NUERBURGRING (Germany), May 29: Renault’s Fernando Alonso won a dramatic European Grand Prix on Sunday after championship rival Kimi Raikkonen crashed out on the last lap while leading. The Spaniard, now with a commanding 32 point lead in the Formula One standings, had been catching Raikkonen as the Finn tried to nurse his ailing McLaren through the last few laps of the race to what would have been a third win in a row.
Instead it was Alonso who celebrated his fourth win in seven races with Raikkonen, his tyres worn out, spinning off when the suspension suddenly shattered.
Germany’s Nick Heidfeld was second for Williams with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in third place for Ferrari.
It was the second time in two races that Heidfeld, who started on pole for the first time in front of his home crowd, had finished as runner-up.
Briton David Coulthard finished fourth for Red Bull despite a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pitlane while Ferrari’s seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher finished fifth after running 14th early in the race.
Italian Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth for Renault with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya seventh for McLaren and Italian Jarno Trulli eighth for Toyota.
Alonso has 59 points to Raikkonen and Trulli’s 27. Renault stretched their lead in the constructors’ standings and have 76 points to McLaren’s 53 with Toyota on 44.
Results: 1. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:31:46.648; 2. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Williams +00:16.567; 3. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 00:18.549; 4. David Coulthard (Britain) Red Bull 00:31.588; 5. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 00:50.445; 6. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Renault 00:51.932; 7. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) McLaren 00:58.173; 8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 01:11.091; 9. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Red Bull 01:11.529; 10. Jenson Button (Britain) BAR 01:35.786; 11 (retired). Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1 lap; 12. Takuma Sato (Japan) BAR 1 lap; 13. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) Sauber 1 lap; 14. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1 lap; 15. Tiago Monteiro (Portugal) Jordan 1 lap; 16. Narain Karthikeyan (India) Jordan 1 lap; 17. Christijan Albers (Netherlands) Minardi 2 laps; 18. Patrick Friesacher (Austria) Minardi 3 laps.
Did not finished: Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Toyota 26 laps; Mark Webber (Australia) Williams 59 laps.
Fastest Lap: Fernando Alonso, 1:30.711, lap 44.—Reuters