European Grand Prix facts and figures

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May 03, 2006 19:43 IST

Facts and figures for Sunday's European Formula One Grand Prix (round five of the 18-race championship):

Venue: Nuerburgring, Germany.

Race distance: 60 laps of 5.148 km (3.199 miles), total distance 308.863 km (191.938 miles).

Race lap record: Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari, one minute 29.468 (207.144 kph/128.713 mph). 2004.

2005 pole: Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Williams 1:30.081

Past records of drivers at the Nuerburgring:

Driver 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 98 97 96 95
Fernando Alonso 1 5 4 - 14 - - - - - -
Michael Schumacher 5 1 5 2 1 1 - 2 R 2 1
Kimi Raikkonen R R R 3 10 - - - - - -
Giancarlo Fisichella 6 6 12 R 11 5 R 6 R 13 -
Juan Pablo Montoya 7 8 2 R 2 - - - - - -
Jenson Button 10 3 7 5 13 10 - - - - -
Felipe Massa 14 9 - 6 - - - - - - -
Ralf Schumacher R R 1 4 4 R 4 R R - -
Mark Webber R 7 6 15 - - - - - - -
Nick Heidfeld 2 10 8 7 R DQ - - - - -
Jacques Villeneuve 13 - R 12 9 R 10 8 1 1 -
Rubens Barrichello 3 2 3 1 5 4 3 11 R 5 4
David Coulthard 4 R 15 R 3 3 R 3 R 3 3
Christian Klien - 12 - - - - - - - - -
Jarno Trulli 8 4 R 8 R R 2 R - - -
Vitantonio Liuzzi 9 - - - - - - - - - -
Christijan Albers 17 - - - - - - - - - -
Takuma Sato 12 R - 16 - - - - - - -
Tiago Monteiro 15 - - - - - - - - - -

R=retired, DQ=disqualified.

NOTE: 1997 and 1998 races were as Luxembourg Grand Prix.

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Last five winners at the Nuerburgring:

2005 - Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault

Alonso won after Raikkonen suffered suspension failure on the last lap while leading. Heidfeld, starting on pole position for the first time, was second for Williams. BAR returned after a two-race ban.

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2004 - Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari

Schumacher won for the sixth time in seven races but left the champagne unsprayed in respect to FIAT chairman Umberto Agnelli, who had died on the Thursday. Barrichello made it a Ferrari one-two with BAR's Jenson Button third. Both McLarens retired with engine failure. BAR's Takuma Sato became the first Japanese to start from the front row.

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2003 - Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams

A one-two finish for Williams, Ralf triumphant after 23 races without a win. Montoya collided with Michael Schumacher, who spun off and finished fifth after being pushed out of the gravel by marshals. Raikkonen led from his first career pole until his Mercedes engine blew.

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2002 - Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari

Second win of Barrichello's career, with Schumacher second, after moving over for the German in Austria.

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2001 - Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari

The Schumacher brothers lined up on the front row with Michael on pole. The Ferrari veered across the track at the start, forcing Ralf to back off. He was fourth for Williams.

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Ferrari wins at Nuerburgring (old and new circuit since 1950): 13 (1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1963, 1964, 1972, 1974, 1985, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004).

Williams: Three (1996, 1997, 2003)

McLaren: Three (1976, 1984, 1998).

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Circuit details:

Nestling in the wooded Eifel mountains south of Cologne, the old track was regarded as the most challenging in the world until it was taken off the calendar in 1976 following Austrian Niki Lauda's near-fatal crash.

Lauda suffered severe burns and was saved by four fellow drivers who dragged him from his blazing car.

A shorter track opened again in 1982 and Formula One returned for the 1984 and 1985 seasons. The track was modified again in 2002 with a new stadium section after cutting across the infield.

The weather is often damp and cloudy, and has played a decisive part in previous races.

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