European GP

Time for the traditional pre-race forecast. (Obviously it's pre-race, but you know what I mean).

Alonso runs lighter than usual in qualifying, in order to get ahead of Schumacher's Ferrari on the grid. But Kimi puts together a blinding, if somewhat ragged, qualifying lap and snatches pole.

From the lights, Kimi leads from Fernando and Michael. Webber sneaks into fourth, avoiding the mistake he made last year, with Button, Massa, Montoya and Fisi in pirsuit. The two Toyotas are running eighth and ninth, with Barrichello, Rosberg and Coulthard hot on their heels. The two BMWs are up next with the rest of the stragglers safely getting through turn one. Sato and Montagny both manage to get ahead of the MF1s

Kimi and Alonso pull a substantial lead out over Michael, who has a train of cars behind him. Of the front runners, Alonso stops first, with Button also coming in on the same lap. Fernando gets out in Front of Massa, Button is back with the BMWs which will lose him pace and see him lose out to Massa. Five more laps, then Kimi is in, Michael's pace is picking up now, and after the first stops the first three are as before, but Kimi now has a cushion over the Renault. The Toyotas seem to be trying a three stop race and have fallen back, and poor Rubens seems again to have got the duff Honda parts, his car is parked in the garage.

Rosberg seems to be the most aggressive, pulling off a great move to pass Fisico only to be thwarted by a smoking Cosworth. Elsewhere not much is happening. A fluurry of activity around the second stops, but no change up front. One feels Kimi will avenge the spectre of last year. And that's exactly what happens.

So at the end it's Kimi, Fernando and Michael. The rest of the points go to Webber, Massa, Montoya, Button and Fisi. Not a great race, but at least the rain held off!