The Class of 2006
The 2006 season looked set to be a cakewalk for Fernando Alonso after a flawless start to the year. But Michael Schumacher and Ferrari turned things around and the battle proved thrilling until the final race in Brazil. Richard Barnes reflects on a memorable season
Even before it kicked off in Bahrain on 12 March, the 2006 season seemed set to be one of transition, of drivers seeing out their old contracts before moving on to fresh challenges. We already knew that Fernando Alonso would be at McLaren in 2007, Kimi Raikkonen was rumoured to leave McLaren for Ferrari, and seven-time WDC champion Michael Schumacher was reckoned by many to be on the brink of retirement.
For once, the rumour mill was spot-on, as all two events came to pass exactly as predicted. What couldn't have been foreseen, however, was the departure of two more of the sport's established stars - Juan Pablo Montoya from McLaren and Jacques Villeneuve from BMW.
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No Man's Land
On the Edge
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