- 2005 Canadian Grand Prix
Raikkonen bounces back in Canada
- Race:
- Canadian Grand Prix
- Championship:
- FIA Formula One World Championship
- Drivers:
- Rubens Barrichello
- |
- Kimi Räikkönen
- |
- Michael Schumacher
- Circuits:
- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Kimi Raikkonen reversed his World Championship fortunes in Canada by securing victory for McLaren.
With it he scored his 200th World Championship point but he had to work hard for the victory given that he qualified a poor seventh. Tyre temperatures were blamed for the lack of pace but Raikkonen was not perturbed. "We have a good race strategy," he said, "so I am optimistic."
It was a race of changing fortunes. For the bulk of the race it looked as though Juan Pablo Montoya's McLaren would be the winner but as a safety car period was called, Montoya suffered a botched pit strategy and was left out for an extra lap. When he came in, flustered and angry, he ignored the red light at the end of the pit lane and was black-flagged for his transgression. He was excluded.
Giancarlo Fisichella's Renault had looked strong before the hydraulics failed and then team-mate Fernando Alonso crashed out.
Through the melee came Raikkonen to win from Michael Schumacher, still suffering a disappointing season for Ferrari. He finished ahead of Rubens Barrichello's sister car with Felipe Massa an encouraging fourth for Sauber.