When we remember Hungary 2003 we usually say that on that August day Fernando Alonso had put Spain on the top step of F1 thanks to his first victory.
But if that already left a great taste in the mouth, what came on September 25, 2005 tasted much better and better.
There were three grand prix left for the end of the 2005 season and Fernando Alonso arrived in Brazil with the mathematical possibility of proclaiming himself world champion . Now it’s easy to say, but let’s think back to September 2005, when Spain already knew what it meant to win something in all sports (we were still missing the football and basketball World Cups, which came later) but in F1 we only had the pole position and victories that Alonso himself had achieved.
The Renault driver had gone four races without winning, but his regularity (in those four tests he achieved three second places) had allowed that, if he managed to get Raikkonen not to go back five points or more, he would take the first of his world championships. The Spaniard prevailed over his rival and the rest of the drivers on Saturday, taking pole position with Montoya – Raikkonen’s teammate – in second position and the Finn himself fifth.
In the race, Alonso maintained the lead at the start, while Raikkonen managed to get fourth after passing Button (Honda) at the start and in the first corners the other Renault, Fisichella ‘s. However, even before the end of the first lap, the Safety Car appeared on the track due to a contact between Antonio Pizzonia (Williams) and David Coulthard (Red Bull).
When it resumed, Montoya stole the lead from Alonso and the one from Oviedo could not beat the McLarens, but the podium (third) accompanied them, causing -with the previous scoring system- Raikkonen to take only two points, an insufficient amount to avoid his first title. Not even a team order from McLaren (allowing Kimi to win) would have prevented Fernando from being crowned, so the Woking team decided to keep Juan Pablo Montoya in first place, who achieved his seventh and last victory that day.
World Champion . It keeps saying soon. But at that time it was a reality for thousands and thousands of Spaniards who perhaps had not even dreamed of something like this. To confirm that we were awake, in 2006 he would win the World Cup again, becoming a two-time champion.
But that was the first, and you know what happens with the first times: if at the 2003 Hungaroring Alonso achieved what can be considered Spain’s first kiss in F1, Interlagos 2005 was the first… well, it was directly that Alonso made us great.
Look at the photos of that historic 2005 Brazilian GP when Alonso was champion
(Pass the images or click on the link)
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: LAT Images
Photo by: XPB Images
Photo by: XPB Images
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