 European Grand Prix (Nürburgring) 2002 review.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
Ferrari finally relinquished their insistence on team orders at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany, and allowed Rubens Barrichello to claim only his second win, ahead of his championship leading team-mate Michael Schumacher. The event, based on the recent reincarnation of the historic German circuit, featured a new combination of corners at the start of the lap, which caught out several drivers.
Ferrari had been expected to dominate on the twisty German track, but Williams soon proved their doubters wrong as Juan Pablo Montoya took his third successive pole position, with team-mate Ralf Schumacher alongside - the gap between the duo just 9 thousandths of a second. Michael Schumacher, who was forced to change to his spare car after his race chassis developed a gearbox problem, took third ahead of Barrichello, while the 2x2 team formation continued with David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen completing the third row for the McLaren team. After a disappointing showing in Canada, Renault were back on the pace, with Jarno Trulli out-qualifying Jenson Button by less than two hundredths of a second, taking seventh position. Behind the Renaults, Nick Heidfeld (Sauber) and Mika Salo (Toyota) completed the top ten. Olivier Panis (BAR) was the top Honda engined car in 12th, with Takuma Sato (Jordan) in 14th, while Giancarlo Fisichella (Jordan) and Jacques Villeneuve (BAR) were down in 18th and 19th respectively. Of the Brits, Eddie Irvine (Jaguar) lined up in seventeenth, four places behind Allan McNish (Toyota).
The Williams pair led away from the grid, with Ralf Schumacher diving up the inside of Montoya into the first corner. As they negotiated the first bend, the team-mates touched, delaying each other, and allowing Barrichello into second position behind Ralf Schumacher, before the Brazilian dived through into the lead two corners later. Michael Schumacher had not been so lucky after a tardy getaway from third on the grid. Although he was soon past Montoya, he would become bottled up behind his brother for three laps before finding a way into second position. The action was not only at the front of the pack, as behind Fisichella lost control of his Jordan, and connected with his team-mate Sato. Although both cars continued Fisichella's was mortally wounded and soon expired, while Sato plugged on to finish last after a lengthy pit stop.
At the front, Michael Schumacher soon saw his brother disappear from his mirrors as he quickly closed on Barrichello's leading Ferrari. However, the German's chances of victory were reduced significantly following an uncharacteristic spin at the final chicane, which cost him around ten seconds. He later claimed he had been caught out by the draft from Barrichello's car, but he had lost his chance to mount a challenge for the lead. With the positions stationary out front, attention focussed on Coulthard, who was gradually reeling in Montoya, finally catching up with the Williams on lap 27. Coulthard slip-streamed the Colombian on the pit straight, moving to the outside around the first corner as Montoya protected his line. However, Montoya was running on the badly degrading Michelin tyres, and into the first corner he lost grip and spun, slamming into the side of the McLaren forcing both out.
The pit stops came and went for the Ferrari duo, with the order remaining the same after each, with Schumacher once again closing slightly, while Raikkonen passed the struggling Ralf Schumacher during the pit stops for third position. From then on the result looked a formality, with Michael Schumacher's late attempts to oust Barrichello, having got to within three seconds of the Brazilian, thwarted by backmarkers. The two Ferrari's slowed for a formation finish, while Raikkonen took a comfortable third position, ahead of Ralf Schumacher, and Jenson Button. Felipe Massa took the final point for Sauber having held off his team-mate Heidfeld for the duration of the race. Jarno Trulli took eighth for Renault, ahead of Panis and Enrique Bernoldi, who put in a superb drive to take his first top-ten finish of the season having started on 21st. Pedro De La Rosa (Jaguar), Villeneuve, Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Arrows), McNish and Mark Webber (Minardi) completed the finishers.
Joining Fisichella, Coulthard and Montoya on the retirement list were Irvine and Alex Yoong (Minardi), both with hydraulics problems, and Mika Salo (Toyota), who suffered a gearbox failure.
The next round of the championship is the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on the weekend of July 6th/7th.
Nurburgring Race Result:
1. Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) 60 laps
2. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) +0.294s
3. Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren) +46.435s
4. Ralf Schumacher (Williams) +1m06.963s
5. Jenson Button (Renault) +1m16.943s
6. Felipe Massa (Sauber) +1 Lap
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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