Michael Schumacher won todas Spanish Grand Prix with his new F2003-GA. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished third, rounding off a great day for the Ferrari team. The new cars also won with the help of a new fuel from the teas technical partner, Shell.
Talk has been of race strategy all weekend and we knew that the right one was crucial for the right result here today said Mike Copson of Shell Global SolutionsThe new fuel we brought Ferrari this weekend has been optimised not only for the F2003-GA but also with an eye to giving Ferrari a good, flexible strategy in the weekend. Obviously, the strategy worked and I am delighted with the way our fuel performed today
We welcome the arrival of the new F2003-GA with open arm said Juan Carlos Perez, Shels International Sponsorship ManagerIt is a beautiful car, but it is even more beautiful when it wins
Although the race was uneventful in parts, the start was far from calm. Michael Schumacher led away from pole but the fast starting Renault of Fernando Alonso appeared to have got ahead of Rubens Barrichello but some smart driving and late braking saw the Brazilian retake his place in second as the pack filed out of Turn Two. In the middle of the fighting, Jarno Trulli found himself in the gravel, out of the race and unable to rejoin the track.
At the back of the grid, Championship-leader Kimi Raikkonen, who had started from last, powered away only to find the stranded Jaguar of Antonio Pizzonia in his way. The McLaren hit the Jaguar, both cars were out and the safety car was deployed allowing the marshals a chance to clear up the debris.
The new F2003-GA car soon found its stride after the restart and although neither Barrichello nor Schumacher opened a huge lead, they still led Fernando Alonso, Ralf Schumacher, Jenson Button and Juan Montoya by lap five. Alonso, basking in the local support was holding onto the back of Barrichells car with great skill, although the superior straight-line speed of the Ferrari kept all challengers at bay.
The leading trio held these positions until lap 17 when the Renault came into the pits for new tyres and fuel. Shortly after Alonss stop, McLaren, who until then had been represented by Coulthard in 11th spot, found themselves with another retirement as the Scot spun out of the race at Turn One.
The Schumacher-Barrichello-Alonso show was to continue however and after Ferrari had pitted their two cars Schumacher re-took his lead, and Barrichello rejoined the race in third.
Behind them, the order was somewhat unexpected with drivers such as Justin Wilson, Christiano Da Matta and Ralph Firman all making good showings.
By half distance, the race order remained largely unchanged as the leaders came back to pit once again. The distance between the top three had changed every lap as they passed back markers, but the order remained Schumacher, Alonso and Barrichello.
By this stage, both team strategies were also clear, that they were running the race with three pit stops each. So when the time came to make the final stops, the pressure was on to make the stops count. Clearly the hours of practice the Ferrari team make for their pit stops paid off as they managed to change all four wheels and tyres of both F2003-Gs and add some of the new Shell fuel in under 7 seconds.
But with so much at risk and with overtaking at a premium around the Catalan circuit, the cars left the pit lane in the order in which they had arrived. Both Ferraris recorded some quick laps, to show their intentions and the field completed the last ten laps of the race.
Schumacher won the race giving the F2003-GA its dream debut. Barrichells third place finish makes Ferrars total for the Constructos Championship 16 points from Spain. In between the two red cars, Alonss second place finish is the highest ever finish for the young Spaniard. Needless to say, the 96,000 strong Catalan crowd went berserk when he stepped onto the podium.
Rounding out the top eight were Juan Montoya in fourth, his team mate Ralf Schumacher behind and good results for Da Matta, Webber and Firman see them claim the rest of the points. Michael Schumacher is now second in the World Championship, four points behind Raikkonen. Barrichello is fourth with 20 points. Ferrari has closed the gap to McLaren to three points.
The F2003-GA also recorded the fastest lap of the race (1.20.103) at the hands of Rubens Barrichello, further confirming its speed.
Speaking after the race, Michael Schumacher said of his F2003-GA the new car is something very special. It is just so beautiful and so fine, I am just so in love with this car, it is fantastic what they have done This afternoon there is nobody in the Ferrari team or the Shell team who will disagree him.
