Formula One news
Schumacher takes championship lead in China
01 October 2006 / Results / PhotosMichael Schumacher scooped his seventh win of the season, his first points in the Chinese Grand Prix ever, and crucially the lead in the drivers' championship in a completely unpredictable Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai. Alonso recovered from numerous set backs to salvage second place ahead of team mate Giancarlo Fisichella.
Conditions were perfect for Renault, the trap damp and greasy, but the rain had stopped falling. Alonso made a clean start as Fisichella defended his tail from the two Hondas. But early on the big mover was Kimi Raikkonen who passed Barrichello round the outside of turn one and was challenging Button. The Finn took third position from Button round the outside of the back straight and at the end of the first lap Alonso led Fisichella, Raikkonen, Button, Barrichello and Michael Schumacher.
Alonso was peerless early on, lapping more than a second-and-a-half-a-lap faster than anyone else early on - after four laps his lead over Fisichella was a massive six seconds. Michael Schumacher's car came alive on lap eight when he muscled past Rubens Barrichello for fifth and was matching Alonso's pace - albeit 22 seconds down the road.
The race took a twist on lap 14 when Raikkonen finally dispatched Fisichella for second place and immediately set a new fastest lap of the race, cutting Alonso's lead by half a second to 16 seconds. Meanwhile Michael Schumacher moved up to fourth, cruising past Jenson Button.
Raikkonen's hopes disappeared on lap 19 when his McLaren slowed and spluttered to a halt in the middle sector. Michael Schumacher meanwhile was up to third, and 0.6s behind Fisichella. The German pitted on lap 21 as Alonso and Fisichella set their new personal best laps. There was more drama at Renault though when suddenly the team's pit wall screens went blank. It didn't stop them bringing Alonso in on lap 22, however, and after a clean stop the championship leader was back on his way.
After the first round of stops Alonso led Fisichella, Schumacher and the two BMWs of Heidfeld and Kubica who were flying as the track dried on their one-stop strategy. Kubica pitted on lap 24 and was the first driver to risk switching to dry, grooved tyres but he was sliding all over the place and went off track, barely keeping it out of the wall. There was no option but to pit for intermediate tyres.
There was bad news for Alonso as he struggled so badly for grip and by lap 28 was just half a second ahead of Fisichella and Schumacher. At the end of lap 30 Fisichella went clean past Alonso leaving the Spaniard to fend off Schumacher on his own. It took Schumacher just two corners to get past and take second place.
Lap 35 Alonso pitted for dry tyres, but the team struggled to get the rear right tyre on, costing him another four seconds to Schumacher. By lap 39 Alonso was a second faster a lap than the leaders on the grooved tyres and Ferrari responded instantly pulling Schumacher into the pits. Fisichella pitted on the next lap and despite emerging comfortably ahead of the Ferrari, lost it completely in the first corner and let Schumacher just waltz through into the lead.
The game was not up for Alonso though and the championship leader was on an absolute charge in the final fifteen laps, cutting into Michael Schumacher's lead by over a second a lap. Alonso passed his team mate on lap 47 and two backmarkers in the space of the back straight such was his determination.
Despite Alonso's best efforts in the final laps, Michael Schumacher cruised home to his 91st career Grand Prix victory and his seventh of the season. Schumacher draws level with Alonso on points, but takes the championship lead for the first time courtesy of his seven race wins to Alonso's six. Fisichella brought the second Renault home in third place, giving his team the lead in the constructors' championship again.
Penultimate corner drama saw Button snatch fourth having cornered Nick Heidfeld behind a Super Aguri. The BMW ended up dropping right down to seventh behind de la Rosa and Barrichello in a startling final twist to the Chinese Grand Prix. Mark Webber got back into the points for Williams in eighth, taking the final available point.
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