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Robin a side-kick no more

Sun 26-09 2004

A ray of sunlight cast upon Shanghai, lighting up the impeccably designed circuit facilities. Jaws were dragging around the floor as journalist and team personal walked around the facilities, in awe of their surroundings, feeling like an ant on a football field. The scenery was just as good as the racing, and those same jaws were to hit the ground a few more times during the Grand Prix, as events which seemed impossible, proved possible.

Batman and his side-kick Robin were no longer side-by-side at the Chinese Grand Prix, as Batman Schumacher made a rare mistake during qualifying, being forced to start the race from pit-lane. But things got worse for Batman as the race went on. However, Robin Barrichello relished at the opportunity of not having to look out for Batman, taking pole position and the win. But the win didn’t come quite as easily as some would have thought.

The unmistakeable heat haze of a Formula One filled the air of Shanghai, with the sound of full revs filling the ears of over 150,000 people at the circuit. Rubens nailed the start quashing any ideas that Kimi Raikkonen had of an overtaking manoeuvre into the first corner. Once again Fernando Alonso in his sling-shot Renault made another blinder of a start, coming from 6th to 3rd by the first corner. On the other hand Olivier Panis went as quickly backwards as Alonso did forwards from his 8th place start, and by the first corner he was in second last place. Felipe Massa held his ground at the start, as Jenson Button dropped a few places. The early pace of the Sauber soon declined, dropping as far down as 10th come the first pit-stop. Just when the Sauber was slow, the BAR of Button was quick, pouncing on the Sauber and discarding it with ruthlessness. Whilst the other BAR was equally quick early on, but Takuma Sato was forced to start from the rear after an engine change.

Michael was galloping of in the distance, but in the wrong direction, as lap after lap the gap between him and the leader Rubens extended over two seconds a lap. But Kimi wasn’t galloping of in the wrong distance he was hot on the tail of Rubens and his scarlet Ferrari. The gap between the leading duo stayed constant throughout the early stages of the race, and right up until the first pit-stop.

Whilst Rubens and Kimi were going at a cracking pace, the Renault of Alonso could not keep up the pace continually dropping away. Button’s early pace was a little deceiving, as later on in the race jaws would drop in realization that Button was in fact on a two stopper. Returning champ Jacques Villenueve had a tough day at the office, battling with another former American driver, Juan Pablo Montoya in the early stages. Fellow Williams driver, Ralf Schumacher, proved he wasn’t a second hand Schue, flying in the early stages of the Grand Prix, challenging with the impressive Sauber of Giancarlo Fisichella for fourth place. Mark Webber was hustling the slow Massa, whilst defending Villeneuve around lap 10.

Martin Brundle described the circuit, as a ‘precision race track’, but Michael wasn’t listening and didn’t have any precision as he sailed into Klien in an over ambitious move. The two collided, Michael was in the wrong, but sadly Klien was denied justice, as he had to retire due to the clash of wheels. Michael’s side-kick had 100% precision, keeping Kimi at bay comfortably, even during the grainy phase of the Bridgestones, where they faded at certain stages of the race.

‘Honk if you think I am driving well’ was the translation on Ralf’s rear wing, according to James Allen. Well Michael didn’t give him a honk as he passed his brother he decided to give him a wave, whilst travelling over 300kmph. Waving to Ralf was the only wave Michael could give, as there was no waving on podium to the millions of fans that support him.

Button’s strategy was deceiving as many thought his slow mid race pace, was just due to lack of car speed, but it turned out that BAR were on a two stopper rather than a three stop strategy. This strategy played a crucial part of the race, as Button slotted in between Rubens and Kimi who were nose to tail, bemusing the McLaren squad, who found themselves in third place after travelling so close to Rubens throughout the race.

Just as the leading group were pushing hard, so was Jacques as he received a radio call from the team saying push, push, to pass Mark Webber for 10th place. Jacques pushed as hard as he could with his understeering Renault, but couldn’t pass the hard nut of Australian racing, Mark Webber. Oddly enough, Michael finished behind Jacques and in front of Nick Heidfield in his Jordan, who were all on the same lap. But Michael had started from pit-lane, had another rare spin and a punctured rear tire, but despite all this managed to post the fastest lap of the race on the final lap and only finishing one lap down.

With only a handful of laps to go, Kimi Raikkonen was closing in on Button, like a sports car closing down on a Datsun on the German auto-barn. It was a gripping finale to such a wonderful race, but Kimi couldn’t quite get there, finishing four tenths behind Button, and only one second behind the winner Rubens.

As soon as Rubens crosses the line, there was much jubilation, with Rubens celebrating the win, with an ecstatic Luca di Montezemolo congratulating Rubens in Italian, followed by comforting words from Ross Brawn. The podium celebrations showed how happy Rubens and Luca were in the Ferrari triumph. Now after being a side-kick for so long, Rubens finally strung two wins in a row for Ferrari, finishing ahead of Button and the fast finishing Kimi showing he can use his powers without Batman by his side.


Aaron Shaw
DailyF1news.com
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Categorieën: Jacques Villeneuve

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