MONTE CARLO (Monaco), May 22: McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen led the Monaco Grand Prix from start to finish for a commanding victory in Formula One’s most glamorous race on Sunday. The Finnish ‘Iceman’s’ second win in a row, and the fourth of his career, was a perfect present for engine partners Mercedes as they celebrated their 200th start in the world championship.
The young Finn’s untroubled domination through the winding streets of the principality contrasted with the struggles of Renault’s overall leader Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s world champion Michael Schumacher.
Alonso, second for much of the race, was forced on the defensive and had to hang on grimly for fourth place with his rear tyres worn almost smooth and a queue of rivals stacked up behind the Spaniard.
Germany’s Nick Heidfeld was second for Williams, blasting past Alonso six laps from the finish, with Australian team mate Mark Webber third for his first podium finish after slipping past the Spaniard at the chicane after the tunnel.
Alonso now has 49 points to 27 for Raikkonen, who moved up to second place in the championship.
While McLaren and Renault fought for supremacy, once dominant champions Ferrari took their losing streak to seven races in a row with seven-time champion Schumacher taking a meagre two points in seventh place.
The German, five times a winner in Monaco and triumphant 13 times in 18 races last year, had another afternoon to forget but he kept on fighting to the finish.
His race was wrecked when he hit the back of David Coulthard’s Red Bull in a five-car jam caused by Minardi’s Christijan Albers skewing across the road at Mirabeau and blocking the track on lap 25.
Coulthard, twice a winner here for McLaren, retired at the end of the lap while Schumacher, his front wing ripped off, pitted for a replacement and rejoined a lap down with the safety car deployed.
While Alonso and others refuelled during the safety car period, Raikkonen stayed out and pulled away before pitting after the half distance.
Results: 1. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:45:15.556; 2. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Williams +00:13.877; 3. Mark Webber (Australia) Williams 00:18.484; 4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 00:36.487; 5. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) McLaren 00:36.647; 6. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Toyota 00:37.177; 7. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 00:37.223; 8. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 00:37.570; 9. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1 lap; 10. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 1 lap; 11. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) Sauber 1 lap; 12. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Renault 1 lap; 13. Tiago Monteiro (Portugal) Jordan 3 laps; 14. Christijan Albers (Netherlands) Minardi 5 laps.—Reuters