|
So, 2001 Quantas Australian Grand Prix has finished.
The first Grand Prix of a new season, new century and new millenium.
As always, the first race of a season leaves many questions, which will
find their answers only later.
Marshal's death.
 |
It
is a second one for last half-year. On Stirling Moss' words, in 50-s
two or three deaths for a season was absolutely normal. And that
was a deaths of drivers - not marshals or firemen as now. And not simple drivers,
but the World Champions as Jim Clarck
And that was a way of things Probably, the times really have changed.
In 80s the hard duels between
Prost and Senna were considered as
a normal thing I would like to look at hysterics that press will burst if, for example,
Villenueve
and Schumacher will fight a-la Senna-Prost at Brithsh Grand
Prix'93 |
Even
Hakkinen's overtaking
at last year's Belgian Grand Prix has caused a hurricane of enthusiastic emotions,
though there were nothing especial in terms of the last decades. The Grand
Prix races has sharply changed for last 5 or 7 years. But whether they became
more interesting?
Struggle
in a Championship.
The first and most important question of the new Championship -
will there be more cars really capable to struggle for a victory, has received
the unequivocal and depressing answer - no. As well as the last year,
only two teams will be able to fight for a top of the podium -
McLaren and Ferrari.
Michael Schumacher's 45th victory.
The defending World Champion
Michael Schumacher has clearly designated his overwhelming advantage both in qualifying and in race. Remember a
qualifying. Hakkinen shows 1.28,098 in his first attempt and German immidiately blocks his time on
4 tenths - 1.27,675, and 1.27,516 on the second flying lap.
Barrichello bites off one mil from the Michael's time in his second attempt. Schumacher
don't waste his time - 1.26,892, a six tenths at once are won back at his partner's time. At
this time McLaren didn't even think to clutch at the the first row. They are defending themselves
against pressing hard Jordans. And Schumacher makes
his last qualifying laps on a spare car! In race the situation hasn't changed. Michael has created and
quietly supported comfortable gap from all the persecutors and it has clearly felt that he can
accelerate at any moment. But whether we shall receive one more recurrence of a 1994 season?
Barrichello Vs. Frentzen.
| On
the lap 3 a collision between Heinz
Harald Frentzen and Rubens Barrichello has took place. This incident, as a matter of fact, has
spoiled a race for a German driver, having rejected him to the hopeless 16th place. The Brazilian has
accused Frentzen, having declared that he has almost passed the German when he has closed the door.
Heinz in his turn has told that he didn't even saw Rubens in that turn. To my mind, the situation was
the following. Angry at his poor start, Barrichello caught up Frentzen |
 |
He was very close to Jordan but not enough to overtake him. But if
he would stay on his trajectory he would just kick off Frentzen to the gravel. Therefore he has
slightly turn to the right. But he didn't wanted to brake hard and block his tyres so he has pushed
Heinz, who was entering to the turn as usual and, naturally, didn't saw Brazilian.
Sauber's progress.
The Sauber
team has worked well on Australian Grand Prix.
Nick Heidfeld has finished on the fifth place, and young
Kimi Raikkonen has drove to 7th. And after
Olivier Panis' disqualification, that was initiated, by the way, be Peter Sauber, both Swiss cars
have recieved points. It is the completely improbable success, especially if to remember, that some last
years Sauber was only falling down and down. The present rise is related to the changing of a
team's technical policy. While buying since 1996 the Ferrari engines, Peter Sauber has
been developing transmission and gearbox with his own forces, completely reasonably considering that
Italian aggregates are too expensive and difficult in service for him. However this year Swiss have
decided to buy the complete Ferrari power installation and seem to win. On a Prost's background
Sauber were looked simply superb. Certainly, the hit of both cars into points is a consequence of
the numerous retirements of other contenders for a top six. However Sauber has clearly designated his
returning to the F1 middlemen echelon.
Fernando Alonso's debut.
 |
Flavio
Briatore has found a new star. Fernando
Alonso has blow up the F3000 world last year with his victory at Spa. And this
year he has signed with Benetton's manager and has
been leased to Paul Stoddart's Minardi. From the
very first trainings the Spaniard has clearly shown who is who in the Italian team. On the Minardi car,
equipped with a 4 years old Ford's engine he has outstripped Prost and Jaguar, that have incomparably
more powerful motors! And on a background of the helpless qualifying flounders of his partner
Tarso Marques, he was looked simply superb! |
All the race he was following behind
Eddie Irvine's
Jaguar. Seems that almost now we can exactly name
the Benetton's drivers for a next year -
Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.
Olivier Panis' come back.
The
Frenchman has returned. He has returned after terrible crash in Canada'97, after two
of colourless seasons in weak Prost, where he
was already written off, after a year of hard testing work for McLaren, when he has managed
to restore his reputation of the fast and reliable pilot. And now he is in BAR. In qualifying he
has been outstripping his partner Jaques Villeneuve for a long time, and in his first race after come
back he has dispelled all possible doubts, finishing 4th. But the Peter Sauber's appeal has rejected him to
the 7th place, but the beginning of a season has gone well for Olivier.
(c) F1
A.D.
|
