Montoya puts McLaren on top

Surging ahead

A brilliant performance from a podium hungry Columbian followed by an angry Spaniard caught unawares as early as the second curve of the race tailed by a super-charged albeit unlucky Finn peppered by a few promising jousts in the peleton sums up the happenings at Silverstone 2005.

Alonso set the tracks ablaze on Saturday, taking pole position ahead of a frustrated Kimi Raikkonen, whose race weekend started with a blown engine. Thanks to the new regulations, he would start from P12 instead of P2 for no fault of his. Montoya mustered third, ensuring that there was ample help for Raikkonen at the top once he was done with the formalities. Button was as surprised as anybody else, managing to come in fourth. Narain Karthikeyan managed 17^th again, heading the rookie line-up for Silverstone, the erstwhile Jordan’s home venue.

The race was supposed to start after the drivers and the one hundred thousand strong crowds were supposed to hold a minute of silence. But as it happened, nobody was sure of when exactly the moment of mourning began, with Bernie Ecclestone, the promoter of F1 looking insulted when an engine was fired during the minute of “silence”. A sham, clearly indicative of the attitude of these paddock pimps in recent years. Later in the day, Britain held a moment of silence in salutation of the heroes she lost to World War II. Sixty years down the line the killing has not stopped yet.

Race day started with Sato managing to get his car stuck in gear at the end of the warm-up lap. He later rejoined the race after a long bout at the pits. Nonetheless, the race was underway and Alonso sped off into Copse, but Montoya managed to stay abreast of him into Maggots and emerged the winner after Beckets. At the back of the pack, Raikkonen had a blistering start, into ninth even before the first curve. At the end of the second lap, the safety car pulled off, with Montoya leading the pack ahead of Alonso, Button, Barrichello, Fisichella, Trulli, Schumacher senior and Raikkonen.

Thereafter, it was a display of power from the cars either in silver and black or blue and yellow, as Alonso and Montoya pulled off from the rest of the pack, each answering the others challenge with a faster lap. Trulli, as in France held up the rest of the pack, much to the dismay of Michael Schumacher and Raikkonen. Meanwhile, Narain retired his race after a mechanical failure on lap 10.

The first of the big cars to hit the pits was the Ferrari of Barrichello, who was clearly on a three-stop strategy with a lightning quick pit stop that would help him stay clear of the fuel-reds for a mere 11 laps. Button pits, followed by Trulli, much to the relief of Raikkonen who manages a few quick laps ahead of a pit stop. Montoya pits on the twenty-third and Alonso on twenty-fourth. Raikkonen pitted on the twenty-sixth lap, joining ahead of Michael Schumacher. Old horse Villeneuve managed to sneak ahead of David Coulthard, the two stallions locked up in a battle that reminded the old timers of the jousts they had in the mid-late 90’s.

With Barrichello’s poor strategy aiding him, Raikkonen surged ahead, closing in on the Briton with every lap, as the front-runners were caught up with the back markers. Clearly, this was the most brilliant piece of racing in the day so far. With Button and Trulli pitting, Raikkonen posted yet another blistering lap time. Montoya pitted, joining the pack ahead of Button and behind his teammate who was yet to hit the pits. Alonso was caught up behind Trulli the mobile chicane, as Fissichella found an advantage to pit. However, a stall on the pits ensured that the Finn would emerge the winner for the last place on the podium.

Thanks to the mind-blowing speed of the McLaren’s and the brilliant pit-strategists, the boys managed to finish one-three, with a Renault between them. The Renault’s managed a two-four, with a McLaren between them. This is as close as a Constructor fight can get. Button later agreed later that fifth was honestly the best he could hope for, conceding that the McLaren’s and the Renault’s were in an altogether different league.

Another dreadful weekend for the Scuderia outfit, with their drivers managing a six-seven situation. Schumacher’s worst Silverstone weekend, with the German finishing outside the first four for the first time in fourteen races. Clearly, no matter how brilliant Michael Schumacher might be, no matter how quick Ross Brawn’s pit-wall mind might be and no matter how hard Jean Todt works, a 2005 title dream will never materialize. All the Maranello marauders might be thinking about is the 2006 season and how they can ambush the mind-blowing McLaren’s and the rocketing Renault’s.

Williams F1 shares a similar fate, with their machines failing to deliver yet again. Their drivers just managed to stay ahead of a couple of raging Red-bulls, a defunct BAR, an unimpressive Jordan and a couple of Minardi’s. The Toyota’s whose season started with stellar performances from both their drivers share a similar fate, with the Japanese team on a downward slope since Catalunya.

A piece of humorous (humiliating) race gossip - Bob McKenzie, yours truly, did take to the 3.22-mile track in his birthday suit. Following the Woking team’s poor start to the 2004 season, the F1 journalist was harsh enough to write them off for the season. But a change of fortunes fired by the introduction of a “B” spec chassis saw Kimi wipe out competition at the Belgian Spa. Ron Dennis, commenting on the incident, said that, “McLaren only won once last year – but once was enough. A bet is a bet”. In the process McKenzie raised money for the baby charity Tommy’s, which is supported by Dennis. “I will put up £1 for every minute on the track or a minimum £100, just to add financial pain to my physical agonies,” Bob said.

A couple of weeks rest for the bystanders, as the Formula One juggernaut rolls on into Germany for the second time this season. Raikkonen sans his ill luck would still be the favorite and Alonso, holding the key to Michael’s F1 kingdom would be his archrival. My heart goes out to Kimi Raikkonen, who, with no places at stake set a fastest lap on lap sixty, even as his teammate took the chequered flag. Montoya, who has now proved to Ron Dennis that Ron now has two race-winners, would be looking forward to make it two in a row.

All set for the Huns to holler at Hockenheim!