Brazilian GP 2005
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005
Race Notes - Montoya wins in Brazil, Alonso takes Championship
© The Cahier Archive
Juan Pablo Montoya won the Brazilian Grand Prix, at Interlagos, for the second year in a row, leading his McLaren-Mercedes team mate Kimi Raikkonen by just over 1 second, and Fernando Alonso in his Renault in third some 24 seconds behind the leader.
By taking third place Alosno clinched the 2005 Drivers Championship, becoming the youngest ever Formula One World Champion at 24-years-old.
Fourth place went to Michael Schumacher in his Ferrari, followed by the second Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella in fifth, Rubens Barrichello in the second Ferrari in sixth, Jenson Button in the BAR-Honda in seventh and Ralf Schumacher in the Toyota finishing in the final points position.
Before the start there was light rain, and the race started with a bit of dampness on the track in places.
On the first lap, Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher got past Giancarlo Fisichella, while on the run down to the first corner Antonio Pizzonia got squeezed between Mark Webber and David Coulthard causing an accident taking out Pizzonia and Coulthard, while Webber went to the pits and retired - causing the Safety car to be deployed.
On the restart on lap 3, down the hill, Montoya got past Alonso to take the lead with Raikkonen third.
After 10 laps, Montoya led Alonso by four seconds, with Raikkonen third, followed by Fisichella, Schumacher, Button, Klien, Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher and Massa - Takuma Sato in 11th, after starting from the back of the grid.
On lap 17 Massa was the first to pit, followed by Karthikeyan on lap 18, Albers on lap 20, Alonso from second place on lap 22, Fisichella and Barrichello on lap 23, Klien on lap 24, Schumacher, Button and Ralf Schumacher on lap 26, race leader Montoya on lap 28, Raikkonen on lap 30, Trulli on lap 32, Villeneuve on lap 34 and Sato on lap 37.
At half distance Montoya led Raikkonen by two seconds, with Alonso 10 seconds further back, followed by Schumacher, Fisichella, Sato, Button, Barrichello, Klien and Ralf Schumacher.
On lap 44 Barrichello got past his future team mate Button in turn 1 for sixth place.
On lap 47, Massa made his second stop, followed by Alonso on lap 48, Fisichella on lap 50, Montoya from the lead, Schumacher, Klien and Trulli on lap 54, Button and Villeneuve on lap 56 and Raikkonen on lap 59 coming out right behind his team mate.
On lap 60, Montoya led Raikkonen by a second, followed by Alonso 25 seconds back, Schumacher, Fisichella, Barrichello, Button, Ralf Schumacher, Klien and Sato in 10th.