this position. But we shouldn’t be talking about bad luck, it can happen. In the past, I never had this kind of problem because I normally was in the top positions. I have to deal with a different situation now".
Do you think the accident with David Coulthard could be avoided?
"I braked as much as I could when I saw the Red Bull stuck in the middle of the track, but I couldn’t change the direction. It’s nobody’s fault. People claim I was the worst German driver, with Heidfeld and my brother ahead of me on the finish line. It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry I lost points, it’s never nice. But I had fun because I love racing. And I did the fastest lap as well".
Sunday, May 29, 2005, the European Grand Prix takes place at Nürburgring, with fans from all over Germany awaiting.
"I don’t want to make predictions. I’m always wrong. The data we collected are positive. In Monaco, as in Bahrein and Imola, we had the chance to stay in the top positions, and then of winning. Qualifying is our weakness. But the rules change at Nürburgring: one timed lap on Saturday and with a full tank for the first part of the race. I think we can limit the damage, which is good for us. We bring home positive feelings. Not only the fastest lap but the pace we managed to keep. When I was behind Räikkönen, I noticed I had the same pace as his McLaren".
Putting anger aside, Rubens Barrichello is satisfied with the F2005 performance as well:
"Unfortunately pitting took ages after the engine switched off. Soon after, I restarted but the speed limiter didn’t work and I got the drive-through penalty. This car hasn’t won yet but I’m sure it will. Our championship is not over yet".
The fight between the two Ferrari drivers does not bother Jean Todt, who is dealing with a different kind of problem.
"I’m not worried at all. Schumacher doesn’t like staying in the back. He wanted to gain a position and he did it. People are asking if Ferrari has seen the light at the end of the tunnel in Monte Carlo: I answer we don’t need light, but points. We must resolve the difficulties we have in qualifying and I hope we can do it quickly. There are still thirteen races left, we will try to find last year’s pace".
Brother against brother, here we go again. Involved in various disputes since they race in Formula 1 as rivals, Michael and Ralf have often found themselves battling on track. There has been strong controversy: when he was driving for Jordan and Williams, the younger of the Schumacher brothers used to be scolded by his team for not attacking the Ferrari driver seriously or for being overtaken too easily. But the Toyota driver fought back when the World Champion tried to overtake him on the finish line in Monaco. The two cars barely touched thanks to Ralf. But, as soon as he gets out of his car, Ralf Schumacher explodes, throwing heavy accusations at Michael:
"I don’t understand what he had in mind but he clearly turns off his brain from time to time. He was too aggressive and dangerous. We narrowly avoided a big impact. Thankfully it ended well. Three points are my prize".
Fernando Alonso wanted to be at least on the podium to go on with his positive streak. But he finished fourth, his worst result of this brilliant season.
"I experienced different emotions in the last laps. I was hoping to place in the top three but I was also afraid of not crossing the line, especially when I lapped Fisichella and saw his car’s conditions. Under these circumstances, I’m okay with five points".
The Renault driver, apart from Kimi Räikkönen, has found other competitors such as the Williams duo.
"I was not surprised. I know we can have different rivals every race. Worried? We’ll see. I only want to win the World Championship and I’ll give my all to do it".
Flavio Briatore gets philosophical:
"The others were better than us. We chose the wrong tyres".
Kimi Räikkönen expressing his feelings is as unusual as overtaking in Montecarlo. But for once Formula 1 gets it all: show on track, controversy off track, a winner that does not simply say:
"Great day, car was okay, good job from the mechanics, it was hard, the rivals were challenging".
He actually has more to say:
"I had Monaco 2003 in my head. I finished second behind Montoya (the Colombian was a Williams driver at the time, editor’s note). That day I swore I’d win in Monaco as well".
At the Monaco Grand Prix, he obtained the same result as in Spain: pole position and leader of the race the whole time. He missed the fastest lap both times, or it could have been a Grand Chelem. But a driver is mostly interested in points. He has got 27, while the first in the standings has got 49.
"The only critical moment has been the safety car deployment. I was told to pit and I answered: too late. There was no problem anyway. I needed a gap of 20 seconds from the driver behind to stop and get back on track as a leader. At first, I was pushing as hard as I could, but then I understood I didn’t have to give it all. So, I slowed down, but not too much or the tyres would cool down and driving would be harder".
From his story, it looks like he has raced The Dakar in a day. But since television footage exists, we know it is not like that. The driver himself admits it:
"It’s been an easy race overall, despite some minor issues. I think we have the best package right now, considering car and tyres. It was a good stage in our fight for the World Championship".
His optimism is justified:
"We were fast this weekend. The same in Barcelona, which is a fast circuit, and Imola, which has got different features. I see no reason why we shouldn’t be fast in every race from now on. McLaren is the best team in my opinion, but I prefer thinking race by race. Of course, I aim for the World Championship, but I focus on one Grand Prix at a time. Winning here is amazing, it was my dream. At the end of the day, I’m bringing home ten points, as it is for every win".
Kimi has very few flaws: he deeply understands the car, he is quick and, as a good Finn, he does not make mistakes for being too impulsive. Actually, he has some mistakes on his conscience caused by the high number of colourful buttons on a Formula 1 steering wheel. What happened in Melbourne was indeed his own fault: he could not start the race. Beyond that, he is also guilty of some youthful mistakes: he has been seen drunk countless times. Leaving Montecarlo, the Finn says:
"I’ll definitely celebrate tonight".
Meanwhile, he is fighting for the World Championship.
"The fastest car was seventh in Monte Carlo".
Scuderia Ferrari swears there is no paradox. Timing says Ferrari was two to four seconds faster than Fernando Alonso’s Renault and had at least the same pace as Kimi Räikkönen’s McLaren. Michael Schumacher set the fastest lap, although he got lapped after pitting because of an accident and he finished thirty seconds behind the winner - his rivals were slower than him and he was stuck in traffic.
"On a track like Nürburgring, where overtaking is easy, Michael would have finished fourth".
On Sunday, May 29, 2005, we will be racing at Nürburgring. In Germany, Ferrari wants to finally express its potential, which has not been possible so far because of qualifying or reliability problems. The team from Maranello is aiming to win. The European Grand Prix, held about thirty kilometres away from Kerpen, the hometown of the Schumacher family, is their last chance. Otherwise, they will not be fighting for the World Championship after five years in a row. Ferrari does well in the race; they know their problem is qualifying. Tyres are the main issue: worse than Michelin in the first kilometres but working fine during the race.
"If we struggle on Saturday, it’s because of Bridgestone tyres. But our supplier is also behind us when we gain positions on Sunday. They have great human and professional value and they played an important role in our achievements. Forgetting it would be bad".
Ferrari President, Luca Montezemolo, confirms their intention to be back on top:
"Having problems with the tyres won’t stop us from winning".
The new qualifying format seems to be appreciated. On Monday, May 23, 2005, the Federation officialises the fourth change in three years: a single qualifying session on Saturday, one flying lap with the fuel needed to start the race. The other session, with a low fuel load, is eliminated. Jean Todt observes:
"It won’t be a disadvantage".
The technical director, Ross Brawn, and his co-workers have already planned everything:
"We qualify with a lower fuel load to make up some positions. During the race, we will pit before the others so that the tyres improve meanwhile".
The quarrel between Barrichello and Schumacher has been put aside.
"Giving up is not my thing. This is no cliché, it’s just my way of being. I’m a fighter and I give my all until the end. It’s like a football match: it lasts 90 minutes but the result often changes in the last minutes or in the extra time".
The message he sends to his teammate sounds like:
"I don’t regret a thing".
One more observation: Fernando Alonso and his Renault were considered unbeatable until the San Marino Grand Prix. Now, it is the turn of Kimi Räikkönen and McLaren.
"The balance changes quickly, and soon it could be our moment".
On Tuesday, May 24, 2005, the tests begin again. Luca Badoer will be working on the tyres for two days in Fiorano, to get prepared for the extra-European appointments, in Canada and the US. TV ratings are in decline: in Italy, the Monaco Grand Prix commentary was followed by 7.698.000 (47.08% audience share) compared to over 10.000.000 in 2004.