Race
It was the first win for Honda as a constructor since John Surtees' victory in the 1967 Italian Grand Prix 39 years prior, the first win for a Honda engine since Gerhard Berger 's full-works Honda -powered McLaren triumphed in the 1992 Australian Grand Prix , 14 years and 231 races earlier and the first win for a non-European constructor since Jody Scheckter won with Canadian team Wolf in the 1977 Canadian Grand Prix . The race would also prove to be Honda's only win in their second stint in For... It was the last victory for a Honda engine in Formula One until Max Verstappen won the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix for Red Bull. It was also the last victory for Honda as a full constructor entry in Formula One to date. It was also the last all- Michelin podium to date. Notes
Friday drivers
The bottom 6 teams in the 2005 Constructors' Championship and Super Aguri were entitled to run a third car in free practice on Friday. These drivers drove on Friday but did not compete in qualifying or the race. Fabrizio del Monte was originally announced as Midland 's third driver.
Practice
In a similar situation to Alonso's penalty, Michael Schumacher was given a two-second penalty for overtaking Robert Kubica and Alonso under "red flag" conditions at the end of Saturday's last free practice session. The decision left Schumacher "fuming," with him saying "I blame myself partly for what did happen, but I didn't expect this kind of penalty."
External links
47°34′44″N 19°14′55″E / 47.57889°N 19.24861°E / 47.57889; 19.24861
Race Result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Jenson Button | Honda | 70 | 1:52:20.941 |
| 2 | 4 | Pedro de la Rosa | McLaren-Mercedes | 70 | +30.837 |
| 3 | 16 | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 70 | +43.822 |
| 4 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Honda | 70 | +45.205 |
| 5 | 14 | David Coulthard | Red Bull-Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap |
| 6 | 7 | Ralf Schumacher | Toyota | 69 | +1 lap |
| 7 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 69 | +1 lap |
| 8 | 5 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 67 | Collision damage |
| 9 | 18 | Tiago Monteiro | MF1-Toyota | 67 | +3 laps |
| 10 | 19 | Christijan Albers | MF1-Toyota | 67 | +3 laps |
Qualifying
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Constructor | Q1 | Q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:20.080 | 1:19.704 |
| 2 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:19.742 | 1:19.504 |
| 3 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Honda | 1:21.141 | 1:19.783 |
| 4 | 12 | Jenson Button | Honda | 1:20.820 | 1:19.943 |
| 5 | 4 | Pedro de la Rosa | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:21.288 | 1:19.991 |
| 6 | 9 | Mark Webber | Williams-Cosworth | 1:21.335 | 1:20.047 |
| 7 | 7 | Ralf Schumacher | Toyota | 1:21.112 | 1:20.243 |
| 8 | 2 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Renault | 1:21.370 | 1:20.154 |
| 9 | 8 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:21.434 | 1:20.231 |
| 10 | 17 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:20.891 | 1:20.256 |
The Paddock Breakdown
Barry · Gary · KatGary — 33 · Three Fantasy F1 leagues
Let's examine Button's Honda RA16A – the engine's 2. 4-liter V10, a unit pushing 90° of crankshaft revolution, generated a peak output of 95kgf of force at 18,500 rpm. Observe the subtle, yet critical, adjustment to the intake manifold geometry; Honda's team maximized airflow into the cylinders, a 3. 7% increase compared to the previous race, contributing substantially to that final burst of power on the penultimate lap. The tire choice – a softer, experimental Bridgestone Potenza P023 – proved decisive, its grip translating into a 1. 8 second advantage over the harder compound utilized by Ferrari. A fascinating confluence of factors, really.
Let's examine the delta in corner speeds at Turn 3 – a consistently challenging sequence for tire management. Button's Honda exhibited a 0. 78 second advantage over the field here, a figure disproportionate to the overall lap time differential. This suggests a subtle, yet crucial, refinement in suspension geometry, perhaps a tweak to the anti-roll bars, that allowed him to maintain grip through the braking zone. A statistical outlier, considering McLaren's dominance on the straights, it points to Honda's granular control.
Kat — 30 · Technical journalist
The rear wing's aero balance… utterly compromised. Observe the differential angle shift on Button's car – a consequence, I suspect, of that persistent, localized rain impacting the lower surface. The resultant pressure gradient, amplified by the track's inherent banking, created a turbulent airflow, directly translating to a loss of rear downforce. De la Rosa, predictably, managed to mitigate this through subtle differential adjustments, though the McLaren's inherent design still presented a significant challenge. Heidfeld's third place, then, feels less a testament to BMW Sauber's engineering and more a function of McLaren's vulnerability. A fascinating divergence, wouldn't you agree?
The rain, a persistent, insistent drizzle, mirrored the tension in Button's cockpit. A subtle shift in the telemetry – a barely perceptible increase in front wing angle – suggested Honda's team had been relentlessly tweaking the aero balance throughout the changeable conditions. A gamble, perhaps, but one rewarded with brutal effectiveness on that final, slick section of the lap. De la Rosa's second place, a testament to McLaren's meticulous preparation, contrasted sharply with the raw, instinctive brilliance of the Honda's victory. Heidfeld's podium, predictably, was built on consistent, measured performance – a stark reminder of BMW Sauber's strategic focus.