F1: Fisichella may take 1st at Interlagos

[Alfie]

International Automobile Federation officials said on Wednesday that Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella may have won Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix after all following a review of the chaotic finish to the race.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was declared the winner as he was leading after the 53rd lap but the FIA said Wednesday it appeared Fisichella had already started his 56th lap before the race was stopped.

In that case the result would be based on positions at the end of the 54th lap when the Italian was leading Raikkonen and Renault driver Fernando Alonso.

Under FIA rules, the final race positions in such conditions are those in effect two laps before the lap on which the race was stopped.

FIA said the Brazilian GP stewards would meet FIA officials in Paris on Friday to review the result.

"Jordan Grand Prix has received the FIA statement concerning the result of the Brazilian Grand Prix, which concurs with the team's evidence," Jordan said in a statement.

"The team awaits the outcome of the stewards' meeting on Friday."

McLaren said they would stand by Friday's decision. "If the timekeepers made a mistake then any adjustment of the race result would be understandable," a spokesman said.

The third leg of the Formula One season in Sao Paulo was red flagged on lap 55 after two heavy accidents involving Jaguar's Mark Webber and Alonso who was taken to hospital and missed the victory celebrations.

Fisichella, whose car caught fire in the pit-lane, was convinced he had won his first Grand Prix in 110 starts in Sunday's chaotic race. But time-keepers declared Raikkonen the winner.

The 23-year-old Finn also won the Malaysian GP last month.

If the FIA confirms Fisichella as the winner it would be Jordan's fourth victory in their 200th Grand Prix.

The rain-hit race was littered with crashes and incidents and ended in bizarre circumstances with Raikkonen's win. Teams were allowed to change the set-up of their cars to suit the wet conditions an hour before the race.

McLaren had already been given special dispensation to change the engine in Raikkonen's car after the power unit suffered a crack during the qualifying session.

E.S.
Source AFP

I hope Fisichella gets the win for Jordan. They deserve it.

F1-Live

[PrinceE30]

Personally I think Giancarlo should have won. Kimmi made a mistake at the end and Fisichella took advantage of it to take the lead. I don't understand the two laps before rule...

If the race is going to be stopped it should be done imediatly (and not have to worry about where cars were two laps before).

It'd be interesting to see Jordan with a win. It's should put some pressure on teams like Williams and Ferrari, seeing as a Ford car won a Formula 1 event.

-Prince

[Alfie]

True and after Kimmi made that mistake Fisichella started to pull a few seconds on him.

And to spark some discussion. I was wondering about tires. FIA rules stipulate that the team has to start with the same tires as in qualifing. Now with the tire blankets and the 3 laps during qualifying do you think that the tires are able to go through an entire heat cycle? So when the race starts cars starting on scrubbed tires? Or not? What do you think? Also do you think Michelin has stepped up a level to out perform the Bridgestones?

[Duke]

Originally posted by Alfie
Also do you think Michelin has stepped up a level to out perform the Bridgestones?

Well I wouldnt look at it that way. When the track was pretty wet the Michelin intermediates ran pretty good, but soon as the track dried up a bit the bridgestones were flying. A the ferrari said they had the fastest car out there, and they did. So its just the tires hit their peak performance at diffrent times. The michelin was the best when the track was the wetest, but bridgestone pulled when the track dried up to a point where actual intermediate tyre conditions happened.


(hope you understand the point i am trying to get across, i am brain dead today)

[Alfie]

Originally posted by Duke
(hope you understand the point i am trying to get across, i am brain dead today)

No, no, I perfectly understand your point completely and I agree. As the track dried out the Bridgestones were posting quicker laps. I was refering to Michelin overall not just at Interlagos. In my opinion Michelin has done a great job to be as (or more) competitive as Bridgestones, seeing how last year was a Ferrari/Bridgestone domination. So far Bridgestone has only posted 2 podium finishes in the last 3 races. More importantly, none have been first (if the FIA doesn't decide in Fisichella's favor). Also, at Interlagos, out of the 9 finishers, 6 were Michelin. It might be too early to tell how who will be the better tire this year but so far Michelin has be on point...in my opinion...