Driver of the race: France

**Adam43** · 3 Jul 2005, 15:58 (Ref:1346060)

Here are a few options. Please ask for more if your driver of the race isn't included.

Hazard · 3 Jul 2005, 16:02 (Ref:1346065)

I want Monteiro in it! If he can be man of the race at Indy for beating his team mate and a pair of Minardi's - surely he gets it again for beating a Williams this time!?

**Aysedasi** · 3 Jul 2005, 16:02 (Ref:1346066)

Alonso for me.

**Adam43** · 3 Jul 2005, 16:03 (Ref:1346068)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazard

I want Monteiro in it! If he can be man of the race at Indy for beating his team mate and a pair of Minardi's - surely he gets it again for beating a Williams this time!?

Added, although the Williams did have problems.

Kicking-back · 3 Jul 2005, 16:04 (Ref:1346070)

Raikkonen for me.

Clever strategy and fast driving

Kidzer · 3 Jul 2005, 16:15 (Ref:1346082)

I voted Raikkonen aswell, great drive by him

Pitstop · 3 Jul 2005, 16:19 (Ref:1346086)

Kimi, great drive.

Knowlesy · 3 Jul 2005, 16:23 (Ref:1346090)

Alonso. Absolutely unstoppable, did not stop pushing. Drove beyond his car unlike his ex-much vaunted teammate, who finished more than a lap adrift.

Kimi and JPM drove good races up until they jumped Michael. then they just faded and settled. But that car is the class of the field on race day.

ttc · 3 Jul 2005, 16:29 (Ref:1346095)

It was a fantastic drive for KR, coming from 13th to 2nd. So drive of the day for him!

FA drove a great race too, keeping up his blazing pace.

Ferrari seems to lack the pace of Renault and Mclaren and MS's 3rd was a little disappointing, but if you compared him to his team mate, he must have driven a good race too.

Menelaos · 3 Jul 2005, 16:40 (Ref:1346105)

I voted for Raikkonen, I think he did the best job, and he had a difficult job to do. Alonso was perfect, but he didn't have any real challenge, so I guess I couldn't count him as the driver of the race. JPM, I think, deserves to be in the list, he drove well but was unlucky. Schumacher was not good imo. If I didn't vote for Raikkonen my vote would be for Alonso or JPM who (both) drove perfectly.

JeremySmith · 3 Jul 2005, 16:42 (Ref:1346108)

It has to be KR for me, 13th to 2nd fantastic stuff!

Menelaos · 3 Jul 2005, 16:45 (Ref:1346110)

aaah, and let me add to my previous post: Raikkonen made 13th-->2nd with NO cars retiring in front of him. Most times a driver has such an impressive climb it's because quite a few of the cars in the front have to retire.

Knowlesy · 3 Jul 2005, 16:49 (Ref:1346118)

JPM retired to be nitpicky!

Menelaos · 3 Jul 2005, 16:54 (Ref:1346125)

well, yes, but Raikkonen was laredy in front of him, and his second pitstop would come later than JPM's so I guess JPM didn't really have a chance.

Knowlesy · 3 Jul 2005, 16:56 (Ref:1346126)

Yer, the strategy worked better for Kimi today, has to be said. Still, he kept in touch which was crucial. But I think JPM's car was beginning to fade around the stops in any case.

Menelaos · 3 Jul 2005, 17:05 (Ref:1346138)

although this does not have much to do with today's race, I think JPM is just not as good as Raikkonen. He might be able to match his pace a few times, but he lacks the consistency Raikonen, Alonso and Schumacher seem to have.

Rennen · 3 Jul 2005, 17:27 (Ref:1346158)

Kimi.

Gt_R · 3 Jul 2005, 18:35 (Ref:1346209)

I vote Kimi.

Although not as dramatic, Kimi's drive does have a portion of similarities to that of Michael's drive in San Marino.

Kimi got up to 10th place, but he is stuck behind a train of cars. And once again, it's Trulli's Toyota who held up the pack, meaning that once Kimi got the clear road as everyone peels into pitlane, he could overtake a whole train of cars by pitting in later.That effectively gave him the jump up to third.

Michael and Alonso are tied next in distant second. Alonso had a clean drive and stayed out of trouble. Michael had to work hard to keep his car in third, trying to vary his strategy. But it's not enough to overcome the deficit.

**Peter Mallett** · 3 Jul 2005, 18:38 (Ref:1346212)

Kimi too. But I have to say it was obvious Button was thinking "points" not positions. A class drive really. But Kimi it is. Apart from him was there anything else happening?

gttouring · 3 Jul 2005, 18:46 (Ref:1346215)

alonso really drove fast and hard, but Kimi overcame much, a stunning drive
well really from the podium.

Louis B. · 3 Jul 2005, 18:59 (Ref:1346228)

Hard to choose between Alonso and Kimi. I voted for Kimi. Solid qualifying & drive for JV as well.

**John Turner** · 3 Jul 2005, 20:06 (Ref:1346264)

Alonso for me. Fine drive by Kimi and more contentiously, honourable mentions to JB, JV, Ralf (yes, really!) and DC.

Inigo Montoya · 3 Jul 2005, 20:23 (Ref:1346276)

Alonso. Flawless stuff.

Logrence · 3 Jul 2005, 20:39 (Ref:1346300)

Raikkonen gets it for an astounding qualifying lap alone.

Alonso looked great today, but Kimi looked like a star.

thejester · 3 Jul 2005, 20:46 (Ref:1346312)

Had to give it to Kimi. Would've won were it not for Friday practice. Alonso, while qualifying and racing to his usual top standard was never under any pressure and beyond the first stint was in control mode, so not a spectacular drive, but a ruthlessly efficient drive.

My silver medal goes to the ever popular Jacques Villeneuve.

View Poll Results: Driver of the French GP 2005
Fernando Alonso	38	36.19%
Kimi Räikkönen	54	51.43%
Michael Schumacher	2	1.90%
Jenson Button	1	0.95%
Jarno Trulli	0	0%
Jacques Villeneuve	5	4.76%
Tiago Monteiro	1	0.95%
Mark Webber	4	3.81%
Voters: 105. You may not vote on this poll

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What are the chances that France will have an F1 driver soon?	Fiorentina 1	Formula One	19	20 Nov 2005 20:16
DTM race in France in 2006	Fab	Touring Car Racing	10	8 Nov 2005 12:39
A ChampCar race in France in 2005 ?	Fab	ChampCar World Series	39	18 Dec 2004 19:45
Driver of the Race - France	Wrex	Formula One	51	6 Jul 2004 11:46
MP4/19B will race in France	Kicking-back	Formula One	14	30 Jun 2004 21:21