Chinese Grand Prix: 16 October

iveco SG

Race Track: Shanghai International Circuit

Location: Shanghai

Raceday: Sunday, 16 October 2005

Time: 1400 (race)[local time]

2004 winner: Rubens Barrichello

The Shanghai International Circuit was designed as the race circuit for the new millennium. The modern track, with its stunning architecture, has been planned as China's gateway to the world of Formula One racing.

Circuit architects Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl on their creation: The 5.4 kilometre racing track is shaped like the Chinese character 'shang', which stands for 'high' or 'above'. Other symbols represented in the architecture originate from Chinese history, such as the team buildings arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai. Here, nature and technology are carefully used to create harmony between the elements.

Not only will the course be remarkable for its change of acceleration and deceleration in different winding turns, but also for its high-speed straights making high demands on the driver as well as the car. This should offer many opportunities for overtaking and give an intense and exciting motorsport experience to the spectators. The Main Grandstand with 29,000 seats provides a spectacular view of almost 80 percent of the circuit one of the new features in race track design realised in Shanghai.

iveco SG

Macca led the way in this morning's practice:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points

1 35 Pedro de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes 1:32.834

2 38 Ricardo Zonta Toyota 1:32.977

3 9 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.092

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.226

5 10 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.541

6 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:34.618

7 6 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:34.932

8 7 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 1:35.035

9 3 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:35.072

10 12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:35.196

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 1:35.201

12 37 Vitantonio Liuzzi Red Bull Racing 1:35.306

13 4 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:35.397

14 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:35.567

15 15 Christian Klien Red Bull Racing 1:35.613

16 8 Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW 1:35.709

17 11 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas 1:35.894

18 17 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:36.051

19 16 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:36.079

20 39 Nicolas Kiesa Jordan-Toyota 1:36.644

21 20 Robert Doornbos Minardi-Cosworth 1:36.993

22 21 Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth 1:37.173

23 18 Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota 1:37.435

24 19 Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota 1:37.467

Kuali Baba SG

Renault have locked out the front row of the grid. Kimi Räikkönen (3rd) and Juan Pablo Montoya (5th) are split by Jenson Button.

iveco SG

Yes Kuali, they certainly have. Anyway, here are the full results from the qualifier:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points

1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:34.080

2 6 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:34.401

3 9 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:34.488

4 3 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:34.801

5 10 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.188

6 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:35.301

7 14 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 1:35.428

8 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:35.610

9 17 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:35.723

10 7 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 1:35.739

11 12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:35.898

12 16 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:36.044

13 8 Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW 1:36.445

14 15 Christian Klien Red Bull Racing 1:36.472

15 19 Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota 1:36.707

16 11 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas 1:36.788

17 4 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:37.083

18 21 Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth 1:39.105

19 18 Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota 1:39.233

20 20 Robert Doornbos Minardi-Cosworth 1:39.460

ditzy SG

Schumacher spins out at lap 34, a safety car lap. That's the end of him this season. Laughing

Montoya is out coz his front right tyre ran over an exposed draining grate. Same problem took out Winterbottom's V8 earlier this year when v8 went to shanghai.

ditzy SG

27/56, the other jordon smashes into a wall, half the car disintegrates. Driver is ok. Track is real messy, safety car out again. Laughing

Guess what?! Its the indian driver for jordon. boofcukinghoo.

ditzy SG

They have yet to determine the cause of the crash, could be another drain grate. Safety car is out, race is back in progress. Laughing

ditzy SG

22/56, sato is out of the race. Car loses power and rolls to a halt. Laughing

ditzy SG

Fisechella loses podium position because of a drive thru penalty. Laughing

hmsg SG

good riddance that ferrari's season is finally over....

they will probably pour tons of money into developing next season's car and test every single day till season starts...

Kuali Baba SG

Mercedes-Ilmor, BMW and Cosworth could theoretically make good V8s next season, owing to their experience.

dragg SG

unlucky for mcclaren mercedes to lose the constructors championship because of a debris.

ditzy SG

It was Mclauren's complaint that caused Fisechella to lose one position to podium if not for that penalty drive thru. Laughing

dragg SG

today's race is lousy. it was all about fischella blocking everyone so alonso can speed away.

to me mercedes and kimi should be the winner.

maybe next year....

ditzy SG

F1 is about race strategy, and that was good blocking strategy. Laughing

Gedanken SG

Hot damn - after the 1980 fiasco, it's time Renault finally won a WCC. Well done!

Once again, McLaren have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Since the death of Paul Morgan, the team's never been the same. Sad

SBS9828X SG

cool... drain cover on track har? Laughing

iveco SG

Results from the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points

1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 56 1:39:53.618 1 10

2 9 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 56 +4.0 secs 3 8

3 17 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 56 +25.3 secs 9 6

4 6 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 56 +26.1 secs 2 5

5 15 Christian Klien Red Bull Racing 56 +31.8 secs 14 4

6 12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 56 +36.4 secs 11 3

7 7 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 56 +36.8 secs 10 2

8 3 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 56 +41.2 secs 4 1

9 14 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 56 +44.2 secs 7

10 11 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas 56 +59.9 secs 16

11 18 Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota 56 +84.6 secs 19

12 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 56 +92.8 secs 8

13 8 Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW 55 Puncture 13

14 20 Robert Doornbos Minardi-Cosworth 55 +1 Lap 20

15 16 Jarno Trulli Toyota 55 +1 Lap 12

16 21 Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth 50 +5 Laps 18

Ret 4 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 34 Gearbox 17

Ret 19 Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota 28 Accident 15

Ret 10 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 24 Engine 5

Ret 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 22 Spin 6

Fastest Lap: Kimi Räikkönen 1:33.242

Final Drivers' standings:

Pos Driver Nationality Team Points

1 Fernando Alonso Spanish Renault 133

2 Kimi Räikkönen Finnish McLaren-Mercedes 112

3 Michael Schumacher German Ferrari 62

4 Juan Pablo Montoya Colombian McLaren-Mercedes 60

5 Giancarlo Fisichella Italian Renault 58

6 Ralf Schumacher German Toyota 45

7 Jarno Trulli Italian Toyota 43

8 Rubens Barrichello Brazilian Ferrari 38

9 Jenson Button British BAR-Honda 37

10 Mark Webber Australian Williams-BMW 36

11 Nick Heidfeld German Williams-BMW 28

12 David Coulthard British Red Bull Racing 24

13 Felipe Massa Brazilian Sauber-Petronas 11

14 Jacques Villeneuve Canadian Sauber-Petronas 9

15 Christian Klien Austrian Red Bull Racing 9

16 Tiago Monteiro Portuguese Jordan-Toyota 7

17 Alexander Wurz Austrian McLaren-Mercedes 6

18 Narain Karthikeyan Indian Jordan-Toyota 5

19 Christijan Albers Dutch Minardi-Cosworth 4

20 Pedro de la Rosa Spanish McLaren-Mercedes 4

21 Patrick Friesacher Austrian Minardi-Cosworth 3

22 Antonio Pizzonia Brazilian Williams-BMW 2

23 Takuma Sato Japanese BAR-Honda 1

24 Vitantonio Liuzzi Italian Red Bull Racing 1

Final Constructors' standings:

1 Renault 191

2 McLaren-Mercedes 182

3 Ferrari 100

4 Toyota 88

5 Williams-BMW 66

6 BAR-Honda 38

7 Red Bull Racing 34

8 Sauber-Petronas 20

9 Jordan-Toyota 12

10 Minardi-Cosworth 7

iveco SG

Ah well, at least Renault were made to fight until the last race for the constructor's title. In previous seasons, Ferrari ran off with it well before the season was over.