 Brazilian Grand Prix (Sao Paulo) 2002 review.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
Formula One fans were treated to a third successive thrilling encounter as Michael Schumacher took victory in the debut race for the all-new Ferrari F2002 car. However, it wasn't an easy victory for the German, as Juan Pablo Montoya, and more notably his brother Ralf, took the fight to the champion.
The bumpy Interlagos circuit, with its long straights was expected to favour the Michelin runners, especially the Williams-BMW team. Ralf Schumacher was initially the fastest of the expected front-runners in qualifying, before team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya went faster, in a time that would give him pole position. Michael Schumacher pipped his brother to second position, with Ralf finishing the session ahead of the McLarens of David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen. Jarno Trulli (Renault) took sixth on the grid, ahead of team-mate Jenson Button and a disappointed Rubens Barrichello, who could only manage eighth for his home event. Nick Heidfeld's Sauber and Mika Salo's Toyota completed the top ten. Eddie Irvine lined up 13th in the improved Jaguar, while Allan McNish was 16th for Toyota.
With the threat of a penalty of ten grid positions at the next event if a driver is judged to be driving dangerously, all the teams were hoping for a clean start to the race. Montoya got the best start, and kept his advantage to the first corner and closed the door to the inside. However, Michael Schumacher just squeezed up the inside into turn one, and through into the lead as Montoya lost grip and ran wide. As Montoya set himself up for a challenge into Turn 4, Schumacher dodged to the inside, and contact was made between the two cars, for the second successive event. Montoya damaged his front nose-wing and had to pit, as Schumacher escaped unscathed.
The Renaults had got away from the grid well, passing both McLarens to run in third (Trulli) and fourth (Button) behind the Schumacher brothers. Following his poor performance in qualifying, Barrichello was on a charge, passing Raikkonen, Coulthard, Button and Trulli to move into third. A few laps later it was the turn of Ralf Schumacher to succumb to the flying Brazilian. After reeling in his team-mate, Barrichello made his move into Turn 4 and for four laps he held the lead of his home event before a hydraulic problem forced him to park up.
Michael Schumacher moved back into the lead, until he made his first, and surprisingly, only stop of the afternoon. His brother pitted five laps later only for the Ferrari driver to retain his lead, albeit by a slender margin. The three-second gap on lap 40 was whittled down to just 0.5 seconds at the flag, but the younger Schumacher could not find a way past, and had to settle for second. David Coulthard claimed the final podium position, in his first finish of the year. Raikkonen was heading for fourth before a wheel hub failure forced him out with just three laps to run. This allowed Jenson Button to take his second successive fourth position, ahead of the recovering Montoya, who charged through from the back of the pack. Toyota's Mika Salo took another point for the ever-improving Japanese machine. Eddie Irvine and Pedro De La Rosa took seventh and eighth for Jaguar, ahead of Takuma Sato's Jordan. Jacques Villeneuve (BAR) was eleventh, ahead of the Minardi of Mark Webber. Raikkonen was classified twelfth ahead of Alex Yoong, who brought his Minardi home three laps down in 13th.
Joining Barrichello on the retirement list was Giancarlo Fisichella, the first to retire, with a blown engine. Broken track-rods claimed both Arrows, while neither Sauber made it to the finish - Heidfeld suffered brake and vibration problems, and Felipe Massa was forced out after contact with Mark Webber. Allan McNish spun out, while Olivier Panis recorded his third straight DNF of the season after his gearbox packed up. Trulli also failed to make the finish, after his engine blew just eleven laps from the end, when he was well placed to pick up points.
Michael Schumacher's lead in the championship now stands at eight points, and the Williams and McLaren teams will be looking to close that gap as the championship moves into Europe, and the San Marino Grand Prix.
Race Result:
1. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
2. Ralf Schumacher (Williams-BMW) +0.588s
3. David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes) +59.109s
4. Jenson Button (Renault) +1m06.883s
5. Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-BMW) +1m07.563s
6. Mika Salo (Toyota) +1Lap
Driver's Championship Standings:
1. Michael Schumacher 24pts
2. Ralf Schumacher 16pts
3. Juan Pablo Montoya 14pts
4. Jenson Button 6pts
5. Kimi Raikkonen 4pts
6. David Coulthard 4pts
Constructor's Championship Standings:
1. Ferrari 30pts
2. Williams-BMW 24pts
3. McLaren-Mercedes 8pts
4. Renault 6pts
5. Jaguar-Cosworth 3pts
6. Sauber-Petronas 3pts
2002 F1 season calendar
03/03/2002 - Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)
- Australia circuit by JR
- Australia preview by AF
- Australia grid by JR
- Australia review by AF
- Australia lap-by-lap by JR
17/03/2002 - Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang)
- Malaysia circuit by JR
- Malaysia preview by AF
- Malaysia grid by JR
- Malaysia review by AF
- Malaysia lap-by-lap by JR
31/03/2002 - Brazilian Grand Prix (Sao Paulo)
- Brazil circuit by JR
- Brazil preview by AF
- Brazil grid by JR
- Brazil review by AF
- Brazil lap-by-lap by JR
14/04/2002 - San Marino Grand Prix (Imola)
- San Marino circuit by JR
- San Marino preview by AF
- San Marino grid by JR
- San Marino review by AF
- San Marino lap-by-lap by JR
28/04/2002 - Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona)
- Spain circuit by JR
- Spain preview by AF
- Spain grid by JR
- Spain review by AF
- Spain lap-by-lap by JR
12/05/2002 - Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg)
- Austria circuit by JR
- Austria preview by AF
- Austria grid by JR
- Austria review by AF
- Austria lap-by-lap by JR
26/05/2002 - Grand Prix de Monaco (Monaco)
- Monaco circuit by JR
- Monaco preview by AF
- Monaco grid by JR
- Monaco review by AF
- Monaco lap-by-lap by JR
09/06/2002 - Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)
- Canada circuit by JR
- Canada preview by AF
- Canada grid by JR
- Canada review by AF
- Canada lap-by-lap by JR
23/06/2002 - European Grand Prix (Nürburgring)
- Europe circuit by JR
- Europe grid by JR
- Europe review by AF
- Europe lap-by-lap by JR
07/07/2002 - British Grand Prix (Silverstone)
- Britain circuit by JR
- Britain grid by JR
- Britain review by AF
- Britain lap-by-lap by JR
21/07/2002 - French Grand Prix (Magny-Cours)
- France circuit by JR
- France preview by AF
- France grid by JR
- France review by AF
- France lap-by-lap by JR
28/07/2002 - German Grand Prix (Hockenheim)
- Germany circuit by JR
- Germany preview by AF
- Germany grid by JR
- Germany review by AF
- Germany lap-by-lap by JR
18/08/2002 - Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest)
- Hungary circuit by JR
- Hungary grid by JR
- Hungary lap-by-lap by JR
01/09/2002 - Belgian Grand Prix (Spa Francorchamps)
- Belgium circuit by JR
- Belgium grid by JR
- Belgium review by AF
- Belgium lap-by-lap by JR
15/09/2002 - Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
- Italy circuit by JR
- Italy grid by JR
- Italy lap-by-lap by JR
29/09/2002 - American Grand Prix (Indianapolis)
- USA circuit by JR
- USA grid by JR
- USA lap-by-lap by JR
13/10/2002 - Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
- Japan circuit by JR
- Japan grid by JR
- Japan review by AF
- Japan lap-by-lap by JR
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