Kimi Räikkönen and escudería Ferrari carried out a debut of dream in the first date of the championship of the world of Formula 1, disputed in Melbourne, Australia. As it happened in the preseason tests, with Ferrari dominating in the European majority of the drawn up one, the red cars they were the favorites gain the victory in this renewed Formula 1 version 2007.

The race already leaved and Kimi takes immediate distance from its rivals. Heidfeld surpassed both to McLaren de Hamilton and Alonso. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

The dominion of Ferrari was absolute, leading the training of Friday and Saturday and obtaining pole position by a significant one differentiates the day Saturday, and all this with its flaming pilot just arrived, the Finn Kimi Räikkönen. Who thought that Kimi would have to take a time logical to adapt to its new structure were mistaken, no-solo Kimi adapted to its new equipment in a weekend, but also that marked pole, gained the competition and registered the fastest return of the weekend.
The expectation that generated this first date of the championship was much and the attention of her was monopolized mainly by the debut of Räikkönen in Ferrari and the one of the bichampion of the Alonso world in McLaren. With passing of the weekend the debut of the Briton Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren attracted the attention of all.
Unfortunately contracara of Ferrari day Saturday was Felipe Massa, who underwent a transmission problem that left no-solo it outside the Q3, but also derived in the change from the motor and in this way the penalty to release from the last position of grilla.
Feared the first curve of the street circuit of Melbourne did not receive any “victim” this time. Kimi Räikkönen made a starting perfect and maintained the leadership in front of a notable Nick Heidfeld, of BMW, that with a stroke of the pen surpassed the McLaren de Alonso and Hamilton. The Spanish, who usually makes great games, this time made slide his car too much and finished being matched by the German of BMW. Hamilton took advantage the confusion of his coequiper, and escaped to the Spanish by the external side in large-scale maneuvers.

Alonso did not release well but later it recovered two positions and it arrived second behind Räikkönen. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“Released My he was something is strange, both BMW left very fast, and I had to defend my line with Heidfeld, by the external side, and it was impossible to maintain the place to me. Soon I was behind Lewis by a time and it was only concentrate in staying next to him and some times to raise a little so that the car cooled off. I was second after the second shutdown, which was possible to me because I entered two returns after he. Originally it was going to be only one, but thanks to the fact that I stayed behind Lewis I could save sufficient fuel like for one more a return”, it explained the Asturian Alonso.

Kimi only rolled the majority of the race. Its distance with the second fluctuated between 10 and 15 seconds. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

Immediately Räikkönen began to take distance from its rivals turning until the almost 1 second fastest one by return. In fact Kimi only accumulated an advantage of 10 seconds after 10 returns of competition.
Behind the red car, Heidfeld, with a single-seater with less fuel, maintained to ray to the Briton Lewis Hamilton who as well conserved a prudent distance with his coequiper Alonso. The conductiva quality of Hamilton was remarkable from the same released one. The Briton was as much or faster than the own bichampion of the world Alonso during good part of the Great Prize, and all this without forgetting that Hamilton was a newcomer one…
The first incident of the Great Prize happened soon after beginning the test with a touch between the Spyker of the newcomer Subtle Adrian and the Super Aguri of the Briton Anthony Davidson. Anthony of great performance in the classification, released 11º, it remained prisoner in the released one and in his eagerness to recover positions it collided with Subtle. Even so both could continue. Not therefore the Dutch Christijan Albers, that confused in the tenth return with its Spyker Ferrari.

Kubica in boxes. The Pole made a good race until its car failed. Also he fought with Heidfeld. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

Aircraft commander in inaugurating the first round of resupplies of the year was the BMW of Heidfeld. The German paused after 14 returns and once with full tank the yield of its car was not as consistent as before. The leader of the race, Kimi Räikkönen, later imitated to Heidfeld 4 returns, whereas Alonso and Hamilton however would remain some turns in track more trying to shorten distance to the Ferrari of the Finn, something that finally obtained.
In the return 26 Kimi he surpassed the Hamilton novice by 12 second and the Briton as well maintained to ray to his experienced one to coequiper. Alonso tried to pursue his coequiper after the first resupply, but Hamilton accelerated and wove a difference of almost 3 seconds with respect to the Spanish.
Heidfeld in as much lost the second put at the hands of the pair of McLaren. To make matters worse the German when he returned to the track ran into with his coequiper Kubica, that did not facilitate the amble to him and it made him waste valuable time. Finally the Pole succumbed in return 36 when its transmission failed suddenly. There Heidfeld could equal the times of return of the three first, although already it was very behind schedule.

Dissapointing performance of the Renault cars. Fisichella arrived very fifth far from Ferrari and McLaren. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

On the other hand the equipment bichampion of the world, Renault, was not around the circumstances during the GP. The Italian Giancar it Fisichella it did what could, that as throughout the last years was very little, to stay during the competition in the zone of points, but to years light of the Ferrari and McLaren. In as much his coequiper Heikki Kovalainen it committed all the permissible errors, confusions, trompos, inconsistent times of turn, to fight in means of the squad.
In the return 40 Kimi Räikkönen it made his second and last resupply. Hamilton followed a return later, but it was obstructed by the Super Aguri de Takuma Sato, which caused that Fernando Alonso stuck to him to the escapes of the Briton when this entered to boxes. Alonso followed a return later, and when leaving boxes no-solo snatched the position to him to Hamilton, but also that left with a good advantage to its favor.
Meanwhile from the bottom the other Ferrari, the one of Felipe Massa, still advanced being lost very many time behind the Honda of Button and Barrichello during the first part of the test. Once with free track, the Brazilian advanced until the tail of the Renault de Giancar it Fisichella, with that joined a hardest battle until the final returns.
Räikkönen as well controlled the rate of Alonso during the last returns. The Spanish managed to trim a good difference to him, but Kimi never stopped having everything under control. Finally the Finn surpassed the Spanish by 7 seconds after 1 hour and 25 minutes of competition.

The Italian equipment greets with effusion the Räikkönen Finn. Kimi however was not too much affected, faithful to its style. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“A fantastic victory! He is huge to win again and with my new equipment, to which I want to be thankful to him by to have offered a great car to me. The race was not as easy as it must have seen from outside, partly because immediately after the released one, the radio failed, so it was almost impossible to speak with boxes. Luckyly we were well preparations for the race and it knew what had to do, but was difficult moments. I was not to the maximum all along, but it adapted the rate according to went the race. It was good again for hearing my national anthem in podio, did short while that not it oía. I must say that the past year the Italian sounded habitually. This is a fantastic form to begin the championship. We know that we have a competitive package, but still must work to do it better and, mainly trustworthy”, flaming Räikkönen winner commented.
Hamilton diminished much its rate on the end, but at no moment it put in risk the third step of podio. The task of Lewis without doubts was extraordinary and everything seems to indicate that Fernando Alonso will have to transpirar and to prevail him to the surprising Briton much.

Hamilton teaches the way to him to its experienced Alonso companion. Lewis lost the second place in boxes. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“I am absolutely extasiado - the today result is more than it would have dreamed for my Great Prize debut. Thanks enormous for the equipment, that has worked very it last during the winter to make sure that it was so preparation as it was possible to me. I did a good one released, but BMW left very fast and Kubica could happen to me. There was no place by inside, so I moved to the left and I could stretch the braking to happen to Kubica and Fernando in the entrance of the first curve and to be third party. The race was intense, and I worked very hard. I committed some errors, but no major and I enjoyed really it. He was huge to lead the race by some returns, but it knew that he was something temporary. It passed me to Fernando in the second shutdown, since he could remain in track more time and I wasted time with the stragglers. Now we have much work ahead for Malaysia and the rest of the season, but there is no doubt that we can progress from which we have obtained today”, explained the Hamilton novice.
4º put is an excellent reward for the German Nick Heidfeld and his escudería BMW. The equipment hoped to secure a place in podio, but to finalize behind two colossuses as Ferrari and McLaren are an excellent beginning. Lamentably Kubica could have contributed with good points but for its mechanical failure. to continue thus, great BMW has chances to secure his first victory this season.

Hamilton persecutes to Heidfeld by the second place during the first returns of the Great Prize. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“I have realized a very good exit, even better that the one of Kimi, and have managed to advance to Fernando. By all means, it hoped to be able to maintain to me in front of him, but being realistic, it knew that the McLaren we are faster than. Thinking about the happy thing that we are, we must have present from where we left, since the past season we began eighth in the championship of constructors. The progression is really good, and this one is a great beginning of season. Moan the retirement of my companion Robert, since also it was rolling very well. My strategy to choose the first soft tires has been more dangerous. It knew that after the first shutdown it could see me restrained by the rest of cars, since thus it has happened, but I have decided to run the risk in any case. The race has been very funny, although in the end I have been a little only. In the mechanical part, the car has worked perfectly”, said German pilot Heidfeld.
Giancar it Fisichella 5º with its Renault finished, which is a thin reward for escudería French bichampion of the world. Evidently the game of Alonso felt like and much in the equipment champion. Kovalainen did what could, that was not much by the way.
Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg and Ralf Schumacher completed the puntuables positions of the Great Prize. The one of Massa is a good reward after fighting during all the competition. Whereas 7º put of Rosberg is a fresh air alluvium for Williams after a 2006 of nightmare. Williams also had an extra satisfaction, since Rosberg with the flaming Toyota motor escaped to Schumacher, that runs in the Japanese official equipment.

Very good work of Rosberg. Of minor to major the German advanced in the filing cabinet until the seventh final place. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“Today it did not hope, perhaps, a so good result, but as the past year I released from position 12 and I finished 7º, I thought that perhaps it could do it again, given my position of classification. I have been able to today remove the maximum from the car, and was particularly contented of being able to happen to Ralf (Schumacher) - by all means it was going to risk to me, you always must try and this is good for the equipment. The new regulation forces to us to both use types of tires in race and although I underwent something of wearing down on the end, did not worry to me, because did not have to nobody close, neither ahead nor back. For the next test in Malaysia we must improve and to continue progressing”, showed Nico Rosberg.
The deception of this weekend without doubts him quota to escudería Honda. Their engineers already had alerted that the RA107 had not been born well, and as much Barrichello as Button suffered to finish 11º and 14º respectively. The Brazilian at least advanced to the other car driven by Honda, surprising the Super Aguri de Takuma Sato, that is neither the more nor less than the RA106 of 2006 of Honda.

Taku started tenth but it could not hold that position. Of equal way its equipment improved an enormity. Photo: http://f1.racing-live.com/

“First of all, done well by all in the equipment. It is a positive beginning of season, with two trustworthy cars finishing the race. I had one released very exciting one and the first return between malón, which was funny. But when the conditions of track changed, I began to have problems with the balance of the car and that did that we did not prune to remove the best thing from him. But it volume like a positive experience of learning and something in which we must work from here. During my second shutdown we lost something of time and that affected my final position. A pity, but I believe that we demonstrated to have a good rate and we did one released solid one, so I hope to have another good race in Malaysia”, commented Taku.
The certain thing is that starting 2007 of F1 was certainly foreseeable and reflected the test results of preseason. Ferrari was the favorite and won. McLaren however seemed to be a step more down and it demonstrated thus it in Melbourne.
Within three weeks the circus of Formula 1 travels to Sepang for the second valid one of the championship of the world, the Great Prize of Malaysia.

<<<EXTRA>>>

The key of the GP: The extraordinary yield of the new Ferrari added to the enormous experience, unlike its great rivals, of the Ferrari-Bridgestone set.

The maneuver of the GP: The amble of Hamilton to his coequiper Alonso and the BMW of Heidfeld in the released one. They remember that this was his first race of F1.

Outstanding pilot I: Lewis Hamilton. Shining debut, or as much faster than his coequiper champion of the world twice Fernando Alonso. A very promissory future for the young colored person.

Outstanding pilot II: Nico Rosberg. It started from means of grilla and surpassed to many rivals to reaching worthy a seventh position. Very remarkable.

The surprise: The yield of the Super Aguri throughout the weekend with a single-seater finished to the hardships. Brilliant.

Deception I: The Honda equipment. Simply a disastrous yield. To do much.

Deception II: Mark Webber. After an excellent work in the classification it did I spin a top in the street of boxes in front of thousands of his Australian compatriots…

© Alexander Lucardi
Photos: http://f1.racing-live.com/