from www.itv-f1.com:
ALONSO BEATS SCHU IN CLASSIC DESERT DUEL
Last Updated: Sunday, 12, March, 2006, 15:11
Fernando Alonso began his title defence in the best possible
fashion with a superbly judged victory in the season-opening
Bahrain Grand Prix.
But, unlike the early races of last year, the Spaniard didnt have
things his own way not by a long shot.
Instead he was made to work hard all afternoon by seven-time world
champion Michael Schumacher, whose pace signalled a major Ferrari
revival this year.
The old maestro and the sports youngest ever champion fought a
pressure-laden race-long duel, the outcome of which was decided
when Alonso emerged from his final pit stops just metres in
front.
On an afternoon full of stellar performances, one of the best came
from Kimi Raikkonen, who charged through from the back of the grid
to claim the final podium spot.
The McLaren driver just held off a rampaging Jenson Button, who
gave a magnificent exhibition of overtaking as he fought to make
amends for a poor start.
From third on the grid the Briton was left standing when the lights
went out and lost three places into the first corner.
Schumacher got away well from pole but his hopes that team-mate
Felipe Massa might act as his rear gunner were soon dashed when
Alonso outmanoeuvred the Brazilian at turn four.
McLarens Juan Pablo Montoya ran fourth while Button spent the
first few laps trading fifth with Honda team-mate Rubens
Barrichello before settling the matter on lap four.
Massas Ferrari debut went sour on lap eight when he spun under
braking for the first corner and very nearly took Alonso with
him.
When he pitted to change his flat-spotted tyres at the end of the
lap, the Ferrari mechanics had to scramble to replace a defective
air gun and he was stationary for an agonising 47 seconds.
Now fully into his stride, Button closed in on Montoya and pulled
off a superbly opportunistic outbraking move at turn one to snatch
third place.
Meanwhile Schumacher slowly but surely extended his lead over
Alonso, stretching the margin to six seconds before triggering the
first round of pit stops on lap 15.
As expected, Alonsos Renault had more fuel on board and did not
have to stop for another four laps.
But, whereas last year that would have given him a clear advantage,
enabling him to pump in a series of fliers on a low fuel load, the
return of tyre changing this season has disrupted that neat
equation.
Sure enough, the extra grip afforded by Schumachers new
Bridgestone tyres offset Alonsos lower fuel load and the Spaniard
was not able to make any real inroads, emerging from the pits still
around four seconds adrift of the leading Ferrari.
Once he was back up to speed, however, Alonso began to lop great
chunks off that margin and by lap 26 the protagonists were
nose-to-tail.
As ever, catching proved easier than getting past and, unable to
break through the Ferraris turbulent air, Alonso bided his time in
the hope that he could leapfrog Schumacher at the next round of pit
stops.
Absorbing as the lead battle was, there were tight scraps all the
way down the leader board as the Sakhir circuit afforded some
thrilling passing and re-passing.
Button had to pass Montoya a second time after losing out at the
first pit stop exchange, once again getting the job done with a
skilful piece of outbraking at turn one.
Raikkonen, though, had moved ahead of both of them thanks to
prodigious pace and a one-stop fuel strategy.
Despite carrying a ton weight of fuel in the back of his McLaren,
the Finn had scythed through the field in the opening laps and,
although he briefly fell to sixth, he reclaimed third when the pit
stop cycle played out.
Meanwhile the drama was building at the front of the field.
When Schumacher peeled into the pits on lap 37, the Renault team
told Alonso over the radio: These are the winning laps,
mate.
But, just when he needed a clear road to capitalise on his superior
speed, Alonso found the track littered with traffic.
Frustrated at the lack of blue move over flags, Alonso kept up
his rhythm as best he could and hoped that his cushion would hold
when he pitted two laps after his rival.
It did just although it took a muscular move at the first
corner to keep the Ferrari at bay.
Schumacher didnt yield the lead easily, but Alonso had track
position turning into the first corner and seized his chance.
The Ferrari loomed large in his mirrors all the way to the
chequered flag, but Alonso had the situation covered.
On the slow-down lap he dedicated his win to his Renault pit crew,
who pulled out all the stops at the races critical juncture.
Behind Raikkonen and Button, Montoya came home fifth ahead of Mark
Webbers Williams.
Meanwhile Webbers team-mate Nico Rosberg had a sensational debut,
overcoming an early spin and unscheduled pit stop to claw his way
back to seventh.
Remarkably, the 20-year-old German set the fastest lap of anybody
as he carved his way back up the lap chart!
Christian Klien gave Red Bull Racing some cheer by bringing the
hitherto unreliable RB2 in the final points-paying position.
Bahrain Grand Prix results - 57 laps
1. ALONSO Renault 57 laps
2. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari +1.2s
3. RAIKKONEN McLaren +19.3s
4. BUTTON BAR +19.9s
5. MONTOYA McLaren +37.0s
6. WEBBER Williams +41.9s
7. ROSBERG Williams +1m03.0s
8. KLIEN Red Bull +1m06.7s
9. COULTHARD Red Bull +1m09.9s
10. MASSA Ferrari +1m15.5s
11. LIUZZI Toro Rosso +1m25.9s
12. HEIDFELD BMW +1 lap
13. SPEED Toro Rosso +1 lap
14. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota +1 lap
15. BARRICHELLO BAR +1 lap
16. TRULLI Toyota +1 lap
17. MONTEIRO Midland +2 laps
18. SATO Super Aguri +4 laps
R. IDE Super Aguri +22 laps
R. VILLENEUVE BMW +28 laps
R. FISICHELLA Renault +36 laps
R. ALBERS Midland +39 laps
