Month: March 2006

Giancarlo Fisichella finally avenged the misfortune that has dogged him for more than a year by scoring the third win of his grand prix career in Malaysia on Sunday (March 12th).

The Italian started from pole position and drove a near-flawless race to withstand challenges from Honda’s Jenson Button and Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso.

The world champion eventually leapfrogged Button to seal Renault’s first 1-2 as a constructor since the 1982 French Grand Prix and cement its status as the team to beat in 2006.

Even though Fernando was handicapped in qualifying by starting the race with a heavy fuel load (there was a problem with the refuelling rig), it was a great performance by the Spanaird to finish second and extend his championship over his rivals.

Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher had to start the race from 14th position after an engine change and finished the race behind his team-mate, Felipe Massa, in sixth.

As for Kimi Raikkonen? The luckluss Finn had to retire on the first lap when his McLaren was hit from behind by Christian Klien at the preceding corner and with broken rear suspension he was a passenger as his McLaren veered off the road at 130mph.

But it was a good day for Jacques Villenueve (BMW Sauber) and Ralf Schumacher (Toyota) who scored their first points with seventh and eighth respectively.

A good race for Renault and we will see if the French team can keep up with its impressive start to the season in Melbourne in two weeks time.

The opening round of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship was great with plenty of racing action.

The Bahrain Grand Prix was a contest between the champions of the past and present – Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher – who both fought out a tense duel which resulted in victory for the Spaniard by only 1.246s.

Michael Schumacher’s pace signalled a major Ferrari revival this year, after the bitter disappointment of last year’s campaign. The 248 is competitive and this allow the German to fight for wins.

Michael came close to winning in today’s race (March 12th) but lost out – just – by Fernando and the excellent Renault team. It was very exciting as the Renault came out of the pits alongside the Ferrari into turn 1. Fernando edged out Michael and the race was won in a matter of inches!

Great team work by the Renault F1 team and even Fernando dedicated his latest victory to the winning organisation.

In third place, McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen drove an excellent race from 22nd position. The Finn held off Jenson Button, who gave a magnificent exhibition of overtaking as he fought to make amends from a poor start.

But the star of the race was Nico Rosberg. After a clash with BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld in the first corner on the opening lap, he pitted for brief repairs, losing 45 seconds, and then staged a superb recovery drive to seventh. On the way he twice set the fastest lap, leaving it at 1m 32.408s. Impressive!

“And it’s go, go, go!” The new F1 season is upon us. And with new rules, new drivers, teams and the return of tyre changing, this 18-race calendar will become the most exciting and unpredictable championship for quite a while. Walking Leaf brings you the low down in this year’s Formula One World Championship.
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