Jaime Alguersuari came within just moments of a World Championship point at AlbertPark on Sunday before an error meant he lost out to veteran Michael Schumacher.

The young Spaniard enjoyed a forty lap battle with the returning master, which ultimately ended in disappointment, in a weekend of mixed fortunes for the Italian team.

Sunday morning showers caught out many drivers throughout the race, but nobody will be more disappointed than Sebastian Buemi. After starting twelth on the grid, the Swiss driver was consolidating his place in the midfield, when he was shunted from behind by the Sauber of Kamui Kobayashi. It brought a premature finish to Buemi’s race, and his disappointment was made public following the conclusion of the race.

“It’s a very disappointing end to what had looked like a promising weekend with a very real chance to score points at the end of Sunday”

However, all eyes were on Alguersuari as the race progressed, and his battle with seven-time champion Schumacher.

An incident early on had left Schumacher at the back of the pack, fighting his way through the field, picking off drivers with the sort of precision which has seen his mantelpiece become embroiled in silverware.

What the German wouldn’t have expected was the resistance put up by the lone Toro Rosso; as Alguersuari held on for dear life, and frustrating the master. When Schumacher thought he had finally got the better of a man twenty-one years his junior, the Spaniard refused to surrender and claimed the position back, as he did in the following round of pit stops.

It wasn’t until the 54^th lap that Schumacher finally gained the upper hand to claim the last points-scoring position. After the Toro Rosso driver outbreaked himself on turn 13, Schumacher, like the old dog of the yard, ate up his young adversary and spat him out, in a ruthless manoeuver around the outside.

In the build-up to this race, little steps were spoken about, with the main priority being a solid qualifying session. Neither driver set the world alight, but at least they avoided the dreaded Q1 execution. After the dreadful first lap, leaving just Alguersuari running for the team, just a finish would have been commended, but instead an excellent drive followed. There appears to be some disappointment coming from the team, but put into context, an eleventh place finish, and proof that the ST5 is capable of running with last year’s Championship winning team should certainly give Franz Tost a reason to be optimistic going into the Malaysian GP next week.

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