Auto-Racing @ MieNet: Details Worthy of Note in the Formula One 2004 Season: GP of France

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Worthy of Note in France

The French Podium was particularly joyful:

Despite Renault's likely frustration for failing to win their home race, and one which Alonso had started from P1, the Spaniard looked still quite pleased with his P2, as it put an end to the streak of bad luck he had already declared himself more than ready to get rid of;

M.Schumacher, in turn, was proud of the bold four-stop strategy with which he and the Ferrari Team had just amazed everyone, and which will certainly make its way to F1's history books; and

Barrichello was delighted that his combative, bold racing, had earned him P3 out of his initial P10 line-up, after he had to miss out the first Qualifying Session due to a car failure.

So, the three drivers on the Podium raised their trophies with an enthusiasm that is certainly contagious and pleases the crowds, before engaging in a no less spirited spray battle. (Pun of course intended.

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Race details follow below.

Fernando Alonso's pole in France was his third in Formula One. On both previous dates when Renault's young Spaniard conquered the pole position, he also added his name to F1's history books.

The first time, in the 2003 Malaysian GP, it was the pole obtained by the youngest driver, ever.

Whereas the second was in the last Hungarian GP (2003), which Alonso led from start to finish, to become the youngest F1 winner, ever.

Interestingly, Alonso's third F1 career pole will also make a special entry in the history books, though for quite different reasons:

Renault's last pole at their home race had been 20 years ago, when Alonso was still a toddler! It was Patrick Tambay who had claimed Renault's last pole, in the 1984 GP of France, then taking place in Dijon.

A hydraulic problem in Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari prevented him from leaving the pitlane for his first qualifying run. So, the Brazilian had to be the first man on track, for the second Qualifying Section. Could his qualifying time suggest that he will be starting the race on a heavy fuel load?... Or was it simply a consequence of the little grip the first to run is known to find?...

Barrichello's P10 is his second worst place on the Grid, since he has been with Ferrari. The worst of all was P18 in Germany, 2000, interestingly, the GP where the Brazilian conquered his first F1 career victory.

In contrast, Marc Gené has managed in France the second best place on the Grid, in his F1 career: P8. His best ever was P5, in last year's Italian GP (2003), when he also deputized for R.Schumacher (who did not race on that Sunday due to a concussion resulting from a heavy stunt he had suffered while practicing in Monza, during that week).

The Williams-BMW Team, which managed to earn just a single point in France, with Juan Pablo Montoya, has been going through one of their lowest phases: in their last six races, they have earned no more than ten points, in other words, the same number of points that Michael Schumacher has consistently scored per GP, except in Monaco.

The Grove Team managed to earn just three points in Spain, five in Monaco, one in both Nürbürgring and in Magny-Cours, and none in either Canada or the U.S.. (Get a quick overview of all Drivers' and Teams' points per race here.)
The Williams-BMW Team quite unusually now trails Ferrari by 121 points!

In contrast, the McLaren-Mercedes Team, which debuted their MP4-19B in France, seems to be working itself out of the disappointing period they have all endured lately. Now, for the third time, this Season, both their cars have finished in the points – however modestly, if compared to what they used to in better days. (See here a bird's eye view of the Season.)

David Coulthard's P3, it must be added, was his best place on the Grid, this Season. Before the introduction of the MP4-19B, the Scot's best place on the starting Grid had been P8, in Monaco.

The Ferrari Team, in turn, has been enjoying their most successful Season thus far. Their points tally is currently twice that of second place

Renault! Not only has

M.Schumacher won 9 out of 10 races, but also

Barrichello has finished all 10 races in the points, 8 of which on the Podium (6 second place finishes)!

Of course, in France, only by miracle they would have achieved their fourth one-two in a row (see here Ferrari's impressive mark, this Season): for while M.Schumacher started from P2, R.Barrichello (who had to miss the first Qualifying Session – see above) started from as far back as P10.

But Ferrari's one-three, in France, could hardly be called less remarkable. The Team offered a real show of strategy (four stops, instead of three), which managed to provide

M.Schumacher the needed ingredients to go after the P1 that did not seem possible to take from Alonso merely on the track, whereas

Barrichello, in turn, offered the fans a display of racing just like in the good ol' F1 days, pushing throughout with determination, patience and daring, consistently gaining positions from the start, finally to steal P3 from Trulli on the second last turn, on a bold move!

Though there may be complaints that Ferrari's frequent wins make the championship uninteresting, in this GP of France, the Ferrari drivers and Team certainly contributed to much of the excitement going on throughout the race, with

M.Schumacher's four-stop strategy pulled out of Ferrari's hat, to amaze every one, and to be added to F1's history books (never before had a driver won a GP using a four-stop strategy), along with

Barrichello's excellent, combative racing till the final flag, and on a track that is considered tough to overtake.

Barrichello's effort was both so intense and so rewarding that, as the Brazilian crossed the finish line, he punched the air many times, in joyful celebration, just as if he had won the GP! Certainly, to change a P10 start into a P3 finish, out of one's own effort and good drive, must be far more rewarding than, for example, an easy win from flag to flag – even if it cannot be equitably rewarded in points.

To be 100% fair, Montoya's spin should be mentioned as the single "favor" the Brazilian was granted from his lucky star – though it should also be added, in name of the same fairness, that Barrichello was getting closer and closer to the Colombian, when the latter spun, and could have found his way past, as he did with Button and Trulli.

As to Ferrari's one-two finishes (six so far – see here), the Italian Team has a chance of maintaining the 'every other race' average, in England, next week, though the Team anticipates this will be a tough race, where they expect strong opposition.

Can Ferrari maintain the trend?...

M.Schumacher claimed his 60^th victory for Ferrari, and his 79^th F1 career win (the remaining 19 were for Benetton). This Sunday's victory extends the German's feat from Canada now also to France: Schumacher is the only driver to have won the same GP seven times. (See here)

Today's victory was his seventh in France: 1994 & 1995 for Benetton, and 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 & 2004 for Ferrari.

This victory, the 9^th this Season, equals M.Schumacher's 1995, 2000 & 2001, number of wins: in each of these Seasons he won 9 GP's. As there are still 8 GP's to be raced in the current Season, M.Schumacher is likely to match his own 2002 record of 11 victories in one Season, and possibly surpass this remarkable figure!

Barrichello continues with his impressive streak of points finish. The Brazilian's P3 was his 11^th consecutive GP finish in the points, now earning him a respectable place alongside two three-time World Champions: Brazilian fellow Nelson Piquet and Austrian Niki Lauda (see here).

Among all drivers lining up in 2004, Barrichello can now boast the longest points-finish streak to his name – after M.Schumacher, of course, whose record of straight points finish looks unbeatable. See details here.

Takuma Sato, in turn, who enjoyed such a successful performance in the GP of the USA, has now managed a mark that he will no doubt be unhappy about: during the French GP, the Japanese driver suffered his sixth motor failure of the Season. Speculation may thus once more follow as to why it is always his motor, and not his team-mate's, the one to fail... Are both drivers always equipped with precisely the same motor version?... Would the failures be related to driving style?... Would the failures be a mere matter of luck, i.e., lack of it?... ?-?-?...

The B•A•R-Honda Team has not managed to finish a race with both cars in the points for five consecutive GP's, now, it is worth observing.

They have, in fact, managed to score points with both drivers in only two GP's, this Season: the GP of Bahrain and the GP of Spain.

See here a bird's eye view of all drivers and teams results, where you can easily see all points finishes, DNF's, DSQ's, championship positions, and yet more, all at a glance.

Both

Jenson Button (B•A•R-Honda) and

Jarno Trulli (Renault) were reportedly very disappointed to have missed out on the chance of a P3 finish.

For most of the race, both drivers were battling for P3, which Trulli occupied most of the time. Then, for a good number of laps,

Barrichello (Ferrari) joined in the battle, finally to emerge victorious right before the final flag.

So, Trulli must undoubtedly have been the more unhappy driver of the two, all the above considered.
Unfortunately he will not feel any better if he knows, as he is likely to, that Briatore is reportedly displeased with their home race result and ready for a word with his Italian driver on Monday, at the Factory.

But hopefully a well slept night will help the Renault boss feel that both his drivers fought ambitiously throughout the race, and that not even M.Schumacher is free from the possibility of a small mistake here and there.

And all in all, he must know well that

Trulli is usually a very difficult driver to overtake.

Plus, there is Renault's special home pole, after 20 years, as mentioned above, which is certainly a reason for joy!

A word on reliability is worth adding, especially in contrast to Sato's frustrating motor blues: this French GP has had a remarkably low rate of car failures!
In reality, Sato's was the sole DNF due to a car problem. Baumgartner, the only other DNF, was out as a result of spinning into the gravel.

All in all, 18 of the 20 drivers lining up on the grid raced to see the final flag!

As a result, the Minardi Team was reportedly displeased with the competitors' reliability.

For the more the reliability all other Teams enjoy, the fewer the chances for Minardi to conquer another point, this Season.

Though, from Minardi's viewpoint, the comment must have borne a serious tone, it may also be understood as carrying a pinch of irony, given that reliability is something all Teams pursue!... Then, at a GP in which the reliability level approaches 100%, we hear that a Team may actually regret this otherwise commendable achievement!

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