French Grand Prix 2005 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Fernando Alonso bounced back from the Indianapolis controversy with a commanding victory at the French Grand Prix, leading from pole position to beat Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher at Magny-Cours. The Spaniard's fifth win of the season re-established his championship authority after the US GP debacle and demonstrated Renault's superiority on a circuit that suited the R25's characteristics, as F1 returned to proper racing after the Indianapolis farce.

Starting from pole position with a lap of 1:14.412, Alonso controlled the race from the front with the mature, mistake-free driving that had become his trademark. The Renault R25 was perfectly suited to Magny-Cours's combination of slow corners and medium-speed sections, and Alonso managed his Michelin tires expertly in the French sunshine. His victory on Renault's home soil was particularly sweet, providing the French team with an emotional triumph at their national grand prix and reaffirming their status as the team to beat. The race unfolded in a relatively processional manner, with Alonso building a comfortable gap that allowed him to cruise to victory.

Raikkonen drove a solid race to secure second place for McLaren, though his MP4-20 lacked the ultimate pace to challenge Alonso. The Finn set the fastest lap, demonstrating McLaren's speed, but couldn't translate that into a victory challenge. Schumacher claimed his best result in months with third place for Ferrari, showing the Scuderia's continued improvement as they gradually closed the performance gap. The German's podium finish provided Ferrari with some redemption after their hollow Indianapolis victory. Alonso's win extended his championship lead to a commanding margin, and with Raikkonen's McLaren continuing to suffer reliability issues, the Spaniard was beginning to look unstoppable in his march toward the title. The French Grand Prix marked a return to normality after Indianapolis and reminded everyone why Alonso and Renault deserved to be champions.