European Grand Prix: 7 May
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Loaction: Nurbergring, Germany
Raceday: Sunday, 7 May 2006
Time: 2000 (+8 GMT)
2005 winner: F Alonso
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The original Nurburgring, the Nordschleife, ran for an awe-inspiring 22.5 kilometres (14 miles). It was so long and so complicated that drivers simply could not remember a racing line. The Nurburgring was, in fact, two circuits: the Nordschleife and the Sudschleife. In total they had an amazing 172 corners.
It was safety which sealed the demise of the legendary track. Following Niki Lauda's terrifying accident there in 1976 in which he suffered horrendous burns, the Nurburgring's license to hold Formula One events was withdrawn.
The track underwent huge redevelopment to create a new circuit and in the spring of 1984 a race was held featuring 20 identical Mercedes 190Es and a grid composed of some of the best-ever Formula One drivers. Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, James Hunt, Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Phil Hill, John Surtees and Denny Hulme were just a few of the names to take part. Senna, then a relative youngster, won from Lauda and Reutemann.
The European Grand Prix was held at the new track later that year, and again in 1985, but it disappeared again after commercial difficulties. With the ascendancy of Michael Schumacher, from nearby Kerpen, the track was once again back in Formula One in 1995. Posing as the Luxembourg Grand Prix for 1997 and 1998, it has, since then, taken the name of the European Grand Prix.
The track may not be as challenging as the old circuit, but it is still possible to take a trip down memory lane - literally. For just a few euros one can take a car onto the old track and soak up what was one of the most feared and yet respected circuits in the history of motorsport.
The Nurburgring is located in the Eifel region of Germany, 60km north-west of Koblenz and 90km south-west of Koln. Road connections are good to the major international airports of Koln/Bonn and Dusseldorf Rhein Ruhr which is some 120 km away.
From Cologne take the A1-E29 motorway and take the Nurburgring exit. From Koblenz take the A48-E44 motorway then the A61 towards Cologne, and take the Wehr Nurburgring exit. -
Broadcast times in GMT for the European GP(sg time, +7 hours)
Live qualifying: Saturday 6 May 1230-1425 ITV1
Live race: Sunday 7 May 1200-1500 ITV1
Highlights: Monday 8 May 0045-0140 ITV1
Highlights: Tuesday 9 May 0435-0535 ITV4 -
Montagny replaces Ide at Super Aguri
...acting on the advice of the FIA, Super Aguri has demoted Ide to testing duties following his poor string of results so far this season...
awwwww no more team banzai...
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Bridgestone seem to be performing better than michelin. thats good news!!
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Kimi is complain about the handling of the MP21 since imola. I am wondering if we are starting to see the crack in the aero department?
Ferrari on the other hand is very progressive on their aero package.
It will be interesting to see how MP21 perform this weekend. My guess is they will suffer. -
Fisi blows a fuse. Goes over to BMW's garage to wave his hand at Jacques.
As Martin Brundle says: If he jumped on JV's wing and broke it, that would have impressed me. -
Alonso crushes rivals with awesome pole. Woot!
Fernando Alonso will start from pole position for the time this season in Sunday's European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.
The world champion came out top of a cracking duel with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to take his 10th career pole as the German lost a little time in the middle sector of his best lap.
Alonso best lap was eventually two tenths faster than Schumacher, who on home ground, looks set to continue his duel with the Spaniard on Sunday.
Felipe Massa put in an impressive effort to go third fastest in the second Ferrari. He will start the race alongside fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who for the first time this season outqualified his Honda team-mate Jenson Button.
Kimi Raikkonen was fifth fastest for McLaren, closer to the ultimate pace than he has been all weekend, while Button took his worst position of the season so far in sixth.
Jarno Trulli was seventh for Toyota ahead of a brilliant performance from Jacques Villeneuve.
Juan Pablo Montoya and Mark Webber completed the top ten.
JPM was playing down the engine upgrade Kimi has. Its definately worth more than 2/10th a lap. -
I was expecting Ralf and Fisi to do better. Let's see what tomorrow brings...I suspect Kimi's brimmed with fuel.
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Kimi should be running on heavy fuel because they dont have the speed to compete with renault and ferrari.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I was expecting Ralf and Fisi to do better. Let's see what tomorrow brings...I suspect Kimi's brimmed with fuel. -
Doesn't have the speed? He was right up there in the first two sessions of qualifying.
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Mclaren doesnt have the straight line speed of Renault and Ferrari. If you cant be on pole, the only way to overtake them is throught pitstop strategy.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Doesn't have the speed? He was right up there in the first two sessions of qualifying.
1 5 Michael Schumacher 14:37:43 295.6
2 2 Giancarlo Fisichella 14:42:29 295.4
3 6 Felipe Massa 14:38:49 294.4
4 1 Fernando Alonso 14:40:29 293.7
5 16 Nick Heidfeld 14:41:53 292.2
6 3 Kimi Räikkönen 14:36:26 289.3
7 17 Jacques Villeneuve 15:04:57 288.9
8 4 Juan Pablo Montoya 14:37:12 287.9 -
1. ALONSO Renault
2. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari
3. MASSA Ferrari
4. BARRICHELLO Honda
5. RAIKKONEN McLaren
6. BUTTON Honda
7. TRULLI Toyota
8. MONTOYA McLaren
9. VILLENEUVE BMW Sauber**
10. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota
11. FISICHELLA Renault
12. COULTHARD Red Bull
13. HEIDFELD BMW Sauber
14. LIUZZI Toro Rosso
15. KLIEN Red Bull
16. ALBERS MF1
17. SPEED Toro Rosso
18. MONTEIRO MF1
19. SATO Super Aguri
20. WEBBER Williams*
21. MONTAGNY Super Aguri
22. ROSBERG Williams*
* 10-place penalty applied for engine change
** penalised for impeding Fisichella's progress
Was JV really in the wrong? Or was Fisi over-reacting? -
nah. fisi over-reacting.
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i think its gona be a ferrari 1 - 2 on the podium.
fingers crossed. -
Ferrari is definitely back...match alonson on every lap...interesting!!
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dam, alonso took over massa...
now its shumi-1 alonso-2 and massa-3
cmon massa take over alonso...!!!! my laptop burning my lap!!! -
alonson kenna crucified by ms.
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MS fastest lap is a whopping 0.4 sec faster than the nearest rival. Before the race, Renault was commenting that ferrari are only fast for 1 or 2 lap, guess they are dead wrong.
With the ferrari winning races, and Mclaren struggling, I am sure Kimi will make up his mind about his future very soon.
I think Kimi and Mclaren chance of winning the championship is over -
Uh, crucified? Once again the race was decided in the pits is more like it. MS simply did what Alonso needed to do at Imola.Originally posted by Gazelle:alonson kenna crucified by ms.
It's more a case of Brawn making Symonds looking like a dickhead. -
Decided in the pits, but MS had more than enough in reserve to do it. It was hard to see the win not going to them, judging from their pace in free practice.Originally posted by Gedanken:Uh, crucified? Once again the race was decided in the pits is more like it. MS simply did what Alonso needed to do at Imola.
It's more a case of Brawn making Symonds looking like a dickhead. -
I don't buy that, KB. If MS had indeed had more than enough to win, he would have done something at either Turn 1 or Turn 13.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Decided in the pits, but MS had more than enough in reserve to do it. It was hard to see the win not going to them, judging from their pace in free practice.
That is, unless the car's good enough and MS has finally encountered a driver he's scared of overtaking. -
Prior to alonso 2nd pit stop, it seems like MS can "barely" match alonso's lap time. however when Alonso went in for his 2nd pit stop, MS up the game with lap times about 0.45sec faster for around 3 laps.Originally posted by Gedanken:I don't buy that, KB. If MS had indeed had more than enough to win, he would have done something at either Turn 1 or Turn 13.
That is, unless the car's good enough and MS has finally encountered a driver he's scared of overtaking.
I believe Ferrari already know what MS and F248 is capable and they have kept a low profile until renault 2nd pit stop to unlease the true speed of the car.
As for why MS didnt want to over take Alonso in turn 1 and 13, I believe it is because of the high risk and also strategy. -
I wonder why MS trailed alonso for the first and second pit stop...
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1. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1h35m58.765s
2. ALONSO Renault +3.8s
3. MASSA Ferrari +4.4s
4. RAIKKONEN McLaren +4.9s
5. BARRICHELLO Honda +1m12.9s
6. FISICHELLA Renault +1m14.1s
7. ROSBERG Williams +1m14.6s
8. VILLENEUVE BMW +1m29.4s
9. TRULLI Toyota +1 lap
10. HEIDFELD BMW +1 lap
11. SPEED Toro Rosso +1 lap
12. MONTEIRO Midland +1 lap
13. ALBERS Midland +1 lap
R. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota +8 laps
R. MONTOYA McLaren +8 laps
R. SATO Super Aguri +15 laps
R. MONTAGNY Super Aguri +31 laps
R. BUTTON Honda +32 laps
R. KLIEN Red Bull +32 laps
R. WEBBER Williams +48 laps
R. COULTHARD Red Bull +58 laps
R. LIUZZI Toro Rosso +60 lap
Fastest lap: M.SCHUMACHER 1m32.099s
Two in a row for schumi... Can alonso stop MS winning streak or will both of them fail? -
Ferrari strategy for sunday was to run a few more laps than alonso and over take him during the pit stops. If you are confident with the strategy, then there is no point following too close to the car infront due to the air turbulence which will affect your downforce.Originally posted by SBS9828X:I wonder why MS trailed alonso for the first and second pit stop...
i dont think MS or Ferrari did trailed alonso, it is just ferrari shrewd strategy.
