2005 Chinese Grand Prix-RaceHello and welcome to Shanghai for the final round of the 2005 formula 1 world championship,After 18 rounds of travelling the world,Felipe Massa has a 6 point lead going into the race over Michael Schumacher.Will we have a new World Champion or can Schumacher make it history an capture his 6th world Championship..Yesterday saw Nico Rosberg grab pole for Mclaren ahead of both Williams,with Massa a dismal 12th on the grid this gives Schumacher the edge going into this race..
Anyway lets go down to the track where the 5 lights are on.....
And we are away here in china..
Rosberg slow away and both Williams overtake him immediatly,Alonso is also through into 3rd..
Towards the end of the first lap and MS overtakes Villeneuve for the lead,team orders perhaps at Williams?..Coulthard also overtakes Doornbos for 5th,With battles all the way down the field in a hectic first lap
A look at the standings after 1 lap has MS leading and Massa down in 11th
Into the second lap and the Williams are pulling away with furthur action down the field..
MS sets fastest lap hes on it from the get go!!
Cars starting to string out with Massa still in 11th place..
Button a touch wide loses a place to Da Matta
Massa stuck behind the Montagny Raikkonen battle for 9th as the leaders pull away,he needs to get past fast!..
Down the field Davidson passes Glock for 17th,Good move..
Massa watch..hes still 11th!..
Good battles going on down the field between Fisichella and Button also Ralf makes up a place with Zonta also passing Barrichello for 21st..
A frustrated Massa locks up in his pursuit of Raikkonen..With MS pulling out a couple of seconds at the front
Pole man Rosberg sits 4th still suffering from his bad start..
Vettel passes Kubica for 7th a neat move from the German..
Standings after 10 laps..
Vettels on a charge after disposing of Kubica,he now sets his sights on Doornbos and makes the pass stick,Great job!!..
Looks like Kubica is our first retirement today with a puncture..But whats this his team mate is also in the gravel with a puncture as well,Terrible day to end the season for Redbull..
This is good news for Massa which puts him up to 10th place..
Raikkonen finally passes Montagny for 8th,a nice move by the Finn
Massa also gets a run at Montagny..And goes through into 9th place but with MS leading he needs 4th or better for the title!!
MS kickstarts the first round of pitstops
Rosberg yet to stop leads as Alonso pits followed by others
MS losing time battleing with the yet to stop Arrows,finally gets past..With Alonso an JV nearly having a shunt in thier battle behind!..
Montagny,Zonta,Doornbos and race leader Rosberg are finally in for thier first stops can Rosberg jump MS?
But before we find out that Alonso makes a great move past Villeneuve for 6th place,Great stuff!!..
With that scrap Rosberg has come out in a excellent 2nd place,Great stop by the Mclaren team..
Meanwhile the one stopping Barrichello finds himself in 5th place..
So heres a look at the standings after the first round of pitstops..
Vettel passes DC for 6th,but DC is not giving up that easily and retakes the position into turn 1..Good job!!
Off camera Vettel past DC and now sets his sights on the one stopping Barrichello
Vettel gets past Barrichello for 5th,but the Brazilian fights back into turn 1 sending the German wide onto the marbles!..DC and Doornbos are also past,Vettel went from 5th back to 8th in one corner,exciting stuff!!
This exciting scrap continues round the lap with Doornbos passing DC for 6th
This in turn compromises DC exit which gives Vettel a run..
Vettel tries it round the outside of turn 2,but again fails to make the pass and loses another couple of postions to Raikkonen and Massa,Vettels having a nightmare out there,hes now went from 5th to 10th in a lap!!
Doornbos passes Barrichello for 5th
Barrichellos one stopping renault is holding up a train of cars..But this is good news for Massas title hopes it brings him right back in the mix
DC passes his team mate for 6th as Vettel and Massa come very close to touching!!
Barrichello in for his one stop
A look at the standings at the half way point..With MS leading,Massa is in 8th,he needs 4th or better for the title can he do it??
Down the field Button passes Da Matta for 13th
Davidsons pulling off!!..Another victim of a puncture..
Raikkonen,Massa and Vettel having a tremendous scrap for 7th..
Massa has got the hurry up and passes Raikkonen for 7th..
Raikkonens slow exit gives Vettel a run round the outside this didnt work before....but this time he makes the move,Great pass!!..
Major development at the front as Rosberg passes MS for the lead!!
But Schumis not giving that one up easily and repasses Rosberg into turn 1,Great stuff!!
Vettel in for his final stop..
But again eyes to the front as Rosberg has another go at Schumi!!...And takes the lead as Schumi pits..
Second round of stops are underway
Race leader is in and rejoins ahead of MS!..
More pitstop action..
After the second round of stops Massa is now leading the championship!!...Schumi must pass Rosberg for the title,amazing stuff!!!..
Massa in 6th,this is all he needs for now!..
Montagny passes Barrichello for 9th
10 laps to go and Schumi still has to pass Rosberg for the title but is falling back!!..Is a 6th world title slipping a way from his grasp??
Oh nooo!!Rosberg has an electrical problem,he makes it back to the pits..this puts Schumi back in the lead and also the lead of the drivers championship,what a major development!!Massa needs to finish 4th now if he is to win!!
Rosberg rejoins behind team mate Vettel and immediatly is past at the end of the lap,what rotten luck for the German..
Villeneuve is closing on Alonso with Doornbos in 4th,solid drive so far from the Dutchman..
Massas dream is slowly dieing,as Rosberg passes him for 5th and sets the fastest lap,the Brazilian needs a miracle now...
Meanwhile down the field Barrichellos one stop isnt working and he gets passed by Raikkonen
5 laps to go and Schumi is closing in on his 6th world title..
DC lines up Vettel for 7th...and goes through,nice move!!..
A solid fightback through the field from Ralf sees him try to pass Montagny for 9th,but he cant make the move stick..
Great action down the field as Barrichello trys to fight off everyone!!..
Ralf has another go at 9th..and goes through only for Montagny to retake the position into turn 1..Great battle!!..
JV right under the gearbox of Alonso can he pass??
Yes he can!!..
Off camera Ralf finally has passed Montagny..
Schumis into his last lap,Massa languishing in 6th!!
Down the final backstraight....
Into the last corner,The flags are waving the fans are going wild!!
And Michael Schumacher WINS the Chinense Grand Prix!!!Great drive!!
Jacques Vilenneuve makes it a Williams 1-2 which gives the team the constructors crown,Good job!!
Fernando Alonso in 3rd,He will be dissapointed with that
Robert Doornbos a fantastic 4th ,which lifts Sauber above Arrows in the contructors standings,Excellent job..
Nico Rosberg will be gutted with 5th,The win was there for the taking..
Massa 6th not enough for the title,He will be inconsolable after this he loses the championship by a point...
DC a solid 7th for Renault
And Sebastian Vettel rounds out the point scorers with 8th...
But its Michael Schumachers day,he wins his 6th world title(in our manager seasons)With just a little bit of luck by Rosbergs unscheduled stop to win by a solitary point..What a season!!!
Final Race StandingsDOTD - Robert Doornbos for a career best 4th with a great error free drive.
@Twigster i will let you update the final championship standings m8
Cheers