The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Montoya wins British GP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 11, 2005

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Montoya wins British GP

SILVERSTONE: Juan Pablo Montoya, on Sunday, won the British Grand Prix for McLaren to chalk up his first success of the Formula One season.

While the Colombian opened his account with the Mercedes-powered team after winning last-year's Brazilian season-ender with Williams, Renault's Formula One leader Fernando Alonso was also smiling.

The Spaniard forged further ahead in the championship, finishing second to ease 26 points clear of McLaren rival Kimi Raikkonen.

The Finn, whose chances of winning evaporated when he collected a 10-place penalty on the starting grid for an engine failure on Saturday's practice, powered up from 12th place to third.

With eight races remaining, Alonso has 77 points to Raikkonen's 51.

McLaren team chief Ron Dennis said: ``(Montoya) did very well to hold his lead...

``Kimi, what can you say, 12th to third, lap record in the last lap,'' he told ITV Sport.

The race was dictated by the first few seconds. Alonso, starting on pole position for the fourth time in 11 races, had no reply as Montoya surged from third place on the grid to run side by side with the Spaniard through the first corner.

Brilliant start

The fiery Colombian, determined to put a troubled first half of the season behind him, made the move stick and the remaining 59 laps came down to the pitstops.

That was where Renault's hopes of getting both their drivers on the podium for only the second time this year came unstuck, with Alonso's Italian team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella again cursed by misfortune.

Fisichella was in third place, and heading for his first appearance on the podium since he won the Australian season-opener in March, when the Renault stalled after his second pitstop.

Fisichella, trying to disguise yet another disappointment this season, said: ``It was a good day anyway (for Renault) because we knew McLaren was quicker than us here.''

The Roman ended up fourth, ahead of BAR's Briton Jenson Button — the overwhelming crowd favourite on a sunny afternoon — and Ferrari's seven-time World champion Michael Schumacher.

Button was impressed by the speed of the McLarens and Renaults compared to the rest of the cars.

``The difference is staggering...it's a bit worrying for the rest of the year,'' he said.

That was Schumacher's worst result at Silverstone since he broke his leg there in a 1999 crash. In 14 races at the circuit, he had never finished lower than fourth.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was seventh for Ferrari with Toyota's Ralf Schumacher claiming the final point.

Montoya, who has now won five GP since his debut in 2001, crossed the line 2.7 seconds ahead of Alonso.

Renault continue to lead the Constructors' standings with 102 points to McLaren's 87.

A minute's silence was held before the race as a mark of respect for the London bomb victims.

Meanwhile, Narain Karthikeyan's hopes of an impressive show at his Jordan team's home circuit were bombed as electronics failure stalled his car in the 11th lap and making it a no finish.

Tiago Monteiro, Narain's Portugese teammate, was 17th, ahead of the two Minardi drivers Christijan Albers and Patrick Friesacher.

The lone retirement of Karthikeyan was a huge disappointment for Jordan whose headquarters lies just across the Silverstone circuit. — Agencies

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