In this special edition of Chequered Past, we step back twenty years to revisit one of the most transformative campaigns in modern Formula One history — the 2005 season. With sweeping regulation changes, a tyre war turned on its head, and the collapse of Ferrari’s once-impenetrable dynasty, the sport entered a new era defined by uncertainty, innovation and opportunity.

Across the opening eleven rounds, Renault emerged as the benchmark of consistency, guided by the cool precision of a 24-year-old Fernando Alonso, whose calm intelligence under pressure signalled the arrival of a future World Champion. McLaren, meanwhile, unleashed the devastatingly fast MP4-20 — a machine capable of winning anywhere, yet constantly threatened by its own fragility. Ferrari struggled to adapt to life without tyre changes, their once-dominant armour suddenly riddled with weaknesses.

From Alonso’s defensive masterclass against Schumacher at Imola, to Räikkönen’s breathtaking speed in Spain and Monaco, to the painful heartbreak of his final-lap suspension failure at the Nürburgring, the first half of 2005 was a season of contrasts: consistency versus speed, execution versus risk, and emerging talent versus established greatness.

With controversies like the tyre-debacle at Indianapolis and high-drama moments in Montréal, the year quickly established itself as something extraordinary — a season where Formula One was forced to reinvent itself, and where new heroes and storylines took centre stage.

This is the story of The Season That Changed Everything — Part 1 of our special deep dive into a year that reshaped the competitive landscape of Formula One, set the stage for a new generation, and marked the passing of the torch from one era to the next.

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