This was supposed to be a season where the top six places in each race were going to be locked out by Ferrari, McLaren and BMW Sauber. The chances of anyone else getting near a podium seemed remote, to say the least.
And yet look at the last four races - a third for David Coulthard and Red Bull, a third for Jarno Trulli and Toyota, a third for Rubens Barrichello and Honda, and finally, and without a doubt the least likely, a second for Nelson Piquet and Renault. And this in a race where there was no rain, and all six of the front-running cars finished, having had no incidents or delays of any kind. It was one of the most extraordinary results we've seen in a while.
It happened, of course, because of the fortuitous timing of the safety car, but Piquet had to get the job done in the closing laps. Given his recent bad luck, and the pressure he was under especially after throwing away points finishes in the wet in Monaco and Silverstone, it was a miraculous outcome.