British Grand Prix 2006 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Fernando Alonso produced a dominant performance at the British Grand Prix, leading from pole position to claim his fifth victory of 2006 at Silverstone and extend his championship lead to 18 points. The defending champion's commanding display demonstrated Renault's continuing competitiveness despite Ferrari's recent resurgence, while Michael Schumacher's second-place finish kept him in striking distance in what was developing into an epic championship duel between the sport's reigning and greatest champions.

Starting from pole with a lap of 1:20.253, Alonso controlled the race from start to finish with the maturity and precision that had become his trademark. The Spaniard's Renault R26 showed excellent pace on the high-speed Silverstone circuit, and Alonso also set the fastest lap to complete a perfect weekend. His pace was relentless throughout, and he managed the challenging Silverstone layout brilliantly, never allowing Schumacher to mount a serious challenge. The victory marked Alonso's continued mastery of the championship battle and silenced critics who had suggested Ferrari's momentum would overwhelm him.

Schumacher drove a strong race to finish second, pushing Alonso throughout but unable to find a way past the defending champion. The German's consistent points-scoring kept him firmly in championship contention, though he needed victories rather than second places to overhaul Alonso's growing advantage. Kimi Räikkönen secured third place for McLaren, providing one of his few podium finishes in a frustrating season plagued by reliability issues. The race was relatively incident-free, with strategy and pure pace determining the outcome. Alonso's comprehensive victory at one of F1's most historic venues reinforced his status as the championship favorite heading into the crucial North American swing.