Michael Schumacher seemed to have chosen the right Chinese fortune cookie at Shanghai on Sunday as he drove from sixth on the grid to emerge with a win and the world championship lead.
The Ferrari driver is equal on points with Fernando Alonso, but takes top spot because he has won seven grands prix this year to Spaniard Alonso’s tally of six.
It is Schumacher’s first and last career race win in China, after a thrilling story of changing fortunes during the 56 slippery laps.
Renault, however, regained the lead of the constructors’ title after Felipe Massa retired, but faced immediate condemnation from the media centre for changing Alonso’s front tyres at a pit stop.
But team sources protested that the 25-year-old’s tyres were too badly worn to keep on the blue and yellow car, even though Alonso struggled for pace on the new ones.
Flavio Briatore confirmed on RTL television: ”We did have a tyre problem.”
”Alonso did nothing wrong but in my mind the team let him down,” said Honda test driver Anthony Davidson, according to BBC, although it is true that Alonso made his own on-track error at one point.
Davidson said: ”(Renault) should have been braver and kept the same tyres on as they did with Fisi. You cannot give Michael anything.”
A Renault mechanic then made another team pit stop error in the fitting of Alonso’s left rear grooved tyre, costing the world champion an extra 18 seconds.
GP China, race
1 M. Schumacher Ferrari
2 F. Alonso Renault + 3.100
3 G. Fisichella Renault + 44.100
4 J. Button Honda + 1:12.000
5 P. de la Rosa McLaren + 1:17.100
6 R. Barrichello Honda + 1:19.100
7 N. Heidfeld BMW + 1:31.900
8 M. Webber Williams + 1 lap
9 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1 lap
10 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso + 1 lap
11 N. Rosberg Williams + 1 lap
12 R. Doornbos Red Bull + 1 lap
13 R. Kubica BMW + 1 lap
14 T. Sato Super Aguri + 1 lap
15 S. Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso + 1 lap
16 C. Albers Spyker MF1 + 3 laps
17 S. Yamamoto Super Aguri + 4 laps
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
