F1 on track( part 1)_奥运英语

　as the dust is left at peace to fall onto the brand new shanghai international circuit, filled with exhilarated fans and roaring machines only last weekend, the much-anticipated inaugural chinese grand prix has proved to be a significant race in the history of the formula one, with greater expectations yet to come in future events.

　ferrari's rubens barrichello surprised the excited spectators to make history on september 26 as the first winner of formula one grand prix in china.

　the debut event marked a weekend of new expectations, when formula one world champion michael schumacher failed to obtain pole position due to a spin-off in qualifying. changing his engine for the formal race, schumacher chose to start sunday's grand prix from the pitlane instead of the back of the grid.

　spectators had the unusual added bonus of watching schumacher charge through the field on the new glistening track, and was offered a number of overtaking opportunities. however, the german, who has already won his unprecedented seventh title last month, with 12 victories in the first 13 races of the season, seemed to be blessed with bad luck as he banged his wheels into christian klien's jaguar on lap 12. a spin three laps later pushed him back to 12th place, his frustration compounded by a puncture 20 laps from the end.

　the german finished 12th and was lapped for the first time since the hungarian grand prix on august 2003.

　“certainly it was not my weekend,” he said. “but i have had so many good weekends this year and we have still won the grand prix with rubens； these are the important factors.”

　“i had to pull the car out of the flames a few times,” he shrugged. “i thought i was inside christian and he thought he had his nose in front. it happens.”

　“then i was fighting with fernando alonso but got too close to the apex and just spun off. after that i had the tyre failure. from that moment, the race was over.”

　his ferrari teammate, rubens barrichello, smiled from ear to ear on the podium laughing in celebration of his victory with the sell-out 160,000 crowd, pouring a bottle of champagne over the head of fiat and ferrari boss luca di montezemolo.

　barrichello, whose spirits had sagged at the start of the formula one season while his team mate won every race, showed a new air of confidence.