2005 French GP: Alonso cruises to victory, Räikkönen charges through

At the 2005 French GP at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Fernando Alonso took a completely unchallenged win for Renault. He started from pole position and led all 70 laps. Second place went to Kimi Räikkönen in the McLaren, even though an engine change meant he only started from grid position 13. Michael Schumacher completed the podium for Ferrari. The race was effectively decided in the opening laps: a queue formed behind Alonso, and he was able to pull away undisturbed.

Alonso got away cleanly in the summer heat. According to Wikipedia, the sun was out, with an air temperature of 32 °C and a track temperature of 53 °C. Behind him, Jarno Trulli in the Toyota defended his second grid position against Schumacher through the first corners. That suited Alonso perfectly, as the Toyota held up all of his challengers. After two laps the Spaniard was already almost three seconds clear, and after four laps the gap was 5.5 seconds, according to Auto Bild.

Rubens Barrichello in the second Ferrari got past Takuma Sato in the BAR early on and moved up to fourth. Schumacher was stuck behind Trulli until the first pit stop. According to grandprix.com, both pitted on lap 17, and only there did Schumacher get ahead of the Toyota. By the time Alonso came in for his first stop, he already had a lead of almost 30 seconds. His lead was never in danger.

The most exciting story of the day unfolded in the midfield. On Friday, the new-specification Mercedes V10 had blown up in Räikkönen's McLaren. The engine change brought a ten-place grid penalty, dropping him from third in qualifying to grid position 13. On the opening lap alone he passed Mark Webber and Ralf Schumacher, followed by Jacques Villeneuve. According to Auto Bild, he was then stuck behind the Sauber of Felipe Massa for a long time.

Strategy made the difference. Räikkönen was carrying a lot of fuel and did not make his first stop until lap 28. According to grandprix.com, he stopped only twice, on laps 28 and 55. Alonso stopped three times, as did Schumacher. On lap 25, Räikkönen set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:16.423. After his stop he rejoined ahead of his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya had refuelled on lap 25 and was running third at that point, ahead of Schumacher.

But even Räikkönen could not get to Alonso. After the Spaniard's second stop the gap was still 14 seconds, and at the flag it was 11.805 seconds. Schumacher crossed the line 1:21.914 behind the winner. Grandprix.com nonetheless called Räikkönen “the man of the race” and the McLaren the faster car.

The retirement with the biggest consequences hit McLaren. Montoya had climbed from eighth on the grid to third, but then slowed and parked his car after 46 laps. His retirement is officially recorded as an engine failure. With that, the chance of two McLarens on the podium was gone.

The other retirements:

• Christian Klien (Red Bull): out after just 1 lap due to a lack of fuel pressure.
• Felipe Massa (Sauber): hydraulic failure after 30 laps.
• Patrick Friesacher (Minardi): tyre failure after 33 laps.
• Christijan Albers (Minardi): also a tyre failure, after 37 laps.

According to grandprix.com, missing valve caps were the likely reason both Minardis retired with tyre failures.

Räikkönen made the biggest jump, gaining eleven places. Tiago Monteiro in the Jordan gained six places to finish thirteenth, while David Coulthard in the Red Bull gained five to finish tenth. It was an important day for BAR: Jenson Button went from seventh on the grid to fourth and scored the team's first points of the season. He was, however, a lap down. According to Wikipedia, Alonso lapped him eight laps from the end.

At the other end of the scale was Sato. He had started fourth on the grid, went off the track twice according to grandprix.com and finished only eleventh. Barrichello dropped from fifth on the grid to ninth. Trulli salvaged fifth place after starting second. Giancarlo Fisichella stalled the second Renault at his final stop on lap 58, losing time and positions, and finished sixth. According to grandprix.com, Nick Heidfeld in the Williams struggled with a car that was difficult to drive, probably due to a differential problem. He had to pit six times and finished only fourteenth.

With his fifth win of the season, Alonso extended his lead in the 2005 standings. He now had 69 points, Räikkönen 45 and Michael Schumacher 40. According to Auto Bild, Räikkönen still saw the positives: he had only lost two points. Trulli moved up to fourth on 31 points, ahead of Barrichello (29). In the constructors' standings, Renault led with 89 points ahead of McLaren (71) and Ferrari (69).

For Renault it was a home win in front of new group CEO Carlos Ghosn, who was at the track according to grandprix.com. For tyre supplier Michelin, too, Sunday brought some redemption after the problems at Indianapolis two weeks earlier. For Ferrari, on the other hand, the race showed just how big the deficit was. According to Auto Bild, Schumacher said his car was too slow compared with Renault and McLaren. You can find the results of every race of the season in our overview. Next up was the 2005 British GP at Silverstone.