Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro scored the second highest number of points in Sunday’s European Grand Prix held in sunny weather at the Nurburgring. Leader Kimi Raikkonen’s last lap retirement with broken front suspension elevated Rubens Barrichello to third place behind Fernando Alonso and Nick Heidfeld, while Michael Schumacher claimed fifth place for the Italian team.

At the start of the 59 lap race – shortened by a lap after Giancarlo Fisichella stalled on the grid – Raikkonen leaped straight into the lead from poleman Heidfeld while Trulli slotted into third place. But on Trulli’s left as he went into the right hand first corner, Juan Pablo Montoya turned across Mark Webber’s Williams-BMW, causing chaos. Barrichello’s Ferrari was hit, as was Alonso’s Renault, while Michael Schumacher lost four places, Webber was put out altogether and both Ralf Schumacher and Takuma Sato had to pit for repairs.

So Raikkonen completed lap one 1.9s in the lead from Heidfeld who was 2.3s ahead of Trulli, tailed by Coulthard (who had gained eight places in the first lap chaos), Alonso (up one place), Felipe Massa (up five places), Liuzzi (up seven places) and Button (up five places). Barrichello was next while behind the two Jordans came Villeneuve, Montoya and Michael Schumacher.

In the opening stages Raikkonen opened up a small, two second gap to Heidfeld, but it was never bigger than 2.3s. However, the Williams driver was easily pulling away from Trulli tailed by Coulthard and Alonso, until the Toyota driver suffered a drive-through penalty because his mechanics were late leaving the grid.

On lap 11, the three-stopping Barrichello pitted, followed a lap later by Heidfeld who rejoined fourth behind Raikkonen, Coulthard and Alonso, but ahead of Massa, before a gap to Liuzzi pushed by Montoya who made good early progress. Trulli was next from Michael Schumacher, before Button pushed by Fisichella. On lap 18, Raikkonen made his first stop as did Trulli, while Massa, Liuzzi and Montoya made a stop a lap later, the latter two changing places. Coulthard and Michael Schumacher stopped on lap 20.

Alonso made his first stop on lap 23, as did Coulthard (for a drive-through penalty for speeding) and Button. After these stops, Raikkonen’s lead over Alonso was four seconds, but the lighter Alonso eased closer up to half distance when he made his second stop. The pair were 15s clear of Alonso who was being caught by Barrichello in fourth. Coulthard came next from Massa who had eased away from Michael Schumacher, who in turn had pulled away from Montoya. Alonso and Barrichello both stopped for the second time around half distance, so Raikkonen’s lead was now around 15s over Alonso, with the heavy Heidfeld falling away in third place, and being gained on by Barrichello. Coulthard was next from Massa and Michael Schumacher.

The final round of pit stops began on lap 44 with Massa, followed by Montoya and Trulli a lap later. Alonso went off at the Dunlop Kurve a lap later and lost five seconds, as Michael and Button stopped. Over the next four laps, Alonso, Coulthard, Barrichello and finally Heidfeld and Fisichella all stopped. Montoya also went off the road briefly.

Raikkonen led Alonso now by 7.4s but the McLaren driver was suffering bad vibration from his flat-spotted right tyre. He steadily lost time but worse was that it was damaging his suspension. As he braked for the first corner of the very last lap, 1.5s ahead of Alonso, his right front suspension broke and he slid out of the race.
 

Alonso therefore claimed the win from Heidfeld in second who was being closed on by Barrichello. Coulthard was fourth from Michael Schumacher who was another to have an off-course excursion. Fisichella came through for sixth, from Montoya and Trulli who claimed the final points.

Jean Todt : “This was a very difficult race. In the chaos after the start, we ran the risk of seeing both our cars out of the race and, at the end of the first lap, Rubens was ninth and Michael fourteenth. We had to fight from start to finish. Rubens, who had chosen an aggressive strategy based on three stops, drove a great race, managing to get on the podium, after the leader retired on the final lap. Michael, who had opted for two pit stops, finished fifth. Obviously, these are not the results we aspire to, but at the moment, we have to settle for what we can get. If we cannot get near the front of the grid, then it is hard to win the race. This race marks the start of the second third of a long season. We know we still have a lot of work to do along with Bridgestone to get back on top and we will do that with our characteristic determination and methodical approach. I am convinced that we will soon succeed. These ten points are the result of a great job from our drivers and the entire team.”

Rubens Barrichello : “This has been a lively weekend! I think that starting seventh and finishing third is very good. At the start I came alongside Alonso and then two cars cut across in front of me, forcing me to go left before I could turn right. I lost a lot of time, but after that I was able to push hard and make the most of my three stop strategy. My race set-up was very good. Everyone in the team and back in the factory is doing a fantastic job right now. The car was very reliable, the engine strong and the tyres were great. I feel we are coming back to where we should be and hopefully, we can start winning races soon.”

Michael Schumacher : “Before the start, I might have predicted a fifth place finish, but I thought it might be easier to come by. Today, my race pace was not as good as usual. We know what we have to do, which is to keep on working hard, on all areas of the car. When I went off the track, it was because I suddenly got more understeer than usual and once off the clean line there was no way to keep on the track, but even without that incident, I don’t think I could have caught Coulthard. At least Rubens’ result shows that we are moving in the right direction. I feel sorry for Kimi as it is a bitter experience to have something like that happen so close to the finish.”

Ross Brawn : “It was a frustrating start to the race because of what happened at the first corner. Considering that at the end of that lap we were last and close to last, I think we had a fantastic race. Rubens was very good and drove a great race. Michael had a two stop strategy which meant he obviously had a heavier fuel load. I think this led to his tyres being a bit “difficult” in the closing stages. Possibly the balance on his car was not quite so good either. Rubens was on a three stop, which meant less stress on the tyres and his were very good. He had race winning pace today. Unfortunately, problems on the first lap meant we could not exploit that fully.”

Rubens Barrichello: 3rd +18.549 59 laps chassis 246; Michael Schumacher: 5th +50.445 59 laps chassis 245; Temperatures: air 25°C, track 36/35°C