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This article first appeared in GP Racing magazine.
The car that finally prised Michael Schumacher and Ferrari's five-year grip from the throat of Formula 1; the car that delivered Renault its first title as a full-blooded constructor; the car that made Fernando Alonso the youngest ever world champion; and remarkably, the first title winner since 1991 not designed by either Adrian Newey or Rory Byrne.
Yet the Renault R25 that set these landmark records wasn't even considered by many as the best car of 2005, never mind an F1 great. Surprising? In the context of Alonso's ever increasing standing within grand prix history, it should be. After all, the R25 represents exactly half of his world title-winning tally, from a career that has promised so much more than 'only' two championships.
The tendency for Renault's R25 to be overlooked lies within the extenuating circumstances to Alonso and Renault's breakthrough season: for one thing, Schumacher and Ferrari were effectively out of the game thanks to a rule change on tyres and Bridgestone incompetence; for another, McLaren-Mercedes built a quicker car.
