Alonso wins Chinese Grand Prix as Renault seals title
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-10-16 17:16

Spaniard Fernando Alonso won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday to hand Renault their first Formula One constructor's title on top of the driver's championship he took last month.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen finished second, the Mercedes-powered team's hopes draining away when Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya hit a loose manhole cover and retired less than halfway through the race.

Renault's World Champion Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain (L) celebrates on the podium with Renault team Managing Director Flavio Briatore after winning the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai October 16, 2005. [Reuters]

Renault finished the longest season in the sport's history, 19 races, with 191 points to McLaren's 182.

The victory was the seventh of a phenomenal season for the 24-year-old Alonso, who became the sport's youngest champion in Brazil last month, allowing him to equal Raikkonen's haul of victories.

"For the team it has been a fantastic season," said the Spaniard, who soaked a beaming team boss Flavio Briatore with champagne on the podium.

"Winning the constructors' was not crucial but quite important for the team for their motivation for next year.

"I am a little bit frustrated that I only won seven races...I think the car had the potential to win 10 or 11."

SAFETY CAR

Renault had arrived in China with a two-point lead and could breathe easy for most of a race interrupted by two safety car periods.

The turning point in a knife-edge battle between the two teams who have dominated the season came when Montoya, following Raikkonen closely in fourth place, ran over a loose drain cover.

He made two stops to try and fix the damage and then drove into the pits and got out of the car on lap 25.

Alonso could ease off the revs but Renault were still made to sweat when Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, who finished fourth behind Toyota's Ralf Schumacher, collected a drive-through penalty for obstructive driving with six laps to go.

"The car wasn't quick enough," Raikkonen said.

"It got quicker and quicker and at the end was perfect. Unfortunately it came about 40 laps too late. The Renault was too quick so all the compliments to them and next year we try again," the Finn added.

Renault's World Champion Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain kisses the trophy on the podium after winning the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai October 16, 2005. [Reuters]

Austrian Christian Klien was fifth for Red Bull, with Brazilian Felipe Massa sixth for Sauber. Australian Mark Webber was seventh in a Williams and Briton Jenson Button took the final point for BAR.

Ferrari's seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher was first to end the season, colliding on the way to the starting grid and spinning off during the race when following the safety car.

Australian Paul Stoddart, watching his final race as Minardi boss before handing over to new owners Red Bull, blamed the German for the astonishing collision with his Dutch driver Christijan Albers.

"It was Michael's fault," Stoddart told Reuters. "He just didn't look in his mirrors and pulled across. Typical Minardi -- go out with a bang."

TRUDGED BACK

Schumacher and Albers both started from the pit lane, with the German working his way back up to 10th place before spinning off into the gravel on the 23rd of 56 laps. He got out and trudged back to the paddock.

The safety car, called out for six laps as marshals hurriedly fixed the drain cover damage that wrecked Montoya's race, was back in action on lap 30 after Narain Karthikeyan wrecked his Jordan coming out of turn 13.

With debris scattered across the track, India's first Formula One driver sat long in the shattered cockpit with flames flickering around the rear bodywork before finally pulling himself out and jogging to safety.

The race was Jordan's 250th and last under that name, with the team founded by Irish entrepreneur Eddie Jordan returning as Midland next year after being sold to Russian-born Canadian billionaire Alex Shnaider.

It was also the last for BAR, to be reborn as a wholly-owned Honda team, and Sauber who have been bought by Williams's departing engine partners BMW.