The Hindu : Sport : Star Wars of another kind

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 19, 2005

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Sport

Star Wars of another kind

It's been three years since a Schumacher victory at Monaco

MONACO: The star-studded Monaco paddock will be home to Darth Vader and the Star Wars cast for this weekend's Grand Prix but with the field wide open there is no need for gimmicks to guarantee excitement in the sport's flagship race.

Kimi Raikkonen helped McLaren's empire strike back at the last race in Barcelona as he outgunned championship leader Fernando Alonso to end the four-race rule of championship leader Renault.

And with world champion Ferrari desperate to fight back fast following a disastrous start to the year and Toyota also improving quickly there are plenty of contenders for one of the biggest prizes of the season.

Raikkonen, who has started the last two races from pole, is confident of continuing his run in engine partner Mercedes' 200th race.

"It's great to arrive in Monaco on the back of the positive result for the team in Spain," said the Finn. "Monaco is a race that everyone really wants to win, but it is a completely different challenge. It is the shortest and slowest track we race on, but hopefully we will be able to carry the performance through."

But while Monaco is guaranteed to attract the cream of celebrity stardom, with Star Wars creator George Lucas and his costumed cast guests of Red Bull Racing this year, the action on the twisty barrier-lined track is less predictable.

Different winners

Last year's race saw the first career victory for Italian Jarno Trulli, who was then driving for Renault, and there have been an astonishing four different drivers claiming the winner's trophy in the last four years.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, who is now Raikkonen's team-mate at McLaren, took the spoils in 2003 when driving for Williams while Scot David Coulthard and world champion Michael Schumacher have also won in recent years.

Monaco used to be Schumacher's playground. Not any more. Between 1994 and 2001, the seven-time world champion won five times to take him one short of Ayrton Senna's record of six victories.

But Schumacher hasn't won on the twisting streets since, his longest winless streak at any race on the Formula One circuit.

Schumacher, who crashed out of last year's race, is facing a difficult challenge, having only finished once on the podium this season. But he has already admitted Ferrari is on the back foot.

"I have so many fond memories of Monaco, I always enjoy coming here because it's just a lot of fun to wind your way through the streets here," he said.

"Even though it will be difficult for us this time, because the position on the starting grid at Monaco is somewhat decisive for the outcome of the race, that does not diminish my excitement.

"We are looking forward to taking on this challenge. Giving up is not an option, but giving up before you try is completely out of the question. This is sports, and in sports anything is possible."

Renault, however, are determined to improve after Alonso, who still has an 18-point lead over second-placed Trulli in the championship, was outclassed into second place by Raikkonen at the last race.

On a tear

Alonso has finished on the podium in all five races this season and is confident of starting a tough and vital run of four sets of back-to-back races with another top three finish this weekend.

"We knew McLaren were a bit quicker than us all weekend in Spain, they had a new package there and it did the job, but I don't think the race gave a representative picture of the difference between our cars," said Alonso.

"Kimi was able to pull away too easily in the first stint as I was struggling with the car and I think we will be much more equal in Monaco, so I am feeling very confident for this weekend."

Alonso will also be boosted by a major improvement in aerodynamics on his Renault. "It well help in performance, no doubt, but also it shows that the team is fighting as well."

Missing in action

But Jenson Button, like many drivers a Monaco resident, will be one key man missing the action after his BAR-Honda team was banned from the race for running an illegal car in the San Marino GP.

Button, who also missed the Spanish race along with teammate Takuma Sato, said he was bitterly disappointed to miss the race. — Agencies

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