Formula 1 Circuit, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Inspired by a comment I got a while ago about me being on a par with Connoiser Haggler I have produced this from last years fun-filled, action-packed Brazilian GP from the Interlagos track in Sau Paulo in - yes you've guessed it - Brazil. What do you think?

After the glamorous surroundings of Australia and Malaysia, you hit the ground quite hard in Brazil. The South American country is extremely vast but very crowded and underveloped and this shows in the F1 host Sao Paulo. The track of Interlagos is renowned for it’s bumpy surface and it’s harshness on the unfit. 2000 saw the Brazilian body fined for constant problems including an advertising hording falling down, forcing the session to be stopped 3 times. It seems the track has many problems and hasn’t a good reputation. The only way the track is kept on the F1 calendar is the incredible enthusiasm of the Brazilian crowd who have come this year to cheer on 3 of it’s countryman, Rubens ‘Rubiniho’ Barrichello, Enrique Bernoldi and Luciano Burti as well as Argentinian Tarso Marques and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

PRACTICE

Practice for the Brazilian race would give a vital indicator who would shine on the anti-clockwise track. However, it wasn’t Schumacher setting the pace. Indeed it was the Mclaren’s and Jordan’s on the pace. Coulthard set a blistering time ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli. Saturday morning practice produced a shock though. Backed by his selected Colombian fans, Juan Pablo Montya set the fastest lap of the weekend so far with a storming lap which saw him perch on to the top of the time sheets.

QUALIFYING

The Brazilian track at Interlagos is renowned for it’s lack of passing places. The sweeping corners are very quick and an out breaking manoevure is very rare, so qualifying is vital. First blood went to the two Jordans. Trulli went quickest first of all followed by his German team mate Heinz Harald Frentzen. Rubens Barrichello the home favourite soon got the crowd on their feet by taking the first grid slot and pole. Olivier Panis who finished 3rd in Brazil in 1997 slides off the track at turn 1. Juan Pablo Montoya, who was storming in the earlier practice session, comes out and sets the fastest time in the first split. However his enthusiasm got the better of him and he got into a ‘tange slapper’ in the very fast turn 8. He lost control and bounced across the gravel and bumped into the barriers. The Colombian had to get out and ran across the track and get into the spare car. It wasn’t long before, Michael Schumacher was on the track. Unsuprisingly he took the top slot with a blistering time. His brother meanwhile was up to 2nd in his Williams BMW and putting in another excellent qualifying session. The Mclaren’s however were once again off the pace but soon Hakkinen found some form and moved up to 2nd. Things stayed stagnant for a while. The only bit of drama was Montoya being back out and moving up to 4th, and Alonso spinning on the track and bringing out the yellow flags. After being forced down to 5th, Ralf Schumacher put in a late run to move up to the front row and into 2nd, joining his brother for the first time. With two brothers on the front row for the first time, the Brazilian grand prix was all set to work a treat.

1 MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
2 RALF SCHUMACHER
3 MIKA HAKKINEN
4 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
5 DAVID COULTHARD
6 RUBENS BARRICHELLO
7 JARNO TRULLI
8 HEINZ HARALD FRENTZEN
9 NICK HEIDFELD
10 KIMI RAIKKONNEN
11 OLIVIER PANIS
12 EDDIE IRVINE
13 JAQUES VILLENEUVE
14 LUCIANO BURTI
15 JEAN ALESI
16 ENRIQUE BERNOLDI
17 JOS VERSTAPPEN
18 GIANCARLO FISSICHELLA
19 FERNANDO ALONSO
20 JENSON BUTTON
21 GASTON MAZZACANE
22 TARSO MARQUES

THE RACE

The Brazilian GP has always had the odd tendency to throw up a drama at the start of the race. Indeed in 96 and 97 there have been first corner accidents. However, the drama kicked in even before the race had even started. On the lap before the drivers line up on the grid for inspection, home favourite Rubens Barrichello pulled off the track and have to sprint back to the pits to get into the spare car. Luckily for him and his many fans, Rubiniho made it to the track. At the start, there was more drama. 3rd placed man Mika Hakkinen was waving his hands because he’d stalled. However it was too late and the race went on. The Finn indeed retired on the spot. All the fracas, changed the order dramatically. Schumacher led from the flying Colombian Montoya, Coulthard, Trulli who’d made an excellent start and Ralf Schumacher who’d dropped 3 places by the first lap. It wasn’t long before things got even more pulsating. The recovering Rubens Barrichello missed his braking point into turn 3 and slammed into the back of thye Williams of Ralf Scumacher in front of him. Much to the dismay of the crowd, Barrichello retired on the spot, while Ralf Schumacher limped to the pits minus a rear wing. At the front of the field meanwhile, Schmacher was coming under increasing pressure from the incredible Montoya. Down into the first corner on lap 5, Schumacher was caught napping and the super quick BMW engined Williams stormed down the inside and take the lead in only Montoya’s 3rd ever race. Not only had, beaten Schumacher at his own game, ontoya began to pull away from the ailing Ferrari. Further down the field it Olivier Panis on a light fuel load who’d worked his way up from 11th on the grid to an excellent 4th. His team mate pitted from 5th after a puncture leaving him way down in last. After 4 laps reparing the rear of his Williams, Schumacher had rejoined the track and set the fastest lap. Even further down the field battles were beginning to emerge including a titanic scrap between Burti, Verstappen, Fissichella and Alesi. However Enrique Bernoldi in his home race retired from 16th.

ORDER AFTER LAP 20

1 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
2 MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
3 DAVID COULTHARD
4 OLIVIER PANIS
5 JARNO TRULLI
6 HEINZ HARALD FRENTZEN
7 NICK HEIDFELD
8 KIMI RAIKKONEN
9 JEAN ALESI
10 JOS VERSTAPPEN
11 LUCIANO BURTI
12 GIANCARLO FISSICHELLA
13 GASTON MAZZACANE
14 TARSO MARQUES
15 FERNANDO ALONSO
16 JENSON BUTTON
17 EDDIE IRVINE
18 JAQUES VILLENEUVE
19 RALF SCHUMACHER

RETIREMENTS

MIKA HAKKINEN
RUNBENS BARICHELLO
ENRIQUE BERNOLDI

Michael Schumacher suprisingly pits for fuel after only 24 laps suggesting he is on a 2 stop strategy. It wasn’t long before there was a flurry of activity in the pit lane as Alonso, Burti and Button all came in to retire from the race. However, with his little problem cured Button rejoined albeit 6 laps back. After a quiet spell, things began to hot up again. With Montoya streaking away from his rivals and seemingly on course for a win he passed back marker Jos Verstappen. With Vderstappen concentrating on the car behind him he braked to late and ran straight into the back of the Williams. Verstappen bounced off the track, nearly rolling over, while Montoya was stuck in the track with his rear wing in shreads. He had to retire. Incredibly it was an almost identical accident which put his team mate so far behind. With the Colombian out the lead was taken up by a rather surprised David Coulthard who too was taking his time in pitting. However the drama still wasn’t over yet. The rain which had been threatening for nearly all the race dumped it’s load sending drivers scurrying to the pits for intermediate tyres. Coulthard chose to pit one lap later than Schumacher and lost a lot of time in the process as he tip toed around the Interlagos struggling for grip. Schumacher now had a comfortable lead, but it seemed the rain master too was beginning to struggle. Indeed this became evident when he spun at turn 4 helping, Coulthard catch up to the Ferrari. Driven with a desire to win the Brazilian GP Coulthard began to harass the Ferrari ahead and down into the first corner the Mclaren darted out of the spray and down the inside of Schumacher into the lead. It was the 2nd time the German had been caught napping at the first corner in the race. By now the rain was very heavy and the standing water causing many cars to spin, including Jean Alesi, Ralf Schumacher and Irvine who’d battled his way up to 7th only to spin out of the race. Another casualty of the rain was once again Michael Schumacher who ran wide at turn 6 and bounced across the gravel, just missing the barriers. He returned to the track still 2nd but way behind his Scottish rival. At the bottom end of the points there was a battle beginning to brew between the two French drivers in the race Olivier Panis and Jean Alesi who was having his best race in many years. It wasn’t long before the intermediate shod BAR passed the wet weather tired Prost for 6th place. However as the end of the race loomed there were still exciting moments to witness. Gaston Mazzacane blew his Prost engine with 15 laps left while, Kimi Raikkonen retired from 9th place when he swapped ends at turn 4. He was quickly joined at the same corner by a dissapointed ralf schumacher who saw his dismal race end 10 laps from the chequered flag. The Brazilian GP hadn’t finished throwing up suprises though. 3rd place man Heinz Harald Frentzen who was having quiet race retired 8 laps from the end with hydraulic faliure. The place swapping still didn’t stop though. Giancarlo Fissichella driving his very slow Benetton creeped into the points at the expense of the slowing Prost of Alesi who’s wet tyres began to overheat in the drying conditions. Further up the track and the rejuvinated Olivier Panis surged past Jarno Trulli for the 2nd time in the race as he powered home to a well deserved 4th. However it was David Coulthard who was taking a surprise win ahead of the some what belegered Schumacher. Over a lap behind was the incredible Sauber of Nick Heidfeld who’d driven a sound race to achieve his first ever podium in 3rd place. Panis, Trulli and Fissichella gained their first points of the season as they rounded out the top 6
You can definitely say the 2001 Brazilian GP was one to remember. It had everything. Penalties, a stalling, rain, accidents, spins and new stars in the form of Heidfeld and Montoya.

THE FINAL RACE RESULT

1 DAVID COULTHARD GBR MCLAREN
2 MICHAEL SCHUMACHER GER FERRARI
3 NICK HEIDFELD GER SAUBER
4 OLIVIER PANIS FRA BAR
5 JARNO TRULLI ITA JORDAN
6 GIANCARLO FISSICHELLA ITA BENETTON
7 JAQUES VILLENEUVE CAN BAR
8 JEAN ALESI FRA PROST
9 TARSO MARQUES BRA MINARDI
10 JENSON BUTTON GBR BENETTON

RETIREMENTS

HEINZ HARALD FRENTZEN GER JORDAN
RALF SCHUMACHER GER WILLIAMS
KIMI RAIKKONEN FIN SAUBER
GASTON MAZZACANE ARG PROST
EDDIE IRVINE IRL JAGUAR
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA COL WILLIAMS
JOS VERSTAPPEN NED ARROWS
LUCIANO BURTI BRA JAGUAR
FERNANDO ALONSO ESP MINARDI
ENRIQUE BERNOLDI BRA ARROWS
RUBENS BARRICHELLO BRA FERRARI
MIKA HAKKINEN FIN MCLAREN

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER 3 ROUNDS

1 MICHAEL SCHUMACHER 26
2 DAVID COULTHARD 20
3 RUBENS BARRICHELLO 10
4 NICK HEIDFELD 7
5 HEINZ HARALD FRENTZEN 5
6 OLIVIER PANIS 3
7 JARNO TRIULLI 2
8 RALF SCHUMACHER 2
9 GIANCARLO FISSICHELLA 1
10 KIMI RAIKKONEN 1
11 MIKA HAKKINEN 1

1 FERRARI 36
2 MCLAREN 21
3 SAUBER 8
4 JORDAN 7
5 BAR 3
6 WILLIAMS 2
7 BENETTON 1

WINNERS

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
Brilliant race ended abruptly by Jos Verstappen.

DAVID COULTHARD
Drove wonderfully to come out of the shadows of the ahead battle to storm to a very convincing victory

NICK HEIDFELD
After 3 races, Heidfeld and his Sauber is looking impressive and he duly took his first ever podium

RALF SCHUMACHER
After his violent smash on the second lap, Schumacher was going well before his car gave up on him

OLIVIER PANIS
In his first season back, Panis showed Villeneuve the way with a brilliant drive to 4th in the poor BAR

LOSERS

JOS VERSTAPPEN
His brain fade cost him and the leader a famous win. A shame after his inspired performance in Malaysia

RUBENS BARRICHELLO
In his home GP, Barrichello dismayed his home fans with an erattic run into Ralf Schumacher for the second time in 2 races

MIKA HAKKINEN
Mika still sits with no points and stalling on the grid isn’t going to help

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
Not the champs best races. After being upstaged by Montya, spinning and then loosing the lead to Coulthard, second was a lucky result for him

EDDIE IRVINE
The uncompetative Jaguar seems to be taking it’s toll on the famously impatient Eddie Irvine who spun out of 6th place.

If there are any F1 journalism jobs going, I know a very eager and willing 15 year-old (me!)

Thanks for reading...

SOLEX/OLLIE