By pitpass.com (18/05/2003)
May 18 2003

Although rain has been predicted its looks very much as though we'll be lucky - or unlucky, depending on your perspective - and we'll have a dry race. Although the weather might not produce the scintillating race we might have hoped for you can be sure that the start is going to be electric. If Max and Bernie had actually physically decided the grid placings they couldn't have come up with anything better than this. Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen side by side on the front row ahead of Montoya, with Alonso, Coulthard, Webber and Villeneuve all well down the grid. We know that the first two corners are notorious here so we could be in for some argy-bargy.

Birthday boy Heinz-Harald Frentzen will be hoping to add to his points tally however starting from fifteenth we wouldn't bet on it.

Jos Verstappen starts from the back of the grid however just moments before the cars set off on the warm-up came the news that Alonso and Webber would start from the pitlane. To compound his problems the Spaniard will start in the spare car.

Other than the first couple of corners the big question is fuel strategy, who's going for three stops and who's going for two?

As the tension builds to a crescendo.. it's a false start. The right hand side of the grid pulls away following Raikkonen, Schumacher doesn't move an inch on his side of the grid and like obedient schoolchildren the cars behind follow his example and remain stationary. The problem is with Cristiano da Matta who has stalled his Toyota, the Brazilian will now go to the back of the grid.

The race will now consist of 70 laps rather than 71.

The cars head off for their second warm-up lap, will they get away second time around?

Once again the start is aborted as da Matta again appears to have a problem. Most of the grid remains stationary however Trulli and Pizzonia are lucky not to run into the back of Heidfeld.

The big concern now is overheating.. the cars have now gone through two formation laps and two aborted starts.

The race will now consist of 69 laps, another 68 aborted starts and Schumacher will have won.

As the cars head off for the third warm-up lap Frentzen fails to get away, a lousy birthday present for the popular German.

A good start from Schumacher sees the German lead the field into Turn 1, no problems as Montoya slots in behind the Ferrari and Raikkonen slips to third.

Jos Verstappen pulls off to the side of the track, the Dutchman just getting a few yards off the grid.

Schumacher leads from Montoya, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Pizzonia, Trulli, Button, Ralf and Fisichella.

Halfway through the second lap the safety car is brought out as the marshals attempt to move Verstappen's stricken Minardi. Panis takes the opportunity to pit for fuel, a good tactical move. Justin Wilson stops for fuel next time around.

At the end of lap 4 the safety car pulls off, Montoya is right behind Schumacher as the German guns it, he tries a move as they go into Turn 1 but it's not possible.

Schumacher leads from Montoya, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Pizzonia, Trulli, Button, Ralf and Fisichella.

Schumacher is setting a blistering pace posting fastest times in all sectors and posting a fastest lap of 1:09.910, stretching his lead to 202s.

Panis' race is over, a rotten weekend for the Frenchman, indeed a poor season for the Toyota driver.

Barrichello is all over Raikkonen, the Ferrari driver keen to join his team-mate up front.

After eight laps Schumacher leads by 3.8s, further back Coulthard is running in thirteenth with Alonso fifteenth.

There are waved yellows in the second sector - following Panis' retirement - Schumacher sets best time in the first sector and appears very quick in the second, will the stewards question whether he ignored the waved yellows?

Trulli is all over Pizzonia, who is having a great race, while Ralf is all over the back of Button, Coulthard and Firman are also having a great scrap.

1:09.593, another fastest lap from Schumacher who is now 5.7s clear of the Colombian, Raikkonen in turn is 2.4s behind the WilliamsF1 with Barrichello in hot pursuit.

Mark Webber gets ten second stop and go penalty for parc ferme irregularities, which means the Jaguar must have done some work on his car. Naughty boys.

Meanwhile it appears to have started raining, however like Spa it's only on one part of the circuit.

Heidfeld stops but he stick with dry tyres as Schumacher continues to set fastest lap after fastest lap, he's now got it down to 1:09.212.

It's raining in the pitlane as Pizzonia and Firman both stop, however both drivers stick with dries.

The red and yellow flag comes out, the rain is falling harder.

Schumacher's times are tumbling he's now running at 1:10.656. Ralf Schumacher pits at what seems the perfect time to change tyres however he sticks with grooved tyres.

Trulli spins but recovers however loses places to both Button and Villeneuve.

This mild mayhem has allowed Coulthard to move up through the field, the Scot is now hunting down Trulli. Meanwhile Montoya is closing down on Schumacher whose lead is now down to 3.8s.

Seventeen laps completed and Schumacher leads from Montoya, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Button, Villeneuve, Coulthard, da Matta, Trulli and Alonso. At this point everyone other than the first seven has stopped.

Pizzonia goes very wide but is able to continue as Barrichello sets best time of day in sector two. At the end of lap 20 Montoya pits, he's out again in 8.8s, the Colombian rejoining behind Villeneuve. Coulthard also pits.

Schumacher stays out and posts another fastest lap as Barrichello has a nightmare 19.8 pitstop, the Ferrari crew having problems with the fuel hose.

1:08.933 another fastest lap for Schumacher as Villeneuve pits. Raikkonen is in second 9.4s behind Schumacher who pits at the end of lap 23. Another problematic pitstop as the hose again proves 'difficult', suddenly there are flames pouring from the Ferrari, thankfully the mechanic put out the fire and the German is able to continue. As around him his mechanics panic the German sits there quite calmly.

So anyway.. Montoya now leads Raikkonen by 2.9s with Schumacher third, another 4s down the road. Fourth is Button followed by Barrichello, Alonso, Ralf, Heidfeld, Wilson and Fisichella.

Schumacher closes on Raikkonen as Montoya pulls away slowly, but surely.

Alonso is having a stunning race, he started from the pitlane but is now running in sixth right behind Barrichello, though he has yet to make a pit stop.

Behind the top ten, Coulthard is running in eleventh ahead of Webber, Firman, Trulli, Pizzonia, da Matta and Wilson.

As Raikkonen and Schumacher 'slug it out' Montoya continues to pulls away, his lead now up to 4.1s. Button is 11s behind the German however he's attracting the attention of Barrichello.

At the end of lap 30 Webber makes his first 'proper' pitstop of the weekend, as Montoya's engine blows 'big time'. Meanwhile Schumacher has got past Raikkonen and leaves the Finn 'for dead' as he storms off into the distance. However the German didn't get all the fuel he needed at his stop so he probably needs to make two stops, time will tell.

Montoya nurses his car back to the pits as Schumacher moves 2.6s ahead of Raikkonen. This of course moves Button up to third however Barrichello continues to shadow him at very close quarters.

At a time when BMW is voicing its concerns at WilliamsF1's performance, it will be interesting to see what they have to say about Montoya's 'problem', which might have cost him the win.

Barrichello finally 'nails' Button and disappears into the distance, while Alonso - still to stop - is on the tail of the Englishman.

1:08.617 a new lap record from Schumacher, this guy isn't hanging about.

At the end of lap 37 Alonso finally pits, he's out in 9.8s despite a minor problem. Meanwhile Coulthard has passed Heidfeld who appears to have a misfire. Another fastest lap from Schumacher 1:08.577.

After 38 laps it's Schumacher from Raikkonen, Barrichello, Button, Ralf, Alonso, Villeneuve, Coulthard, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Firman and Pizzonia. Heidfeld pits and despite the fact that his car sounds awful he goes back out again.

1:08.337 another lap record for Schumacher as the Ferrari crew gets ready for a stop, but who will it be? He sets a best time in sector one then heads to the pits where he's stationary for 12.3s.

Raikkonen now leads with Barrichello 15.6s down the road and Schumacher a further 5.3s behind the Brazilian.

Raikkonen should be going for lap record times in order to build a cushion, but he's not. Meanwhile Ralf - who is another quiet Sunday - makes his second stop of the day.

1:09.664 is the best that Raikkonen can muster, he needs to find more speed, but can he?

Alonso's race is over, the Spaniard spinning off at the top of the hill at Turn 1, Coulthard, Schumacher and Raikkonen all go wide, the Renault has clearly dropped oil on the track.

Due to the oil hazard times have dropped considerably, Raikkonen now leads by 11.6s with Schumacher a further 8.7s behind.

At the end of lap 47 Button, running fifth, pits, the English youngster is having a great race.

Kimi leads from Barrichello, Schumacher, Villeneuve, Coulthard, Button, Ralf, Webber, Trulli and Pizzonia.

Next time around Raikkonen pits, the Finn is stationary for 8.8s, exiting behind Schumacher in third.

Villeneuve pits and promptly stalls as Barrichello makes his final stop of the race, he's out in 11s, while Villeneuve is still stranded outside his garage. Nick Heidfeld has finally retired the second Sauber.

Schumacher leads Raikkonen by 8.2s with Barrichello a further 9.5s behind, Villeneuve's calamitous pitstop has dropped the Canadian to thirteenth, whereas he looked to be heading for fifth or sixth.

Behind the first three Button is fourth ahead of Ralf, Coulthard, Webber, Trulli, Pizzonia, Fisichella, da Matta, Firman, Villeneuve and Wilson.

At the end of lap 47 Webber makes his second scheduled pit stop.

Trulli is under pressure from Pizzonia while Fisichella is getting close attention from da Matta, awhile Firman is closing on the Toyota.

Michael has stretched his lead to 9.5s while Barrichello is only 4.2s behind the Finn. Elsewhere Ralf gets it very wrong which allows Coulthard through to take fifth.

Special mention must go to Justin Wilson who though running lat is only two laps behind Schumacher, and if you think we're being facetious we're not, this is a great steady drive from the Englishman.

Barrichello is now only 3s behind Raikkonen, can Ferrari make it another 1-2? Will Schumacher pull over to give his team-mate the win?

Pizzonia and Trulli are having a titanic battle for eighth, the last point available.

Barrichello closes in remorselessly and seemingly there's nothing that Raikkonen can do about it.

Fisichella pulls off at the top of the hill at Turn 2, retiring from tenth with a fuel pressure problem. Fisi's retirement will allow Firman (hopefully) to close on da Matta.

Barrichello is right behind Raikkonen as Schumacher continues to pull away, he's now 9.7s up the road.

On lap 67 Barrichello makes his move but Raikkonen defends his position, they're side by side but the McLaren driver has the racing line.

'The Iceman' withstands the pressure and there's nothing that Barrichello and the F2003-GA can do about it, as a result Kimi keeps his championship lead, for another fortnight.

As in qualifying yesterday Michael Schumacher staged a remarkable recovery in today's race, certainly one of the strongest performances of his career and a perfect antidote to the bad taste left after last year's farce.

Sad that the BMW power-plant wrecked Juan Pablo's dream though would he really have been able to hold off the German?

A strong drive from Raikkonen who was under enormous pressure from Barrichello, in a better, the mistake that cost him his maiden win in France last year now seems a lifetime ago.

A superb drive from Button though Villeneuve, having finally found some reliability, will be kicking himself for stalling the car at his final pit stop.

If Schumacher's recovery was superb so too was David Coulthard's while commiserations must go to Fernando Alonso who drove a superb race until his engine let him down.

Another 'lazy Sunday' from Ralf while Mark Webber drove a brilliant race to grab two points for seventh, let's not forget that the Aussie had a stop and go penalty. Trulli took the final point, which is a lot less than Renault hoped for, while Antonio Pizzonia was unlucky not to grab his first world Championship point.

The new McLaren breaks cover this week and should make its race debut next month in Canada, this won't be a moment too soon for Kimi and David, nor indeed F1, for with three consecutive wins, Michael Schumacher looks to be heading towards his sixth title.

Would you bet against him?


This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with pemrission.