Ferrari brought a new evolution of its hugely successful 053 engine to Montreal, an evolution in which Shell played a large part with fuel and lubricant development. The new engine certainly passed its first test, bringing the Ferrari team another 18 World Championship points. Michael Schumacher won the race from sixth on the grid, making history by becoming the first driver ever to win at the same circuit seven times. Team mate Rubens Barrichello completed a good day for the team finishing third but was promoted to second place after the Williams car were excluded from the results following post-race checks found their brakes to be non-compliant with FIA regulations.
'What a day! A fantastic combination of great drivers, great team, great fuel and great tyres,' said Mike Copson of Shell Global Solutions. 'Everything come together today in a true team effort to supply a memorable victory. Shell is immensely proud and we hope that our fuel with its light weight and flexibility helped to contribute to the fantastic strategy from Ross (Brawn). We are also very happy to see once again our cars staying out longer than most whilst maintaining their speed.'
Turn One in Canada is famously difficult. With twenty Formula One cars all funnelling into the slow left hander immediately followed by a hairpin, the chances of an incident are always high. Although all the front-runners got through the section un-harmed, Coulthard got tangled up with the two Jaguars leaving a mess that Sato, who started from the pit lane had to steer his way through. In the background, Trulli was pulling off the track, his Renault's race over already with suspension failure.
The race itself soon developed to be more of a strategic battle than a conventional motor race however. It was a battle that Shell and Ferrari were well prepared for though as they comprehensively out-thought and out-drove the opposition. Having qualified relatively low down the grid in sixth and seventh place, both Ferrari drivers were making the most of their low-density Shell fuel by opting to run 'two-stop' strategies, whilst nearly all around them chose to stop three times. In fact, the Ferrari cars sat in fifth and seventh place for the first few laps, looking after their cars and waiting for their opponents to stop.
They did not have to wait too long as by lap 14, Button and Montoya peeled off into the pit lane, followed a lap later by Ralf Schumacher and then by Alonso. With a clear track, the Ferraris did as they have done so many times this season by pushing hard to leave their stops a few laps later having made track position on their opponents.
Mid-race, Montoya was attacking Schumacher but was fended off until the Columbian made his second stop. It was Barrichello's turn then to attack the German as the Ferrari cars ran nose to tail until their second stops.
Schumacher held his position and his nerve though to come through and take the win but the drama did not stop at the flag. Following scrutineering checks, the Williams cars of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher, they, along with both Toyotas were disqualified for running illegal brake ducts. This promoted Rubens to second place, and Jenson Button to third. Behind them, the results were significantly shuffled again, giving Fisichella fourth, Räikkönen and Coulthard fifth and sixth with debutant Glock seventh and Heidfeld the last point.
'There is still a long way to go given that only after Indianapolis will we have passed the mid-point of the season and that we are up against strong and well organised opponents,' said Jean Todt, Ferrari Managing Director. 'We can be relied on, along with our technical partners, especially Bridgestone and Shell, to continue to give it our all and our motivation is very high. If possible, we will try to do even better.'
Michael incredible record continues, with his seventh win from eight races and Rubens still sits close behind him in second, only 16 points behind. In the other Championship, that for constructors, Ferrari once again has double the points of the nearest rival with their 124 over Renault's 61.
No rest for the title contenders however as the teams all have to be south of the boarder in Indianapolis in a few days time for the next round of the season.
