| ATLAS F1 Volume 6, Issue 37 |  Email to Friend  Printable Version |
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The Italian GP Review | ||
| Monza, September 8-10, 2000 | by Pablo Elizalde, Spain |
 An image, they say, is worth a thousand words. And so it was at this year's Italian Grand Prix, when Michael Schumacher broke down during the post-race press conference and showed the whole world that, he too, is human after all.
For Schumacher himself, his third Italian Grand Prix win for Ferrari meant coming back from a very disappointing couple of races where he lost the championship lead, but, most importantly, it meant equalling the victory record of the late Ayrton Senna, with 41 wins. It was no secret that the great Senna was Schumacher's hero and inspiration when he started his racing career, but it took 142 races to really show the admiration and respect the German felt for the Brazilian. Since the start of his career, and especially since Senna's tragic death in 1994, Schumacher has lived under the long eternal shadow of Ayrton's memories and achievements and has always been compared to him. The battle between these two great drivers lasted only the first three races of the 1994 championship, so equalling his idol's record, at his team's home circuit, after a perfect drive, and after getting his championship challenge back on track, was more than Michael Schumacher, even Michael Schumacher, could handle. Schumacher's championship rival, Mika Hakkinen, was also moved by the German's attitude and could not help being overcome with emotion, having to ask for a break before answering any questions. For the second year running, tears were the main protagonists of the Italian Grand Prix. The pictures of Hakkinen crying over his balaclava after his retirement in last season's race were on the headlines for a couple of months, and this year's events will probably last much longer than that.
The race itself proved once more that this season's title will, unless something strange occurs, go down to the wire, as Ferrari and Schumacher seem to have worked miracles on their cars, and especially on their engines, to recover the lost ground to McLaren. Of course, this was Monza and the Italian team seems to pull out something special for this race every season, but this victory was good enough to stop Hakkinen's amazing charge to his third consecutive title, and it will give wings to Ferrari for the three remaining races of the 2000 season. There was nothing Hakkinen and McLaren could do against their rivals and, considering how close the Finn was to ending up out of the race on the first lap accident, he can be happy having left Monza still leading the championship. What occurred at the second chicane was a tragedy, no doubt about that, but it should not lead to yet another crusade to improve safety, at least where the cars are concerned. When Formula One cars crash into one another at nearly 300km/h, it is inevitable that debris will fly all over the place - after all, this is open wheel racing. As we saw during the huge accident, the cars are safe enough for their drivers, and not even Pedro de la Rosa, whose Arrows rolled several times, was injured.
Qualifying Michael Schumacher had to do his best to ensure his sixth pole position of the season, in front of thousands of tifosi, who could not believe their eyes when they saw the only real challenger for the German was his own Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello. The Italian team was the class of the field and, despite Mika Hakkinen's efforts, the McLaren driver could do nothing to avoid the first all-scarlet front row of the season. Schumacher, who jumped onto the track 25 minutes into the session, had one of his attempts spoiled after missing the first chicane on his initial flying lap. This meant that the German could not try to defend his fastest time during the dying moments of the session, but fortunately for him, his time was not bettered. "I messed up my first lap, running wide at the first chicane, but the car felt quick, which is why I decided to go for a second lap, even if it was a bit of a risk," explained Schumacher. "It was therefore an unusual qualifying session as I finished before the end. I must say I would rather have been in the car than sitting watching the screen."
Despite having lost what would have been a dream result for him, Barrichello was delighted with second place on the grid. "Of course it's always better to be first, but I am happy to be on the front row. It's a great result for Ferrari at their home track," the Brazilian said. Hakkinen settled for third spot, after constantly improving his time throughout the session. The Finn complained about the lack of grip from his McLaren out of the slow corners, so he decided to take the spare car for the last minutes, but he then suffered an unusual problem with his Mercedes engine. "There were one or two areas where it could have been better, and for my last two runs I had a massive misfire. I could have gone quicker," confessed Hakkinen. Jacques Villeneuve was the surprise of the day, setting the fourth fastest time and achieving BAR's best ever qualifying position, courtesy of the amazing power of the Honda engine. The Canadian, who was the first driver to get out on track, ten minutes into the session, took advantage of a specially prepared Honda unit and was very happy with the result. "It feels great to qualify fourth - the team's best ever position," admitted Villeneuve, who gave Honda something to celebrate on their 200th Grand Prix. "Hopefully we will be able to challenge for a podium finish tomorrow."
Jarno Trulli was sixth, after a very difficult practice session, where he and his Jordan teammate Frentzen ended up 12th and 19th. But the team worked hard and both drivers could make it into the top ten, with Ralf Schumacher's Williams separating them in seventh place, after another strong showing from the team and their engine provider BMW. The young German was one of many drivers who had problems to make it through the revised first chicane, and he was also concerned about how tight it would be at the start of the race. "Considering the close times achieved by drivers among the top six - some of which are not fighting for the lead of the drivers' championship - tomorrow, for the first lap, it's going to be quite tight into the new chicane," he predicted. Qualifying Results
The Race The big question before the start of the race was probably not if there was going to be an incident on the first chicane, but how many cars would be involved in it. Put a very tight track, add a 90-degree right hander, and mix it with 22 Formula One drivers anxious to gain as many places as possible, and the incidents will be an inevitable.
As all the cars arrived at the first chicane the inevitable happened and Eddie Irvine banged wheels with Mika Salo's Sauber, who lost control of his car and ended up hitting his own teammate Pedro Diniz. The result: Irvine retired, Diniz lost his front wing, and Salo had to complete a whole lap with a punctured tyre and a broken engine cover, before entering the pits for repairs. Only one retirement after the first chicane was less than anyone had expected, but the worst would come moments later. As the field was approaching the second chicane, Barrichello tried to go on the inside of Jarno Trulli. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who was right behind the Ferrari driver, misjudged his braking point and turned right to avoid hitting Barrichello, only to crash into Trulli's Jordan, and later into the Brazilian's car, also taking David Coulthard in the process. "Barrichello changed line and braked unexpectedly early, I could not turn in time to avoid him, so I hit him," explained Frentzen. But the Ferrari driver had a very different story to tell. "He was totally responsible for what happened and he should be banned," said Barrichello. "It is completely unbelievable that he should think I was braking early. I was overtaking Jarno Trulli and I was braking as late as I could. He should not be using the car in front of him as a reference for his braking points."
Further back, the impact of the incident was still at full force, and Pedro de la Rosa ran into the back of Johnny Herbert's Jaguar, launching his Arrows car into a series of rolls before hitting Barrichello's standing car, miraculously missing Coulthard, and ending up upside down. "I just saw the yellow flags and braked and then saw pieces of car all over the place, lots of tyre smoke and after the smoke cleared there were two cars travelling really slowly and I just couldn't slow down my car enough," de la Rosa explained. Six drivers were out of the race as a consequence, and Ricardo Zonta had to come into the pits to get his car repaired. Johnny Herbert could go back to the pits with a three-wheeled Jaguar, but the other five cars stood there on the gravel trap, with debris all over the place, and the marshal being attended to by the medical staff on the side the track. Controversially, FIA's safety delegate, Charlie Whiting, decided not to red-flag the race and abort the first start, but instead had the safety car come out and stay ahead of the remaining pack for ten laps. In the mean time, 30-year old Gislimberti was taken to the circuit's medical centre and then to a hospital in Monza, where he was declared dead as a result of the head and chest injuries he sustained.
"When everyone suddenly braked just as I began accelerating flat out I couldn't go anywhere else," Button explained. "But when I got to the turn there was just no grip, as my tyres were covered in grass." After eleven laps, the race finally was finally under way, with Michael Schumacher in front of Hakkinen, Jacques Villeneuve, Ralf Schumacher, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jos Verstappen, who passed Alex Wurz at the end of the straight. Schumacher began to pull away quickly from Hakkinen and the rest of the field, as Zonta, who was at the back after his early stop, started his charge to the front, overtaking Nick Heidfeld, Marc Gene and Wurz, to elevate himself to seventh place by lap fourteen. A lap later, while running comfortably in third place, Villeneuve retired with an electrical problem on his BAR, ending the team's best performance of the season. Also on his best performance of the year was his teammate Zonta who, on a two-stop strategy, was able to pass Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher and Jos Verstappen to climb up to third spot. Verstappen was also flying and quickly passed Ralf for fourth position. Meanwhile, in front, Schumacher continued to increase his advantage over Hakkinen, who was incapable of following the German's pace, complaining of poor balance on his McLaren.
With Michael Schumacher and Hakkinen more than 30 seconds ahead of third placed Ralf Schumacher, the Ferrari driver finally made his pitstop on lap 39, when he had a gap of around ten seconds over the Finn. The German rejoined in second place, ahead of his brother, the Benettons of Fisichella and Wurz, Verstappen, and Zonta, who was once again charging to the front. Hakkinen pitted three laps later, with only twelve to go, and came out again more than eleven seconds behind Schumacher. Ralf and Fisichella came in for their scheduled stops on lap 44, but the Italian suffered a clutch problem and lost more than a minute before he was able to rejoin the race, definitely out of contention. Hakkinen was now the fastest man on track, lapping a full second and a half faster than Schumacher on occasions, and with three laps remaining, the Finn was 6.2 seconds behind his rival. "We made some modifications during the stop," Hakkinen explained, "but it was not enough. Added to that, the couple of Minardis didn't make it easy to overtake." But despite the McLaren driver's pressure, Michael Schumacher crossed the finish line in first place, obtaining a very important win and the most emotional one of his entire career, reviving once more the "Monza miracle." For the first time, the ever cold and analytic German was almost speechless. "I have no vocabulary to express my feelings except that I am happy and exhausted," he said.
Jos Verstappen was fourth for the Arrows team, while Alex Wurz finally made it to a point scoring position, fifth in his Benetton. The last point of the race, and a worthy one indeed, went to Ricardo Zonta in the BAR. As we saw at Monza, Formula One is a very unpredictable sport, on and off the track, and the championship now moves into the unknown, to Indianapolis, for the long awaited return to the USA and the first ever visit to the new F1 Indy track. No one can predict what will happen there, but, just in case, don't forget your Kleenex.
Fastest Race Laps
Pit-Stops Times
Sector Times and Speeds
Before the Start: Before the cars set off on the final parade lap Nick Heidfeld's Prost is still being worked on on the pre-grid until the very last minute but the team just manages to avoid him getting a penalty.
Lap 1: At the start Jean Alesi is left on the grid as the field goes away. On the run down to the first corner Mika Hakkinen is faster and Michael Schumacher moves right to block a challenge. He then moves to the left to take his line into the first corner. The first cars get through the first corner without a problem but in the midfield Mika Salo and Eddie Irvine collide. Pedro Diniz goes straight on and through a polystyrene block. Irvine is out on the spot. Salo suffers a puncture but continues slowly. At the second chicane Schumacher leads Hakkinen and Coulthard but Frentzen runs into the back of Barrichello. The two cars take off Jarno Trulli and Coulthard. In the dust behind the accident Johnny Herbert brakes and Pedro de la Rosa runs into the back of the Jaguar and is launched into a series of rolls. All the drivers emerge unhurt but a fire marshal Paolo Gislimberti, standing on the outside of the track, is hit by a flying wheel. He suffers "very critical" head and chest injuries. A Safety Car is sent out. At the end of the lap the two Saubers, Herbert (on three wheels) and Ricardo Zonta all pit for repairs.
Lap 11: As the field prepares for the restart, the leading cars slow down and Jenson Button, who is lying sixth, swerves to avoid hitting Ralf Schumacher and goes into the barriers on the back straight. He rejoins but the car is damaged and he goes off at the Parabolica and retires.
Lap 12: The race restarts after 10 laps running under caution. Michael Schumacher begins to try to build a lead over Hakkinen and Jacques Villeneuve. Ralf Schumacher is fourth with Giancarlo Fisichella fifth and Jos Verstappen moves up to sixth overtaking Alexander Wurz. Further back Zonta passes both Diniz and Gastone Mazzacane to move to to 10th place.
Lap 13: Schumacher builds a lead of two seconds over Hakkinen while further back in the field Zonta overtakes Nick Heidfeld.
Lap 14: Zonta passes Marc Gene and Wurz to move up to seventh place, indicating that he is probably on a two-stop strategy.
Lap 15: Jacques Villeneuve retires with apparent gearbox problems and on the same lap Jos Verstappen moves up to fourth place overtaking Fisichella. Also on the move is Salo who moves ahead of Diniz for 12th place.
Lap 16: Ralf Schumacher drops back from third to fifth, losing out to Verstappen and Zonta, who also overtakes Fisichella on the same lap.
Lap 17: The order begins to settle down although Salo moves ahead of Mazzacane to take ninth place.
Lap 21: Zonta passes Verstappen to take third place.
Lap 23: Zonta pits from the first time. He drops from third to 11th.
Lap 25: Salo continues to race hard and moves up to pass Wurz to get sixth place.
Lap 28: Zonta passes Mazzacane and Diniz to move back up to ninth.
Lap 29: Sixth-placed Salo goes into the pits and drops to 10th place.
Lap 32: The third-placed Verstappen stops and drops to seventh place.
Lap 36: Zonta is stuck behind Wurz and Benetton decides to bring him for his second stop. He drops back to eighth.
Lap 39: Michael Schumacher pits and Hakkinen goes into the lead.
Lap 42: Hakkinen pits and Schumacher goes back into the lead. Wurz also pits from fifth place.
Lap 43: Ralf Schumacher and Fisichella both pit from third and fourth places. Ralf rejoins third but Fisichella's stop goes wrong and he drops to the back on the field as the car will not restart.
Lap 50: Hakkinen sets the fastest lap of the race and closes the gap on Schumacher to around five seconds.
Lap 53: Michael Schumacher wins his 41st Grand Prix victory, equalling Ayrton Senna's record of wins. Hakkinen is second and remains ahead in the World Championship. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
