2001 Spanish Grand Prix Race Report
race for the Benetton team, was next in, rejoining a lowely 17th. The battle for 4th between Montoya and Villeneuve, intensified on lap 41 with the two drivers entering the pit lane together, resulting in the Williams coming out ahead of the BAR with Villeneuve rejoining behind the McLaren of Coulthard in 8th place. Race leader Schumacher was next to pit on lap 43. Having steadily built up a lead of four seconds to Hakkinen, the German was stationary for 9.3s and came out in 3rd position. Barrichello was in a lap later from 2nd and was on his way again after 9.1s whilst behind the Ferrari, Coulthard made his 3rd visit to the pits and exited in 10th. Having risen to 4th place, Irvine brought his Jaguar in on lap 45 and returned to the fray in 8th.
At the front, Hakkinen began a Schumacheresque charge whilst Barrichello, running 3rd, skipped across the gravel at turn seven on lap 48 with what initially appeared to be a right rear puncture. The handicapped Ferrari pitted at the end of the lap and was given a new set of tyres and sent on his way again. It was however, all academic, for Barrichello entered the pit lane a lap later to retire; saying, " I had a suspension failure. I thought it was a puncture at first, I came in and changed tyres but the car was still the same." Eyebrows were raised up and down the pit lane in surprise that the Ferrari mechanics had failed to spot the breakage which could have potentially resulted in an hazardous accident for Barrichello. Parking his stricken Jaguar directly below his teams pit wall, Irvine was out with yet another blown Cosworth engine. "It was as good a race as we could have done," concluded the Ulsterman, "We're just too slow. If you qualify 13th at this place where overtaking is impossible, to do well is pretty difficult. We just need to make the car quicker so we can qualify closer to the front, then we can do something."
Lap 50 saw Hakkinen's McLaren enter the pits from 1st place. Not needing to take on board as much fuel as Schumacher had done previously, the Finn was on his way again after 7.8s emerging in front of the German who had been slightly held up in traffic. Whilst the Ferrari fans opposite the pit lane were dumbfounded,
Latest Articles