Alonso Again!
"Giancarlo, Fernando is two seconds a lap faster than you. I know you have a little understeer issue, but this is just not possible....get going!"
That was the radio call that went out to Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella as he was struggling to keep pace during the
Australian Grand Prix, site of round three of this year's Formula 1 World Championship. It also went out over the airwaves, as it was part of the television broadcast - not exactly the message you want to have broadcast to the world.
Fisi's teammate, current World Champion, Fernando Alonso went on to win, ahead of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Toyota's Ralf Schumacher.
That being said it was one of the weirdest weekends in Formula 1's recent history... dare I say it: Formula 1 gets more exciting with every event.
Most of the action brought a smile to my face. My favourite whipping boy, Honda's Rubens Barrichello got ousted in the first qualifying session (smile #1 - Rubens, how does that Ferrari ride look now?). Adding insult to injury was that his teammate, Jenson Button, took the pole - his first of the year (frown #1).
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who is even doing television ads now, had a great qualifying session and would have started 8th (smile #2) but an engine change made him start 18th. Even still, JV had a great race, finished in
the points in sixth - but it could have been different. Villeneuve got some luck when he stopped as the safety car came out - for the fourth time - and then rocketed out of the pits. The thinking was, if he could make it around while the others stopped, he could well vault himself up the order. It didn't work out as planned, but it was very, very close. Had JV made it to his pit some five seconds earlier, he would have likely came out in a position to challenge for a podium place.
Ferrari went home with three, yes, three wrecked cars. Two courtesy of Felipe Massa - one in qualifying, one on the first lap of the race - who basically managed to destroy two in two laps - how would you like to get that bill? Michael Schumacher took care of the third one, but the difference was Schumacher's was clearly caused by him pushing 11/10ths and it just got away from him. Massa's first was a result of clouting a curb and off he went, and the second he ran into the back of Nico Rosberg
at the first corner, ending the talented Finnish-born German's weekend in the process.
American Scott Speed was in a position to prove a solid point. In the dying laps, he was ahead of Red Bull #1 team driver David Coulthard, and DC's radio traffic said he 'HAD' to pass Speed, in order to save the whole team a little embarrassment. DC couldn't get the job done, but Speed managed to do the job for him.
It seems the FIA took a dim view of Speed's pass on DC under yellow, and they called Mr. Speed to the office for a little talk after the race - apparently that didn't go to well. In an earlier column I pointed out that Mr. Speed can be a little, well, arrogant, and most Formula 1 drivers know that taking that kind of tone with the FIA is not an acceptable action. Speed has just found that out as he was penalized 25 seconds - taking
away his first F1 points - and earned himself a $5000 penalty for 'verbal abuse to officials'. So, DC got the points, Speed got an etiquette lesson (maybe), and all is right within the Red Bull world.
Alonso still looks like he'll take the throne again this year, as he can always race to the front in his reliable and fast Renault.
Finally, the biggest smile for me, which actually was closer to a gloat, was reserved for the performance of the Honda boys. Barrichello spend much of the race behind the Super Aguri - yes the 2003 Arrows show car from the Melbourne airport - which must be hugely embarrassing, and Button, who had the pole, slowly moved backwards all race, keep myself and him in a tie for career Formula 1 wins - we both have none. On the final corner, Button's Honda blew up (okay, I came off the couch on that one) and where did it stop - about 100 feet from the finish line right in front of the Williams pit... justice is a wonderful thing.
"Giancarlo, Fernando is two seconds a lap faster than you. I know you have a little understeer issue, but this is just not possible....get going!"
That was the radio call that went out to Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella as he was struggling to keep pace during the
 |
| Alonso wins again! (Photo: Renault F1) |
Fisi's teammate, current World Champion, Fernando Alonso went on to win, ahead of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Toyota's Ralf Schumacher.
That being said it was one of the weirdest weekends in Formula 1's recent history... dare I say it: Formula 1 gets more exciting with every event.
Most of the action brought a smile to my face. My favourite whipping boy, Honda's Rubens Barrichello got ousted in the first qualifying session (smile #1 - Rubens, how does that Ferrari ride look now?). Adding insult to injury was that his teammate, Jenson Button, took the pole - his first of the year (frown #1).
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who is even doing television ads now, had a great qualifying session and would have started 8th (smile #2) but an engine change made him start 18th. Even still, JV had a great race, finished in
 |
| JV had a great race, finishing in the points in sixth despite starting the race in 18th due to an engine change. (Photo: BMW Sauber F1) |
Ferrari went home with three, yes, three wrecked cars. Two courtesy of Felipe Massa - one in qualifying, one on the first lap of the race - who basically managed to destroy two in two laps - how would you like to get that bill? Michael Schumacher took care of the third one, but the difference was Schumacher's was clearly caused by him pushing 11/10ths and it just got away from him. Massa's first was a result of clouting a curb and off he went, and the second he ran into the back of Nico Rosberg
 |
| The FIA took a dim view of Scott Speed's pass on DC under yellow, stripping the American driver of his 8th place finish and single point. (Photo: Red Bull Racing F1) |
American Scott Speed was in a position to prove a solid point. In the dying laps, he was ahead of Red Bull #1 team driver David Coulthard, and DC's radio traffic said he 'HAD' to pass Speed, in order to save the whole team a little embarrassment. DC couldn't get the job done, but Speed managed to do the job for him.
It seems the FIA took a dim view of Speed's pass on DC under yellow, and they called Mr. Speed to the office for a little talk after the race - apparently that didn't go to well. In an earlier column I pointed out that Mr. Speed can be a little, well, arrogant, and most Formula 1 drivers know that taking that kind of tone with the FIA is not an acceptable action. Speed has just found that out as he was penalized 25 seconds - taking
 |
| Alonso still looks like he'll take the throne again this year, as he can always race to the front in his reliable and fast Renault. (Photo: Glenn Dubar, LAT Photographic) |
Alonso still looks like he'll take the throne again this year, as he can always race to the front in his reliable and fast Renault.
Finally, the biggest smile for me, which actually was closer to a gloat, was reserved for the performance of the Honda boys. Barrichello spend much of the race behind the Super Aguri - yes the 2003 Arrows show car from the Melbourne airport - which must be hugely embarrassing, and Button, who had the pole, slowly moved backwards all race, keep myself and him in a tie for career Formula 1 wins - we both have none. On the final corner, Button's Honda blew up (okay, I came off the couch on that one) and where did it stop - about 100 feet from the finish line right in front of the Williams pit... justice is a wonderful thing.