Australian Grand Prix 2005 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Giancarlo Fisichella delivered a stunning upset at the Australian Grand Prix, winning from pole position ahead of Rubens Barrichello and championship favorite Fernando Alonso in a race that announced Renault's arrival as the dominant force in Formula 1. The Italian's victory at Albert Park marked the beginning of a season that would see Renault end Ferrari's five-year stranglehold on the championship and usher in a new era for the sport under revolutionary tire regulations.

Starting from pole position with a lap of 1:28.289, Fisichella made a perfect start and controlled the race from the front, managing the new no-tire-change regulations brilliantly. The 2005 season introduced one of the most significant rule changes in modern F1 history - tires had to last the entire race distance with no changes permitted except in wet conditions. This fundamentally altered race strategy and exposed the performance gap between Michelin and Bridgestone tires. Fisichella's Renault R25, shod with Michelin tires, showed superior degradation management compared to the Bridgestone-equipped Ferraris, allowing him to pull away in the closing stages. His teammate Alonso demonstrated his championship credentials by recovering from third on the grid to claim the final podium spot, also setting the fastest lap.

Barrichello's second place for Ferrari provided some hope for the Scuderia, but the Italian team's struggles were evident. The Ferraris, running on Bridgestone tires that degraded more severely under the new regulations, lacked the pace to challenge the Renaults in race trim despite Ferrari's years of dominance. The race marked the first time since 1999 that a Ferrari had failed to win the season opener with Michael Schumacher in the car, signaling a dramatic power shift. Fisichella's victory - his first since Brazil 2003 - proved short-lived as Alonso would soon establish himself as the team's clear number one, but it demonstrated Renault's potential and set the stage for one of F1's most dramatic championship campaigns.