It was the first time that the two had fought so closely for a race victory all the way to the chequered flag, and Alonso’s superb win appeared to signal a changing of the guard.
We didn’t know it at the time but Imola was to be a rare high for a Ferrari team strangled by that year’s tyre regulations – Alonso’s main title opposition was to come from McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen, who should have won the San Marino event.
The 2005 season was defined by a new regulation that required drivers to qualify and complete a race distance on the same set of tyres – essentially an easy way of reining in development and hence speeds.
For years Ferrari had benefited from its close relationship with Bridgestone, with access to tyres that allowed Schumacher to take full advantage of Ross Brawn’s strategy calls by sprinting flat out b …