• 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix

Montoya wins; Alonso takes title in Brazil

David Addison
September 25, 2005
Title glory for Alonso © Sutton Images
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Third place in Brazil was enough to give Fernando Alonso the title to become the sport's youngest World Champion.

Alonso had pledged to make a race of it but after a wheel-to-wheel duel with Juan Pablo Montoya, the Spaniard decided points were the priority. He backed off and took third to secure the title.

Up front, Montoya took a third win, begging the question 'What might have been but for early-season unreliability?' Kimi Raikkonen was second despite a hard battle with Giancarlo Fisichella early in the race which allowed Michael Schumacher to get on terms with them. Schumacher took fourth behind Alonso and ahead of Fisichella, while Rubens Barrichello was sixth in his last Brazilian Grand Prix as a Ferrari driver. For 2006, he would move to BAR-Honda.

Alonso was delighted with his championship, Spain's first World Champion. "I come from a country with no tradition in F1," he said. "I have had to fight alone, with no help from anybody. I think this is the maximum I can achieve in my career."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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