Formula One: Räikkönen finishes third, Alonso wins again

Fernando Alonso

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Despite a successful qualifying round on Saturday, the Finnish Formula One ace Kimi Räikkönen had to be content with third place in the British Grand Prix in Silverstone on Sunday.
      The Spaniard Fernando Alonso, in turn, secured a third consecutive win, extending his already impressive lead in the Championship points table even further. The seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher brought his Ferrari home in second.
      "Quite simply, the car was not fast enough. This was the best we could do", Räikkönen commented after the race.
      Before Silverstone, Räikkönen last admired the view from the podium after the Australian Grand Prix in April, where he finished second.
     
Räikkönen has now enjoyed a podium finish in the British Grand Prix on four consecutive occasions. However, a victory at Silverstone, McLaren's home track, has so far eluded the Finn.
      Räikkönen was unable to seriously challenge Alonso at any stage during the race. Michael Schumacher, however, overtook Räikkönen, who started alongside Alonso on the front row of the grid, during the Finn's second pit stop.
      "The car was too slow on the straights, and I was unable to go past anybody. But the good news is that we have progressed with the vehicle", commented Räikkönen, who now trails 41 points behind the Spaniard in the overall drivers' championship table.
     
Alonso, who started off from pole position, managed to secure a comfortable lead early on in the race. After the first pit stop, he more or less just settled in to monitor the progress of other drivers, while hoping that the car would hold together until the finish line.
      "The pole position start made my life easier. The tyres worked perfectly throughout the race. In the beginning Kimi was fairly fast, but my car got better lap after lap", the Renault driver rejoiced after his fifth victory of the season.
     
The German Williams driver Nico Rosberg, son of the Finnish 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg, was forced to taste the bitter cup of mediocrity when finishing ninth, just outside the championship points.
      "During my last pit stop one of the tyre nuts got jammed and I lost two seconds. I'm madly disappointed. I raced nearly as well as in Bahrain. But when you're driving a slow car nobody notices you", Rosberg fretted.
      The next Formula One Grand Prix will take place in Montreal, Canada on June 25th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Formula One Australian GP: Alonso wins, Räikkönen second (3.4.2006)

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