Chinese GP 2005: Alonso wins, Renault clinch the constructors' title

At the 2005 season finale at the Shanghai International Circuit, Fernando Alonso converted pole position into victory and led all 56 laps. Kimi Räikkönen finished second for McLaren, with Ralf Schumacher third for Toyota. Two Safety Car periods decided the day. Alonso's win and fourth place for Giancarlo Fisichella gave Renault the constructors' championship ahead of McLaren. You'll find all times and positions on our race page for the 2005 Chinese GP.

The trouble began before the start. On the way to the grid, Michael Schumacher collided with the Minardi of Christijan Albers. According to Wikipedia, Schumacher had moved left in front of the faster Albers. Both cars were badly damaged, so both drivers started from the pit lane, apparently in their spare cars. Schumacher had originally qualified sixth and Albers 18th. After the race, the stewards gave Schumacher a reprimand.

Alonso made the best getaway and, according to grandprix.com, was two seconds clear of his team-mate Fisichella after the opening lap. Fisichella had kept the McLarens behind him from second on the grid. Juan Pablo Montoya got past Jenson Button at the first corner. Takuma Sato in the BAR jumped the start and had to serve a drive-through penalty. From then on, Alonso pulled away from everyone: according to grandprix.com, his lead grew from six seconds on lap 5 to 15.7 seconds on lap 15.

On lap 17, Montoya ran over a loose drain cover at the exit of the final corner. According to grandprix.com it damaged one of his tyres, and crash.net says the floor was damaged too. The Safety Car came out so the marshals could clear the debris, wiping out Alonso's entire lead. Almost the whole field used the neutralisation to make a pit stop. Montoya had to pit twice and dropped to 14th. According to crash.net, the Safety Car stayed out for almost a quarter of an hour.

Michael Schumacher spun off behind the Safety Car, ending his season after 20 laps. Montoya retired after 24 laps. The official cause was engine failure, while crash.net reported rising engine temperatures. That left McLaren's constructors' title hopes resting on Räikkönen alone.

Alonso led again at the restart, with Räikkönen right on Fisichella's tail. According to grandprix.com, Narain Karthikeyan then crashed his Jordan at high speed on lap 29. Crash.net says his tyres were still cold. His car slid back across the track and scattered debris, and Jacques Villeneuve only just avoided the Jordan. The official record for the Indian reads "Accident" after 28 laps.

The Safety Car came out a second time, and this period settled the rest of the podium. Most drivers pitted again, and Räikkönen got past Fisichella at this stage. Toyota, Red Bull and Sauber, on the other hand, kept Ralf Schumacher, Christian Klien and Felipe Massa out and gained track position. According to grandprix.com, Ralf Schumacher was second on lap 40, three seconds behind Alonso, followed by Massa, Klien, Räikkönen and Fisichella. They did not have enough fuel to reach the flag, though: Massa stopped on lap 44, Klien on lap 45 and Ralf Schumacher on lap 46. The Toyota driver rejoined in fourth.

The finish was bitter for Fisichella. According to grandprix.com, he received a drive-through penalty on lap 52 for holding up the field during the pit stops under the second Safety Car. Crash.net describes the charge as illegally bunching up the field. The Italian dropped from third to fourth and, according to crash.net, crossed the line just 0.7 seconds behind Ralf Schumacher. That put Toyota on the podium.

At the front, Alonso built up a lead again after the final restart. According to grandprix.com, he was 11.8 seconds ahead of Räikkönen on lap 50. Crash.net puts the gap at the flag at only around four seconds. Räikkönen set the fastest lap of the race, which Wikipedia lists as a 1:33.242 on the final lap. According to Wikipedia, it was his tenth fastest lap of the season, equalling a record. For Alonso, according to crash.net, it was his seventh win of the season.

Winners of the day:

• Christian Klien: The Austrian gained nine places from 14th on the grid, more than anyone else, and finished fifth. According to Wikipedia, it was the best result of his career so far.
• Ralf Schumacher: He went from ninth on the grid to the podium (six places gained) and moved ahead of his team-mate Jarno Trulli in the championship. Trulli finished 15th, a lap down.
• Felipe Massa finished sixth from eleventh on the grid, while Tiago Monteiro gained eight places in the Jordan from 19th on the grid to finish eleventh.
• Mark Webber (Williams) took two points in seventh, and Button took one in eighth. According to crash.net, Webber, Button and David Coulthard had been stuck behind Rubens Barrichello during a crucial Safety Car period.

Losers of the day:

• Michael Schumacher and Montoya: Both lost 14 places and retired.
• Rubens Barrichello: According to grandprix.com, the Ferrari driver lost two places after a lock-up and needed a new front-left tyre on lap 46. He finished only twelfth.
• Other retirements: Sato retired with gearbox failure after 34 laps. Albers went out after 50 laps with a wheel nut problem. Antônio Pizzonia suffered a puncture after 55 laps, and Robert Doornbos ran out of fuel shortly before the end. Both were still classified, in 13th and 14th.

Alonso had already wrapped up the drivers' championship before Shanghai. He finished the season on 133 points, ahead of Räikkönen (112) and Michael Schumacher (62), with Montoya on 60 and Fisichella on 58 points behind them. The constructors' fight went down to the wire: Renault scored 15 points in China and McLaren eight. Renault finished on 191 points, ahead of McLaren on 182. Ferrari were third with 100 points and Toyota fourth with 88. You can find the full 2005 championship standings on our site.

For Renault it was a first constructors' title and so completed the double of drivers' and constructors' crowns. Shanghai was also a farewell: according to Wikipedia, BAR, Minardi and Jordan contested their last race under those names here. In hindsight: according to Wikipedia, Alonso's win would remain the last for a car with a V10 engine and a six-speed gearbox.