Results from the 2006 American Grand Prix
Michael Schumacher took satisfaction in winning a competitively challenged race this year at Indianapolis, following last year's boycott debacle. He will be quietly pleased that his title rival, Fernando Alonso, finished back in fifth, allowing the Ferrari driver to cut the Spaniard's title lead to 19 points. Meanwhile, outsider challengers McLaren-Mercedes failed to finish after both their drivers collided at the first corner causing mass carnage.
It capped a hugely successful weekend for Ferrari with a one-two that saw Felipe Massa take second ahead of Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella. Jarno Trulli picked up only his second points finish of an otherwise poor season, driving to a brilliant fourth from a pitlane start – using a clever one pit-stop strategy. Meanwhile Ruben's Barrichello gave some consolation to the under-perfoming Honda team, by finishing sixth behind Alonso. David Coulthard sneaked home for more points for the Red Bull team, while Vitantonio Luizzi gained his first point of the season.
There was plenty of action from the start with a spectacular pile up on lap one that caused the retirements of Kimi Raikkonen, Nick Heidfeld, Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Speed, Christian Klien and Franck Montagny. Poor Jenson Button again had a 'race to forget', retiring on lap five with yet another blown engine. 2006 had turned into dismal race year for the Briton and the lack of reliability of his Honda may well sounds the death knell for his future with this team beyond the end of the year.
By the chequered flag there were just nine cars left on the track, three more than finished at last year's controversial race, with Nico Rosberg's Williams being the only car not to pick up points. Schumacher, meanwhile, set the fastest lap of the race and finished with a commanding 14 second lead.
Apart from a cheeky move by Massa to steal the lead off 'sleeping' pole-sitter Schumacher at the first corner, the former champion lead the entire race. Alonso, who started in fifth, made up two place but he simply didn't have the pace to hold on. The top three finishers all held onto their places, after some mid-race jockeying, the rest was down to who could get their car over the finish line in working order.
Now, as we approach the mid-season break, Schumacher still has his work cut out for himself to reel in a dominant Alonso. The reigning champion has only once finished outside the top two and leads the former champion by 19 points, with a total of 88. His team mate, Fisichella has now leapfrogged the struggling contender Kimi Raikkonen into third place with 43, four ahead of hapless Finn.
Ferrari have meanwhile narrowed the gap on the runaway Reanult team for the Constructors' Championship, trailing by 26 points with a total of 105, while the McLaren team arebarely a threat on 65.
United States Grand Prix final positions after 73 Laps:
- Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 1hr 34mins 35.199secs
- Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 01:34:43.099
- Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 01:34:51.699
- Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 01:34:58.799
- Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 01:35:03.599
- Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 01:35:11.699
- David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull - Ferrari at 1 lap
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso - Cosworth at 1 lap
- Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams - Cosworth at 1 lap
Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 62 laps completed
Christijan Albers (Ned) Midland - Toyota 37 laps
Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BMW Sauber 23 laps
Tiago Monteiro (Por) Midland - Toyota 9 laps
Takuma Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri - Honda 6 laps
Jenson Button (GB) Honda 3 laps
Mark Webber (Aus) Williams 1 lap
Christian Klien (Aut) Red Bull 1 lap
Franck Montagny (Fra) Super Aguri - Honda 1 lap
Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1 lap
Juan Montoya (Col) McLaren - Mercedes 1 lap
Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren - Mercedes 1 lap
Scott Speed (USA) Scuderia Toro Rosso - Cosworth 1 lap