European Grand Prix – Race Round-Up
WET AND WILD
Panasonic Toyota Racing left its home race at the Nürburgring
empty handed after a dramatic but disappointing European Grand
Prix. Jarno Trulli finished 13th but Ralf Schumacher’s
battle for points ended in retirement after a collision. At
the start, Jarno lined up 8th and Ralf 9th but rain on the
first lap triggered chaos, with several cars spinning off,
although both Toyota men drove carefully to stay on the track.
At the end of the first lap, Ralf pitted but was given wet
Bridgestone Potenza tyres on one side and grooved, dry tyres
on the other, costing him time as the problem was rectified.
Jarno also pitted twice in quick succession, losing time and
positions before the race was red-flagged after four laps.
After a 15-minute delay, the race restarted behind the safety
car for two laps and Jarno changed to wet tyres while Ralf
made up three places when racing resumed. But track conditions
were constantly changing and on lap 12 both switched to grooved
dry tyres. Ralf was soon in ninth and battling for the points
positions but his day came to an early end when Nick Heidfeld
collided with him at the last corner on lap 19. Jarno faced
an uphill struggle after losing time when his tyres were not
ready at his pit stop but, after a late rain shower, he finished
13th. The team’s next on-track engagement begins on
Tuesday with testing at Jerez.
Ralf Schumacher (Car 11, Chassis TF107/05)
Race Classification: DNF Tyres Used: Medium, Wet, Medium Qualifying
Classification: 9th Time: 1m 32.570s (+1.120s in Q3) Grid:
9th “Clearly that’s not the way I wanted to finish
my home race. It is very disappointing for the team because
we had an opportunity to score points. Even after the rain
and everything we were in a good position. We were quick,
as quick as the cars in front, so we could really have scored
some important points today. With the incident with Nick,
I made a little mistake in the corner before and he was able
to close up and then he made a move at the final corner and
we collided. In general he is a very fair driver but these
things happen in racing. It was a racing incident. It is clearly
a shame because we could have scored points. We had another
good weekend in qualifying and again we didn’t get the
result which is disappointing.”
Jarno Trulli (Car 12, Chassis TF107/04)
Race Classification: 13th Tyres Used: Medium, Wet, Extreme
Wet, Wet, Medium, Wet Qualifying Classification: 8th Time:
1m 32.501s (+1.051s in Q3) Grid: 8th “It was the kind
of race where I was always in the wrong place at the wrong
time, with the wrong decision at the wrong moments. You cannot
know what the weather will do, that is the problem. We took
a gamble several times and every time it was the wrong time
and things were happening. We had so much bad luck today,
I hope it all came at once and we will not have any more.
It was a really dramatic race in general because it was down
to the strategy, down to good luck - so many things that didn’t
work at all for me. I had a very good start and was running
fifth but that is racing in the rain, full of good and bad
surprises. What really hurt me was the beginning of the race
when there was a shower and there was a bigger shower on the
lap I came in. I was very unlucky because the red flag came
at the wrong time for me. In dry conditions I was quite competitive
and I was catching up the cars in front but we had some problem
at the pit stops. It was a race to forget.”
Tadashi Yamashina – Team Principal
“First we must analyse some faults that we faced during
today’s race. We had some problems in the garage work,
and also tyre preparations and how we utilise the weather
report. That is the only thing to say. The two drivers do
their best during this kind of weather conditions and I very
much appreciate that. Unfortunately Ralf had a collision and
Jarno got to the end. The two drivers did their best. We are
not sure of all the facts but we must analyse some causes
in order to strengthen our team for the future.”
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