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2005 Spanish Grand Prix

Spain  2005 Spanish Grand Prix
Race details
Race 5 of 19 in the 2005 Formula One season
Catalunya (2004-2006).svg
Date May 8, 2005
Official name Gran Premio Marlboro de España
Location Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.627 km (2.875 mi)
Distance 66 laps, 305.256 km (189.677 mi)
Weather Sunny, warm
Attendance 115,900
Pole position
Driver McLaren-Mercedes
Time 2:31.421 (aggregate)
Fastest lap
Driver Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Renault
Time 1:15.641 on lap 66
Podium
First McLaren-Mercedes
Second Renault
Third Toyota

The 2005 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 8 May 2005 at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.

Kimi Räikkönen started on pole position ahead of Mark Webber, who set the fastest lap during the second qualifying session to claim the front row, leaving championship leader Fernando Alonso on the second row in third. Right from the start Räikkönen started pulling away at a blistering pace, setting the fastest lap thirteen times in only twenty four laps. Alonso's tyres wore down and he was forced to take care of them and come home in second place, never taking the lead from Räikkönen.

Webber had a dismal start, losing second and then third to Alonso and Ralf Schumacher, respectively. After the first round of pitstops he lost three positions and had to battle his way back to finish in sixth. Alonso's teammate Giancarlo Fisichella moved around constantly in the field, but managed to end up in fifth from sixth on the grid.

Jarno Trulli had a good race, ending up on the podium in third ahead of his teammate Ralf Schumacher, who fell behind after the first round of pitstops. Meanwhile, Räikkönen's teammate Juan Pablo Montoya had an average race, moving around in the field but still only managing a seventh place. It was his return from a two-race absence to recover from a shoulder injury. David Coulthard claimed the final points-paying position in eighth after starting from ninth.

Some of the retirements included Michael Schumacher, whose tyre failed on lap 47, his third retirement of the year. Jacques Villeneuve also had to retire on lap 52 after a water leak resulted in his engine overheating.

This was Räikkönen's first victory of 2005.

The bottom 6 teams in the 2004 Constructors' Championship were entitled to run a third car in free practice on Friday. These drivers drove on Friday but did not compete in qualifying or the race.


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