Turkish GP, Sunday - 27 AUG 2006
Formula One enjoyed another spectacular afternoon today in
Turkey, following on from the thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix
three weeks ago.
The sweeping Istanbul Park circuit was the stage for a dramatic
head-to-head duel between the two contenders for the 2006
World Drivers' Championship. After fifteen intense laps in
which Fernando Alonso held off the attacks of Michael Schumacher,
the reigning world champion prevailed – and extended
his championship lead by two points, to a total of twelve
with four races remaining.
The Renault F1 Team's Turkish Grand Prix revolved around
two key moments: the run to the first corner, and the safety
car period on lap thirteen. The first corner put paid to Giancarlo
Fisichella's chances of a better result, when the Italian
spun his R26 as he braked to avoid team-mate Fernando Alonso.
After pitting for a nose change and converting to a one-stop
strategy, the Italian began a dynamic climb back through the
field to eventually finish sixth.
Fernando Alonso was running third, behind the two Ferraris,
when Tonio Liuzzi's stranded Toro Rosso brought out the safety
car. With the Ferrari team-mates obliged to queue in the pits,
Massa pitting ahead of Schumacher, Fernando was able to emerge
ahead of Michael Schumacher. He then diligently built a nine
second gap, aided by a mistake from Schumacher, that meant
he emerged from the second stop ahead of the German. After
that, it was a race to the flag.
The Renault F1 Team retains leads in both world championships,
with just four races remaining. Fernando Alonso leads the
drivers' title by twelve points, while the Renault F1 Team
now possesses a slender two point lead as they begin testing
for the final races of the year this week in Monza.
Fernando Alonso, 2nd position
We were a long way from Ferrari on Friday and during qualifying,
but we were confident that it would improve – and we
showed that we were right to be confident. It was a normal
race, pushing to the limit, until the third stint when it
was all about track position, not just speed. I knew that
Michael only had two chances to overtake, in turn 12 and turn
14. That meant I could use the engine to get a bigger gap
at those places by turning it up to maximum revs on the straights
before, and It was enough to keep second place. I think this
afternoon also showed that we needed something more to fight
with Ferrari for the win, but I am very optimistic for these
last races. Monza will probably be the hardest one to win,
looking at the characteristics of the Ferrari car. But everybody
at Renault, and our partners at Michelin and Elf, is very
focused on those four races – and I am confident we
can find what we need to win again. Today was a good step
forward for my chances in the championship, and we are expecting
more good days between now and the end of the season.
Giancarlo Fisichella, 6th position
In the end, it was a good race for me and I showed today that
I was quick, and the car was too. I got a good start and was
close to the guys in front. Michael was weaving quite a lot
on the track, and the other drivers were having to avoid him.
I braked quite late, but there was the risk of a collision
with Fernando, so I braked even harder which locked the rears
and put me in a spin. After the pit-stop to replace the nose,
it was a case of pushing hard and making up as many positions
as I could. The safety car helped but I overtook a lot of
people out there this afternoon. We did some very long stints
on the tyres with a one-stop strategy, and they held up really
well. Our performance was closer to Ferrari today than in
qualifying, and I think we can be reasonably confident for
the next races. Of course, the next Grand Prix is in Monza
– my home race, in the middle of a big battle with Ferrari.
We are still leading the championships, and we need to build
the gap in the coming weeks.
Flavio Briatore, Managing Director
This was a fantastic day for the team. We didn't have the
performance to beat Ferrari in a straight fight, but the events
of the race helped us – and we seized every opportunity,
with no mistakes. Fernando drove like a champion, soaking
up the pressure and opening the gap in the championship again.
Giancarlo put in a strong drive after a tough opening lap,
and brought home valuable points. Overall, this has been a
good day for the Renault team and we are still leading both
championships. Now, we need to push hard in testing this week
and race from the front in Monza.
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering
What a fabulous race. Fernando's result hinged on the first
stop under the Safety Car, and the tyre behaviour in the second
stint. We gained an advantage on both fronts, and we could
see that Fernando would be able to keep the gap at the final
stop – but also that he would have to defend hard from
that point on. He did the impeccable job we are used to, and
this second place feels as good as a victory would at most
races. We must not forget to congratulate Giancarlo today,
who put in a fantastic drive. He put himself off at Turn 1
to ensure that he did not collide with Fernando, which was
a very sporting move. After that, his drive from the back
of the field on a one-stop strategy was a pleasure to watch.
The race this afternoon severely tested the tyres, with a
demanding circuit and track temperatures well into the 50s.
The Michelins held up beautifully, allowing Fernando to hold
off Michael and letting Fisi run a successful one-stop strategy.
We are now emerging from the test ban, and we have plenty
of new ideas to be tested at Monza next week – both
on the tyre front, and on the car as well. I expect the battle
to go down to the wire, and we will be fighting hard to come
out on top.
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