After an extremely exciting start to the 2017 Formula One season in Melbourne, Australia, the teams and drivers packed up and headed to Shanghai, China for round two of the championship. The Chinese Grand Prix is a relatively new addition to the Formula One season. In fact, the Chinese government began planning an F1 circuit in the early 1990s, but it was not until 2004 that the lights finally went out at a Chinese hosted race. With such a short history, there may not be much to cover in this week’s edition of “Moment in History,” but we do not like to make excuses at The F1 Newsletter. So, let us jump back to 2005 for the final race of the season.
Heading into the race, Fernando Alonso had already locked up the Drivers’ World Championship and made history in becoming the youngest world champion in the history of the sport. The Constructors’ World Championship was still up for grabs, however, as Renault had a slim two-point margin over McLaren. Renault was banking on yet another win from Alonso while McLaren hoped their lead driver, Kimi Raikkonen, could steal a few extra points.
I wish I could tell you the race was as exciting as the buildup, but it was not. Alonso qualified first and dominated the race, taking a lights-to-flag victory. It was Renault’s first World Championship as a constructor. Sunday’s edition of the Chinese Grand Prix is sure to be more exciting. Just do not expect the same sort of results from Alonso or Renault.