Hungarian Grand Prix 2005 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Kimi Raikkonen delivered another stunning performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, winning from Michael Schumacher's pole position to claim his fourth victory of the season and keep his mathematical championship hopes alive at the tight and twisting Hungaroring. The Finnish driver beat both Schumacher and Ralf Schumacher in a race that saw championship leader Fernando Alonso finish outside the points, allowing Raikkonen to close the gap slightly in what was becoming a hopeless chase.

Starting from the second row behind Schumacher's pole lap of 1:19.882, Raikkonen drove a tactically brilliant race on one of F1's most challenging circuits for overtaking. The McLaren driver used superior strategy and tire management to work his way past Schumacher, eventually taking the lead and controlling the race from the front. His pace was exceptional on the Hungaroring's tight, technical layout, and he set the fastest lap of 1:21.219 to complete a dominant performance. The victory showcased Raikkonen's ability to win on any type of circuit, from high-speed layouts to technical, twisty tracks like Budapest.

Michael Schumacher drove a strong race to secure second place for Ferrari, marking another solid result in the Scuderia's gradual recovery from their early-season struggles. Ralf Schumacher claimed his first podium of the season with third place for Toyota, giving the Japanese manufacturer a morale-boosting result. Alonso endured a rare difficult weekend, finishing well outside the points and allowing Raikkonen to close the championship gap. However, with McLaren's reliability issues continuing to plague the Finn's season - he would retire from several more races - and Alonso's consistency, the championship was effectively decided. Raikkonen's victories were spectacular demonstrations of his talent, but they came too infrequently to mount a sustained title challenge.