Juan Pablo Montoya Wins 2005 Brazilian GP, Fernando Alonso Clinches Title

Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen scored McLaren’s first one-two finish since 2000 and moved into the lead in the Constructors’ championship but it was third placed Fernando Alonso who made the headlines in today’s Brazilian Grand Prix. Alonso clinched the Drivers’ World Championship title and in so doing became both the first Spaniard and the youngest driver ever to do so.

Although out of contention for any of this season’s titles — except perhaps for most unimproved team — Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello took fourth and sixth places to help keep Ferrari out of Toyota’s clutches.

Splitting the Ferraris was Giancarlo Fisichella scoring more valuable team points for Renault in fifth as they chase McLaren and aim for the title double.

Complete GP of Brazil results.

Posted: Sunday, September 25th, 2005

Kimi Raikkonen Wins 2005 Belgian GP

Kimi Raikkonen won today’s Belgian Grand Prix but points leader Fernando Alonso was right behind him in second and carries a comfortable 25 point lead into the last three races of the season. It is still mathematically possible for Raikkonen to win the championship but it would take some incredibly good luck for the Finn and he hasn’t had much of that this year.

Jenson Button took third place for BAR and it now looks as if he will be able to stay with them next year after his contractual obligations to Williams have been sorted out.

Unlike the drivers’ competition, the constructors’ title is still wide open with Renault a mere six points in front of McLaren. Juan Pablo Montoya started from the pole and looked like he would be able to swing the lead in McLaren’s favour until he was knocked out of the lead — and the points — by Antonio Pizzonia with only a handful of laps left to run.

Complete GP of Belgium results.

Posted: Sunday, September 11th, 2005

Red Bull Buys Minardi

Red Bull announced today that they will take ownership of the Minardi team on November 1, 2005 and will run two independent Formula 1 teams starting next season.

The second team, possibly to be called “Red Bull Team USA” at some point in the future, will act as a farm team to develop the graduates of their driver search program.

Of course, this also gives Red Bull twice the number of votes in future decisions.

Posted: Saturday, September 10th, 2005

Juan Pablo Montoya Wins 2005 Italian GP

Juan Pablo Montoya won today’s Italian Grand Prix from pole position but it was his McLaren teammate Kimi Raikkonen who had been the fastest qualifier.

Unfortunately for Kimi he had to change engines before qualifying and so he knew that wherever he qualified he would be moved back 10 grid positions for the race. Under the circumstances he qualified with a heavy fuel load and his fastest lap was nothing short of amazing. Starting from 11th Raikkonen looked like he might just be able to pull off a two stop strategy compared to the usual three stops at Monza but, as usual, he had even more bad luck and had to make an extra pit stop to have a delaminating right rear tyre replaced. Raikkonen eventually finished a credible fourth.

Montoya also suffered tyre problems but, with just a few laps to go, he decided to tough it out and made it to the flag without incident.

The Renaults of Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella split the McLarens and took the other two podium positions.

For the record, not counting the six-car farce at this year’s USGP, this was the first race since the 1981 Dutch GP where all of the field finished the event.

Complete GP of Italy results.

Posted: Sunday, September 4th, 2005