The Shanghai circuit has only been on the Formula One calendar a short time, with this Sunday's race being the fourth to be staged at the track. But thanks to its location in the climax of the season, Shanghai has seen a lot of drama and more will be expected this weekend as Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Robert Kubica continue their tussle for this year's title.
Fernando Alonso was the victor at last weekend's race in Japan as he won his second successive race, but he did not have the best of times in 2006 at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Spaniard had been dominant at the beginning of the season, winning six of the first nine races of the year as he opened up a comfortable 25-point lead in the title standings. But his hopes of easily defending the world championship he had won for the first time a year earlier were dented as Michael Schumacher and Ferrari became the form team in the second half of the season.
By the time they came to Shanghai for the 15th round, Alonso's lead was just two points, but he looked to increase that lead after taking pole position in a wet qualifying session, with teammate Giancarlo Fisichella alongside him and Schumacher back in sixth. Initially it looked very good for Alonso as he and Fisichella led at the start, with Schumacher lagging back in the pack in damp conditions.
Alonso moved clear as Fisichella was briefly passed by Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren, before the Finn was sidelined by throttle problems. Crucially though, as the track began to dry out the Renault bosses chose to leave Alonso on his first set of intermediate tyres when he made his first pit-stop. This was exactly the wrong thing to do as the Spaniard began scrabbling for grip on badly worn tyres as a dry line began to emerge on the track, and he was quickly caught by Fisichella and Schumacher, who was now setting quick times.
Bizarrely, rather than protecting his teammate, Fisichella overtook Alonso, soon to be followed by Schumacher. Once back on the right tyres at the next pit-stop, Alonso got back up to speed. But it was too late as Schumacher, who had leapfrogged Fisichella in the pit-stops, went on to win what would be the last of his 91 victories. Alonso salvaged second, but had lost the championship lead to his German rival, although an engine failure at the next round in Japan for Schumacher would eventually hand Alonso his second world title.
Jenson Button was fourth for Honda after overtaking three cars on the final lap, ahead of Pedro de la Rosa, Rubens Barrichello and Nick Heidfeld, with Mark Webber making up six places from the start to be eighth. @Email:gcaygill@thenational.ae
