Alonso and Renault claim Oz GP

Formula One is alive and action-packed!… That’s the message sent loud and clear from the third round of the 2006 world title, the Foster's Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne today.

Four manufacturers filled the first four placings, the top honour going to defending world F1 champion, Mild Seven Renault’s Fernando Alonso (pictured).

The Spaniard led much of the 57-lap 302km race save for a period during the first round of pit stops. That task was taken over by Aussie Williams driver, Mark Webber. Webber (pictured) looked set to challenge the status quo, lapping quickly despite a one-stop fuel load. Alas his race was cut short when his Cosworth-powered V8 Williams expired around half-race distance.

Second on the day was McLaren Mercedes driver Finn Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen pushed hard as the race went on posting the fastest lap of the race on his last circuit. That said, the 26-year-old never really threatened Alonso.

Next was Ralf Schumacher in the Panosonic Toyota. The German’s third placing was the Toyota squad’s first podium for season 2006 and came after a forceful drive. Starting from the third row of the grid, Schumacher (pictured) fought back from an early drive-through penalty after a pitlane speed infringement.

In a race that saw many incidents and ensuing safety car periods, the BMW Sauber pairing of Nick Heidfeld and 1997 world F1 champ Jacques Villeneuve fought through from eight and ninth qualifying spots to finish fourth and sixth respectively.

Indeed, the action was thick and fast at the 5.303km Albert Park circuit and started even before the start.

Raikkonen’s teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya (pictured) spun on the final corner of the warm-up lap and looked likely to miss the start. Fortunately for the Columbian, Alonso’s teammate and Malaysian GP winner, Giancarlo Fisichella stalled his Renault on the front row of the grid prompting race officials to call for a second warm-up lap. This allowed Montoya to take his fifth place qualifying position but meant Fisichella would have to start from the pitlane.

After spinning on the opening lap, itself marred by a number of incidents and a safety car intervention, Fisichella knuckled down and at race end was fighting for sixth placing with polesitter, Honda driver Jensen Button.

Button was plagued by tyre problems at each and every safety car ‘restart’ and slowly dropped position through the race. His Australian GP finished ignominiously when his Lucky Strike-sponsored Honda ‘grenaded’ on Turn 15 on the last lap of the race and rolled to a fiery halt on the main straight, just short of the start finish line. This allowed Fisichella to claim a well-earned fifth place.

The Albert Park layout claimed its fair share of other victims during the race, no more spectacularly than multi-time world champion, Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher.

Schumacher was slow in the early stages of the race but gained pace as the day wore on and looked likely to be challenging for a top five finish. Then he clobbered the wall on the exit to turn 16 on the entry to the main straight. Game over.

His Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa didn’t even finish the first lap. The Brazilian crashed in Turn 1 on the opening lap!

Montoya exited the race in less spectacular fashion to Schumacher though on the same corner. Though he did not make contact with the wall after his ‘lose’, his McLaren shut down and was unable to continue.

Alonso’s dominance at Albert Park looks ominous for the rest of the F1 field. With two wins and one second placing from three starts he has extended his lead in the 2006 title chase and now sits on 28 points. Second place in the title chase sees teammate Fisichella and McLaren’s Raikkonen level pegging with just half of Alonso’s haul – 14 points. Next is Ralf Schumacher with 7 points.

Look out for a run down on the V8 Supercar support races on CarPoint tomorrow (Monday, April 3)