French GP 2005
JULY 3, 2005
Race Notes - Alonso dominates French GP
© The Cahier Archive
Fernando Alonso won the French Grand Prix, at Magny Cours, in his Renault leading from flag to flag - 11 seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in his McLaren-Mercedes in second and Michael Schumacher in his Ferrari in third place, 81 seconds behind.
At the start Alonso rocketed away from Trulli and Michael Schumacher, pulling out a 29 second lead before making his first pit stop on lap 19 - Trulli and Schumacher pitting two laps before the Spaniard.
Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen stretched their first stops until lap 25 and 28 - on a two-stop strategy. After the first rounds of stops, Raikkonen and Montoya leaped up in the order to second and third - after Raikkonen started from 13th place following an engine failure earlier in the weekend.
Schumacher and Sato where the first of the second round of stops on lap 34, with Alonso in on lap 41, Trull on lap 45.
During the second rounds of stops, Montoya started to slow from third place, pulling off on lap 47.
Schumacher made his third stop on lap 51, with Raikkonen making his second stop on lap 55 - with the running order of Alonso from Raikkonen, Schumacher, Fisichella, Button and Trulli.
Alonso made his final stop on lap 58, maintaining an 18 second lead.
At the finish, the order was Alonso, Raikkonen and Schumacher - the Spaniard lapping the whole field except for second and third place.
Fourth place went to Jenson Button in the BAR-Honda, fifth went to Jarno Trulli in his Toyota.
Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth in his Renault, Ralf Schumacher was seventh in his Toyota and Jacques Villeneuve picked up the final point in his Sauber-Petronas.