The 2004 Formula One World Championship was the 56th season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, across a then-record 19 rounds from 6 March to 16 October. It saw the end of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s dominance, with Fernando Alonso and Renault taking the championship titles.
Season
This was the year the Michael Schumacher–Ferrari era cracked. After five consecutive title doubles, Ferrari’s dominance ended as Fernando Alonso and Renault stormed to both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ crowns. Alonso, just 24, became the youngest World Champion in F1 History, at the time—a record that stood until Lewis Hamilton won in 2008. For Renault, it was their first constructors’ title, and the first drivers’ crown for a Renault-powered car since Jacques Villeneuve in 1997. Alonso’s relentless early-season form, including three wins in the opening four races, set the tone. He sealed the championship with a controlled third place in Brazil, two rounds from the finish.
Yet Alonso’s rise came under heavy fire from McLaren and Kimi Räikkönen. Räikkönen matched Alonso with seven wins but was hampered by fragile Mercedes engines and reliability woes that cost him victories. Still, his charge from 17th on the grid to a last-lap pass for the win at Suzuka remains one of F1’s greatest drives. His teammate Juan Pablo Montoya endured a frustrating campaign—missing races early on with a bizarre tennis injury—but rallied to claim three victories by year’s end.
For Ferrari, the season was a stark reversal of fortunes. The 2005 ban on tyre changes exposed Bridgestone’s weakness against Michelin, leaving Schumacher with just a single win—and even that came under extraordinary circumstances at Indianapolis. After Michelin ruled its tyres unsafe for the high-speed oval section, only six cars (the Bridgestone runners) started the race, gifting Ferrari their lone victory. Despite the lack of pace, Schumacher clung to third in the Drivers’ standings, while Rubens Barrichello faded further adrift.
Beyond the title fight, 2005 also saw the end of an era in the paddock. Jordan, BAR, and Minardi contested their final seasons before becoming Midland, Honda, and Toro Rosso in 2006. Meanwhile, the former Jaguar team re-emerged as Red Bull Racing, beginning a journey that would reshape the future of the sport.
2005 F1 Entries Drivers and Teams
Entrants in the 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship.
| Constructor | Driver No. | Driver | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrari | 1 | Michael Schumacher | All |
| 2 | Rubens Barrichello | All | |
| BAR-Honda | 3 | Jenson Button | 1-4, 7-19 |
| 4 | Takuma Sato1 | 1-4, 7-19 | |
| 4 | Anthony Davidson | 2 | |
| Renault | 5 | Fernando Alonso | All |
| 6 | Giancarlo Fisichella | All | |
| Williams-BMW | 7 | Mark Webber | All |
| 8 | Nick Heidfeld | 1-15 | |
| 8 | Antonio Pizzonia | 15-19 | |
| McLaren-Mercedes | 9 | Kimi Raikkonen | All |
| 10 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 1-2, 5-19 | |
| 10 | Pedro de la Rosa | 3 | |
| 10 | Alexander Wurz | 4 | |
| Sauber-Petronas | 11 | Jacques Villeneuve | All |
| 12 | Felipe Massa | All | |
| Red Bull-Cosworth | 14 | David Coulthard | All |
| 15 | Christian Klien | 1-3, 8-19 | |
| 15 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | 4-7 | |
| Toyota Racing | 16 | Jarno Trulli | All |
| 17 | Ralf Schumacher2 | All | |
| 17 | Ricardo Zonta | 9 | |
| Jordan-Toyota | 18 | Tiago Monteiro | All |
| 19 | Narain Karthikeyan | All | |
| Minardi-Cosworth | 20 | Patrick Friesacher | 1-11 |
| 20 | Robert Doornbos | 12-19 | |
| 21 | Christijan Albers | All |
2Ralf Schumacher was entered into the United States Grand Prix, but later withdrew after he was injured during free practice.
Friday Drivers
Friday free practice was opened up to additional “third drivers” at select events. Five constructors fielded dedicated practice-only drivers across the season. Sauber Petronas were also eligible but opted not to run one.
- McLaren–Mercedes –
- Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) – Rounds 1–2, 4–5, 8–11, 14–15, 18–19
- Alexander Wurz (Austria) – Rounds 3, 6–7, 12–13, 16–17
- Red Bull–Cosworth
- Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) – Rounds 1–3, 10–19
- Christian Klien (Austria) – Rounds 4–7
- Scott Speed (United States) – Rounds 8–9
- Toyota
- Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) – Rounds 1–9, 11–19
- Olivier Panis (France) – Round 10
- Jordan–Toyota
- Robert Doornbos (Netherlands) – Rounds 1–6, 9–11
- Franck Montagny (France) – Round 7
- Nicolas Kiesa (Denmark) – Rounds 12–17, 19
- Sakon Yamamoto (Japan) – Round 18
- Minardi–Cosworth
- Chanoch Nissany (Israel) – Round 13
- Enrico Toccacelo (Italy) – Rounds 14–16
Additional notes:
- Toccacelo skipped Brazil as he was racing in the inaugural A1 Grand Prix event at Brands Hatch.
- Rising star Robert Kubica was slated to drive for Minardi at Suzuka or Shanghai but was unable to secure the required FIA Super Licence.
Team Changes
The 2005 season saw major shifts in the paddock, with new owners, rebrands, and future factory projects:
- Red Bull Racing entered Formula One by purchasing the former Jaguar team, running Cosworth engines in their debut season. The lineup paired experienced Scotsman David Coulthard, who arrived from McLaren, with Christian Klien, retained from Jaguar’s 2004 squad.
- Jordan Grand Prix, still powered by Toyota, was sold to the Midland Group. The famous Jordan name remained on the cars for 2005, but this was the first step toward the full Midland F1 transition in 2006.
- Sauber broke away further from its Ferrari links by switching tyre supplier from Bridgestone to Michelin over the winter, a move that had strategic implications throughout the year.
- BAR Honda faced controversy when both cars were found underweight after the San Marino Grand Prix. As punishment, the FIA banned the team from competing in the following two races, Spain and Monaco.
- At the Hungarian Grand Prix, the long-standing West McLaren Mercedes name officially changed to Team McLaren Mercedes, dropping its long-time title sponsor.
- Just after the infamous United States Grand Prix, Peter Sauber announced that Credit Suisse had sold its majority stake in his team to BMW. The move set the stage for the creation of BMW Sauber, which would debut in 2006 as the German manufacturer’s full works team.
Driver Changes
The 2005 grid saw one of the biggest reshuffles of the decade, with established stars switching teams and a wave of rookies making their debut in Formula One.
- Renault paired Fernando Alonso with Giancarlo Fisichella, who arrived from Sauber. It was effectively a swap deal: Jacques Villeneuve, who had replaced Jarno Trulli for Renault’s final three races in 2004, moved to Sauber in return.
- Williams opted for a completely new line-up. Out went Juan Pablo Montoya (to McLaren) and Ralf Schumacher (to Toyota), in came Mark Webber from Jaguar and Nick Heidfeld from Jordan. Montoya’s McLaren seat came at the expense of David Coulthard, who joined Red Bull, while Webber’s old Jaguar seat became Coulthard’s new home.
- Toyota signed Ralf Schumacher to partner Jarno Trulli, who had joined the team late in 2004. This reshuffle pushed Ricardo Zonta—who had raced five of Toyota’s last six Grands Prix in 2004—back into a third driver role. Olivier Panis, who had contested 17 of 18 races for Toyota in 2004, moved into a dual role as test driver and team advisor. Cristiano da Matta, who had begun 2004 with Toyota, returned to Champ Car.
- Jordan lost all three of their 2004 drivers. Timo Glock (who raced at the end of the season) left for Champ Car, while Giorgio Pantano switched to GP2 with Super Nova Racing. That left two vacant race seats, filled by rookies Tiago Monteiro (Minardi test driver in 2004) and Narain Karthikeyan. Both had been rivals the previous year in the World Series by Nissan.
- Minardi also opted for a fresh line-up, replacing Gianmaria Bruni (who moved to GP2) and Zsolt Baumgartner. Their 2005 seats went to two debutants: Patrick Friesacher (from International Formula 3000) and Christijan Albers (from DTM).
Mid-Season Changes
The 2005 season saw major pre-season reshuffles—injuries, illnesses, and contract changes brought about plenty of mid-season seat changes too:
- BAR Honda – Anthony Davidson, the team’s test driver, replaced an ill Takuma Sato at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Sato returned at the next round.
- McLaren–Mercedes – With Juan Pablo Montoya sidelined by a shoulder injury, reserve driver Pedro de la Rosa stepped in at Bahrain, while Alexander Wurz took over third driver duties. At San Marino, Wurz drove in Montoya’s place, and de la Rosa reverted to reserve. Montoya returned from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards.
- Red Bull Racing – The team split its second race seat between Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi. Klien, retained from Jaguar, drove the opening three races before Liuzzi took over for San Marino, Spain, Monaco, and Europe. Klien then reclaimed the seat in Canada and completed the rest of the season.
- Jordan–Toyota – Robert Doornbos served as third driver for nine of the first eleven rounds, with Franck Montagny filling in at the European Grand Prix. At Canada, Jordan were banned from running a third car due to tyre allocation breaches. From the German Grand Prix onwards, Nicolas Kiesa replaced Doornbos as Jordan’s Friday driver—while Doornbos moved up to a race seat at Minardi, replacing Patrick Friesacher due to sponsorship issues.
- Minardi–Cosworth – In addition to Doornbos’ promotion, Minardi rotated several third drivers. Chanoch Nissany became the first Israeli to participate in an F1 weekend at Hungary, before being replaced by Enrico Toccacelo at Turkey and Italy.
- Williams–BMW – Nick Heidfeld was sidelined after a heavy Monza testing crash left him with severe headaches. Antônio Pizzonia deputised at the Italian GP and was set to step aside once Heidfeld recovered. However, Heidfeld later suffered a motorcycle accident, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. Pizzonia stayed on for the final rounds.
- Toyota – Ricardo Zonta filled in for Ralf Schumacher at Indianapolis qualifying after Schumacher sustained a concussion in practice. However, due to the Michelin tyre crisis, Zonta—along with all other Michelin runners—did not start the race.
Regulation Changes
Heading into 2005, Formula One braced for sweeping changes to its rulebook. The season opened with ten confirmed teams—thanks to Red Bull’s late takeover of Jaguar—avoiding a clause in the Concorde Agreement that would have forced certain teams to run three cars if fewer than 20 entries had been present. Minardi briefly contested the legality of their 2004-spec cars, winning an injunction to race in Australia before updating their machinery to comply with the new 2005 regulations.
Technical Regulations
- Tyres – The most dramatic change was the ban on tyre changes during pit stops. Drivers were required to complete qualifying and the race on a single set of tyres, unless damaged by punctures or deemed unsafe by the FIA. This forced teams to choose harder, longer-lasting compounds, and put tyre suppliers under immense pressure. Michelin gained a clear edge over Bridgestone, a factor that defined much of the season.
- After Kimi Räikkönen’s high-speed Nürburgring crash, caused by suspension failure from a flat-spotted tyre, the FIA allowed teams to replace tyres deemed dangerously worn without penalty.
- Engines – Power units now had to last two full race weekends. Any unscheduled engine change triggered a 10-place grid penalty, aimed at cutting costs and limiting extreme development. BAR briefly exploited a loophole by retiring their cars deliberately in Australia, but the FIA quickly closed it.
- Aerodynamics – To reduce cornering speeds and aid overtaking, wings and chassis dimensions were revised.
- Front wings were raised by 5 cm.
- Rear wings were brought forward by 15 cm.
- Noses were raised.
Though intended to reduce downforce by 25%, most teams clawed much of it back through clever design, leaving overtaking as difficult as before.
- Engines of the Future – 2005 was the final year of the 3.0L V10 era. From 2006, 2.4L V8s were mandated, though resource-limited teams could use rev-limited V10s. In practice, all but one team—Toro Rosso, who ran a Cosworth TJ2006 V10—transitioned directly to V8s.
Sporting Regulations
- Qualifying – The first six races introduced yet another new format: aggregate times from two single-lap runs (Saturday and Sunday). Cars could refuel after Saturday, but Sunday runs had to be on race fuel and race tyres. This rule, designed after 2004’s typhoon-hit Suzuka qualifying, created headaches in mixed-weather weekends.
- From the European GP onward, the system reverted to a single one-lap run on Saturday with race fuel.
- Race Starts – If a driver stalled on the grid, the field would immediately go for another formation lap instead of stopping for several minutes. The stalled car would be removed to the pit lane for the restart.
- Red Flags – Timing no longer stopped when races were red-flagged. Restarts would be rolling behind the safety car, rather than standing. Although formalised in 2005, this procedure wasn’t first used until the 2007 European GP.
- Safety Car – For the first time, the safety car was allowed to use the pit lane when required, a change prompted by Ralf Schumacher’s violent accident at Indianapolis in 2004.
2005 Formula 1 Race Calendar
The 2005 season featured a record 19 Grands Prix and introduced some notable shifts in the calendar:
- United States Grand Prix Controversy – The season’s most infamous event came at Indianapolis. Following tyre failures in practice, Michelin declared its tyres unsafe for the high-speed Turn 13 banking. Unable to guarantee safety, all 14 Michelin runners withdrew after the formation lap, leaving just six Bridgestone cars to contest the race. The debacle triggered global outrage and remains one of the most controversial moments in F1 history.
- China Takes the Finale – With the Brazilian Grand Prix moved forward to late September, the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai was promoted to the season-ending slot on 16 October.
- Turkey Joins the Calendar – Formula One debuted at Istanbul Park with the Turkish Grand Prix on 21 August, slotted immediately after Hungary. The Hermann Tilke-designed circuit quickly earned a reputation for its flowing layout and punishing Turn 8.
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005 Australian Grand Prix | Albert Park Circuit , Melbourne | 6 March |
| 2 | 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix | Sepang International Circuit , Kuala Lumpur | 20 March |
| 3 | 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir | 3 April |
| 4 | 2005 San Marino Grand Prix | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari , Imola | 24 April |
| 5 | 2005 Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Catalunya , Montmeló | 8 May |
| 6 | 2005 Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco , Monte Carlo | 22 May |
| 7 | 2005 European Grand Prix | Nürburgring , Nürburg | 29 May |
| 8 | 2005 Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve , Montreal | 12 June |
| 9 | 2005 United States Grand Prix | Indianapolis Motor Speedway , Speedway | 19 June |
| 10 | 2005 French Grand Prix | Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours , Magny-Cours | 3 July |
| 11 | 2005 British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone | 10 July |
| 12 | 2005 German Grand Prix | Hockenheimring , Hockenheim | 24 July |
| 13 | 2005 Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring , Mogyoród | 31 July |
| 14 | 2005 Turkish Grand Prix | Istanbul Park, Istanbul | 21 August |
| 15 | 2005 Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza , Monza | 4 September |
| 16 | 2005 Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot | 11 September |
| 17 | 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix | Autódromo José Carlos Pace , São Paulo | 25 September |
| 18 | 2005 Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka | 9 October |
| 19 | 2005 Chinese Grand Prix | Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai | 16 October |
2005 Formula 1 Race Reports
Round 1: Australian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 6 March 2005
Circuit: Albert Park Circuit
Laps: 57 (Scheduled: 58 laps, 307.574 km)
Circuit Length: 5.303 km
At the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, the opening round of the season, Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella clinched victory from pole position. Following closely was Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari, who took second place, while Fisichella’s teammate, Fernando Alonso, secured third. This race also saw the debut of Red Bull Racing, which had entered the sport by acquiring the former Jaguar team. David Coulthard finished fourth, and Christian Klien seventh for the team.
Round 2: Malaysian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 20 March 2005
Circuit: Sepang International Circuit
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.543 km (3.444 miles)
The 2005 Malaysian Grand Prix was the season’s second round, with Fernando Alonso starting from pole and securing a decisive win with Renault, finishing 23.4 seconds ahead of Toyota‘s Jarno Trulli. This win not only gave Alonso the honour of being the first Spaniard to lead the F1 World Championship but also delivered Trulli and Toyota their first podium finish. Meanwhile, Ferrari faced challenges as Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello finished far behind, with their performance in a subpar car prompting team manager Jean Todt to admit they were outperformed by stronger rivals. Nick Heidfeld finished third for Williams.
Round 3: Bahrain Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 3 April 2005
Circuit: Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain
Laps: 57
Circuit length: 5.412 km (3.363 miles)
The 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix came just one day after the passing of Pope John Paul II, leading several teams and drivers to pay their respects. Notably, Ferrari raced with blackened nose cones as a tribute. The podium celebrations were subdued following Fernando Alonso‘s dominant win for Renault from start to finish.
Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher‘s race ended prematurely due to a spin, his first technical retirement in 59 Grands Prix since 2001. Jarno Trulli finished in second place for Toyota and Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium in third for McLaren.
Round 4: San Marino Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 24 April 2005
Circuit: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Laps: 62
Circuit length: 4.933 km (3.065 miles)
Renault driver Fernando Alonso described his victory at the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix as his “best win in F1 so far.” Starting second behind Kimi Raikkonen, Alonso took the lead after the McLaren driver retired on lap nine due to mechanical failure.
With a comfortable 30-second lead, Alonso appeared to be in control, but the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher launched a relentless charge, setting fastest lap after fastest lap to steadily close the gap. In a thrilling final stint, Schumacher swarmed all over Alonso’s gearbox, but the Spaniard held his nerve, crossing the line just 0.2 seconds ahead to secure victory. BAR driver Jenson Button crossed the line in third place, but his team were subsequently disqualified for underweight cars; third place was then awarded to McLaren driver Alexander Wurz.
The win extended Alonso’s championship lead to 16 points over Jarno Trulli, further solidifying his title bid.
Round 5: Spanish Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 8 May 2005
Circuit: Circuit de Catalunya
Laps: 66
Circuit length: 4.627 km
Kimi Raikkonen led from start to finish at the 2005 Spanish Grand Prix, securing his first victory of 2005 with McLaren. Fernando Alonso took second place in front of his home fans and over 100,000 spectators. Alonso’s second-place finish bolstered his lead in the world championship. Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher faced setbacks in his quest for a sixth consecutive title with two tyre failures during the race but remained determined, vowing to continue the fight. Jarno Trulli finished third for Toyota.
Round 6: Monaco Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 22 May 2005
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 78
Circuit length: 3.34 km
The 2005 Monaco Grand Prix showcased that overtaking on its narrow streets is possible even in modern F1 cars. McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen dominated from the start, but behind him, title rival Fernando Alonso faced pressure from the Williams drivers of Nick Heidfeld (P2) and Mark Webber (P3). Both managed to pass Alonso at the harbour chicane as his Michelin tyres degraded. Michael Schumacher also executed a daring move on the final lap, overtaking his teammate Rubens Barrichello and then challenging his brother Ralf as they crossed the finish line.
Round 7: European Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 29 May 2005
Circuit: Nürburgring
Laps: 59
Circuit length: 5.148 km
David Coulthard‘s chances for a podium finish at the 2005 European Grand Prix were thwarted by speeding penalties. After incurring a penalty during qualifying for a pit-lane error, he repeated the offence during the race, resulting in a costly drive-through penalty. “These things happen,” Coulthard remarked. “The margin was so tight, but once I had to drive through the pits for the penalty, I knew the podium had gone.” The race was won by Fernando Alonso for the Renault team. Nick Heidfeld, who had taken the first and only pole position of his career for the Williams team, finished second in front of the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello, who completed the podium in third position.
Round 8: Canadian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 12 June 2005
Circuit: Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.361 km
In a thrilling 2005 Canadian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen emerged victorious after both Renault drivers, Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso, retired with six laps of each other.
Juan Pablo Montoya was disqualified after he prematurely exited the pit lane on a red light, leading to a double podium for Ferrari with Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello securing second and third places, respectively.
Jenson Button, aiming for third, crashed after hitting the kerbs at the final chicane. He explained his mishap, noting the unexpected understeer due to debris on his tyres and his preference to risk crashing rather than yielding his position to Schumacher.
Round 9: United States Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 19 June 2005
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 73
Circuit length: 4.192km (2.605 miles)
The 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis turned into a debacle, tarnishing Formula One’s reputation, particularly in the U.S., following several Michelin tyre failures before the race, including a major accident for Ralf Schumacher‘s Toyota during Friday practice.
Due to safety concerns with their tyres, 14 of the 20 cars, all equipped with Michelin tyres, withdrew after the parade lap. This left only six cars to compete, leading to Michael Schumacher‘s unfulfilling victory amidst rule changes that prohibited tyre changes during the race. Spectators, having paid hefty ticket prices, were left bewildered and angry. Minardi boss Paul Stoddart criticised the event, sympathising with the Michelin teams and expressing disappointment over the race’s legitimacy.
Schumacher’s teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second, and Jordan driver Tiago Monteiro finished third, which would be his only podium in Formula One as well as the last podium for Jordan.
Round 10: French Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 3 July 2005
Circuit: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.411 km
Fernando Alonso won the 2005 French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, finishing ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher. Raikkonen faced a setback when his engine blew during practice, resulting in a ten-place grid penalty. Despite this, he qualified third fastest and ran 28 laps before his first pit stop, climbing from 13th to second place. Raikkonen closed the gap to within 15 seconds of Alonso, but the Spaniard held on to secure the win, likely benefiting from Raikkonen’s earlier misfortune. The race also marked Giancarlo Fisichella‘s 150th start in Formula One.
Round 11: British Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 10 July 2005
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 60
Circuit length: 5.141 km (3.194 miles)
The 2005 British Grand Prix, held on July 10 at Silverstone Circuit, was the eleventh round of the 2005 Formula One World Championship. McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya clinched his first victory for the team, overtaking pole-sitter Fernando Alonso early in the race and maintaining the lead despite pressure from the Renault driver. Alonso finished second, 2.739 seconds behind Montoya, while McLaren teammate Kimi Räikkönen recovered from a 12th-place start due to an engine penalty to secure third place, also setting the fastest lap on the final lap. Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault) and Jenson Button (BAR) completed the top five.
Although Alonso finished second he, he was left fuming after being caught up in traffic.
The race’s only retirement was the Jordan of Narain Karthikeyan failing to finish due to an electrical issue. Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello finished sixth and seventh, while Ralf Schumacher (Toyota) secured the final point in eighth place. Following the race, Alonso extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship to 77 points, with Räikkönen at 51 and Schumacher at 43. In the Constructors’ standings, Renault led with 102 points, ahead of McLaren (87) and Ferrari (74).
Round 12: German Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 24 July 2005
Circuit: Hockenheimring
Laps: 67
Circuit length: 4.574 km (2.842 miles)
Fernando Alonso won the 2005 German Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya and Jenson Button, extending his championship lead to 36 points over Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen seemed poised to win the race until a hydraulics problem forced his retirement on lap 35, leaving Alonso to coast to victory and solidify his lead towards the 2005 Drivers’ Championship title.
It was Button’s first ‘official’ podium finish of the season, because the BAR team had been disqualified from the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix for underweight cars.
Round 13: Hungarian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 31 July 2005
Circuit: Hungaroring
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 4.381 km (2.722 miles)
Kimi Raikkonen won the 2005 Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of brothers Michael and Ralf Schumacher. Despite Fernando Alonso only managing to finish a distant 11th after damaging his front wing during an attempted pass on Ralf into the first corner, the Spaniard maintained a 26-point lead over Raikkonen in the championship after the race.
Round 14: Turkish Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 21 August 2005
Circuit: Istanbul Park
Laps: 58
Circuit length: 5.340 km (3.318 miles)
F1 expanded its reach with the inaugural 2005 Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul. The new circuit was an immediate success, with Kimi Raikkonen taking victory for McLaren ahead of Renault driver Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya. McLaren seemed poised for a 1-2 finish, but Montoya ran wide on the final lap after colliding with the backmarker Tiago Monteiro in the Jordan. This damaged his diffuser and allowed Alonso to pass, the team settling for a 1-3 finish. Montoya did secure the fastest lap, which was over two seconds faster than his teammate’s qualifying time.
Formula One History Recommends
Round 15: Italian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 4 September 2005
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.793 km (3.600 miles)
The 2005 Italian Grand Prix was only the second time in history that every car that started the race was still running at the finish (at that time). Juan Pablo Montoya won the race for McLaren, with Renault drivers Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella finishing second and third, respectively. Fisichella dedicated his podium finish to Michele Alboreto, the last Italian to stand on the podium at Monza before him.
Round 16: Belgian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 11 September 2005
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 44
Circuit length: 6.976 km (4.335 miles)
McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen dominated the 2005 Belgian Grand Prix, winning ahead of the Renault of Fernando Alonso and the BAR of Jenson Button, keeping his slim championship hopes alive. Raikkonen’s lead could have been greater if his teammate Juan Pablo Montoya hadn’t collided with him while running in second place just four laps from the finish. Despite Raikkonen’s win, Alonso maintained a 25-point lead in the drivers’ championship with only four races left in the season.
Round 17: Brazilian Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 25 September 2025
Circuit: Autódromo José Carlos Pace
Laps: 71
Circuit length: 4.309 km (2.677 miles)
Third place at the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix was enough for Renault’s Fernando Alonso to become the youngest F1 driver world champion, at the time, at 24 years and 59 days. “The final laps seemed to take forever,” Alonso said. “It took a while for it to sink in once I stopped. I won the championship with maybe not the best car, so I am proud of what I did. Taking the title from Michael Schumacher is a bonus. I come from a country with no Formula One tradition, and I had to fight my way alone, with help from only two or three people.” Schumacher, reflecting on his title loss, remarked that he was “not sad” after his long reign.
McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya took first place while his teammate Kimi Raikkonen came home in P2 for a McLaren 1-2 finish.
Formula One History Recommends
Round 18: Japanese Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 9 October 2005
Circuit: Suzuka International Racing Course
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 5.807 km (3.608 miles)
McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen delivered one of the greatest comeback victories in F1 history at the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix, starting from 17th on the grid and taking the lead on the final lap from the Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella. Fisichella ultimately had to settle for second place despite leading much of the race. At the same time, his teammate Fernando Alonso came through the field from sixteenth, including an overtake on the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher around the outside of 130R to finish third.
The race also saw Ralf Schumacher’s sixth and final pole position in Formula One and Raikkonen’s last win for the McLaren team.
Round 19: Chinese Grand Prix
Race date: Sunday, 16 October 2005
Circuit: Shanghai International Circuit
Laps: 56
Circuit length: 5.451 km (3.387 miles)
Fernando Alonso rounded off his championship-winning season by taking the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix, ensuring Renault also won the 2005 Constructors’ Championship. Starting from pole, he built a 20-second lead before two safety-car periods brought the field closer, but he still eased home by four seconds ahead of Kimi Raikkonen driving for McLaren. “All season has been a dream come true, but for Renault even more because it is only four years since they came into Formula One, and now we are champions,” Alonso said. “It was not an easy job to do.” Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher ended the year on an unusual note, colliding with the Minardi of Christijan Albers on the installation lap, forcing both cars to be abandoned, and the drivers started from the pit lane using their spare cars. “The weird ending pretty much sums up our season,” Schumacher said. Ralf Schumacher, driving for Toyota at the time, claimed third place.
2005 Formula 1 Race Results
Grands Prix
2005 Formula 1 Standings
Driver standings
| POS | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Alonso | ESP | Renault | 133 |
| 2 | Kimi Räikkönen | FIN | McLaren Mercedes | 112 |
| 3 | Michael Schumacher | GER | Ferrari | 62 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | COL | McLaren Mercedes | 60 |
| 5 | Giancarlo Fisichella | ITA | Renault | 58 |
| 6 | Ralf Schumacher | GER | Toyota | 45 |
| 7 | Jarno Trulli | ITA | Toyota | 43 |
| 8 | Rubens Barrichello | BRA | Ferrari | 38 |
| 9 | Jenson Button | GBR | BAR Honda | 37 |
| 10 | Mark Webber | AUS | Williams BMW | 36 |
| 11 | Nick Heidfeld | GER | Williams BMW | 28 |
| 12 | David Coulthard | GBR | RBR Cosworth | 24 |
| 13 | Felipe Massa | BRA | Sauber Petronas | 11 |
| 14 | Jacques Villeneuve | CAN | Sauber Petronas | 9 |
| 15 | Christian Klien | AUT | RBR Cosworth | 9 |
| 16 | Tiago Monteiro | POR | Jordan Toyota | 7 |
| 17 | Alexander Wurz | AUT | McLaren Mercedes | 6 |
| 18 | Narain Karthikeyan | IND | Jordan Toyota | 5 |
| 19 | Christijan Albers | NED | Minardi Cosworth | 4 |
| 20 | Pedro de la Rosa | ESP | McLaren Mercedes | 4 |
| 21 | Patrick Friesacher | AUT | Minardi Cosworth | 3 |
| 22 | Antonio Pizzonia | BRA | Williams BMW | 2 |
| 23 | Takuma Sato | JPN | BAR Honda | 1 |
| 24 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | ITA | RBR Cosworth | 1 |
| 25 | Robert Doornbos | MON | Minardi Cosworth | 0 |
Team standings
| Team | PTS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Renault | 191 |
| 2 | McLaren Mercedes | 182 |
| 3 | Ferrari | 100 |
| 4 | Toyota | 88 |
| 5 | Williams BMW | 66 |
| 6 | BAR Honda | 38 |
| 7 | RBR Cosworth | 34 |
| 8 | Sauber Petronas | 20 |
| 9 | Jordan Toyota | 12 |
| 10 | Minardi Cosworth | 7 |
