2001 Brazilain Grand Prix - Questions & Suggestions

Barrichello: first or second?

Between two races we all were witnesses of a some kind of fuss in Ferrari. Rubens Barrichello was showing an obvious signs of dissatisfaction with the situation in Ferrari in general and that fact that Michael Schumacher didn't followed his advice and overtaken him in the rain on Malaysian Grand Prix in particular. On a press conference after race he has afforded some rather caustic remarks to the team and Michael. After that all Ferrari's head persons has begun to hush up this incident. In present conditions it is necessary to consider it as a loud scandal. The times when Mansell could freely call Senna gay, and Senna, in his turn, said that he slept with his wife has passed long ago. And all that we see now are a huge tumour on David Coulthard's cheekbones and Mika Hakkinen's ice detachment on their way to the team's motorhome for discussion of their collision at Austrian GP'99. And that's all! In present Formula 1 it is not welcomed to throw the toys out of a sandbox. Rubens now certainly are stronger than all Schumacher's partners for last 7 years. But Ferrari bosses are not satisfied because it's not the first case when Barrichello makes team's problems the property of press. Whether Brazilian will stay in Scuderia for a third season is depends on his loyalty.

Button or Montoya.

With this race Juan Pablo Montoya has forced to break off all his critics, that considering that invitation of a CART champion and deportation to Benetton of a rising British star Jenson Button is a mistake. Montoya - it's very serious and this became clear already in Australia. But nobody expected him to be a hero for a while, because any driver needs some time to adapt in F1. And the time really was required to him - only one Grand Prix at Malaysia! Already at Brazil Columbian was seriously pretending to a victory!!! The show has began when he has won

A race that he lost�

Enraged with such a boldness, Schumacher has tried counter-attack. But then he cooled down and decided to put off all examinations up to pit-stops. Two leaders went very fast. In 2-3 seconds behind them David Coulthard was driving, all others were far behind. The short lap of the Interlagos circuit gave a storm rate to the race. On lap 25 Schumacher makes a pit-stop and back to the track on the 5th place. But what is it? Neither Coulthard, nor Montoya are not going to stop. Moreover, Columbian speeds up and begins to break away from Schumacher. Coulthard set spurs to his McLaren and continues to keep in Montoya's speed, though he is 5 seconds back now. With each lap the fact that this two guys are going with one pit stop becomes more obvious. The first defeat of Ferrari in 2001 season is evident, and it is especially shattering that Barrichello again has prevented by younger Schumacher. Whether competitors has catched up with Ferrari, or it is simply was a temporary weakness - the time will show. But Brazilian Grand Prix was going to it's sensational finish. But here guy in heaven has felt miserable and he has said �Stop!�.

The shadow hero.

And has sent to the track his ambassador in person of Jos Verstappen. At the first moment after the Dutch has throw out Montoya nobody has believed it. The picture was too unreal. But it is happened. Verstappen, who didn't pretend on anything, has driven into leading Juan Pablo. But that was only beginning of the second act. Almost at that moment the rain has begun, forcing Coulthard to make one more pit-stop, as well as Schumacher! The chances were equalized!

How many times we were witnesses of a tactical slowness of McLaren. How many races was lost because of it. But Ron continues to repeat the same mistakes. The lap that Coulthard drove in the rain on the dry tyres, hardly didn't lead him to lose the race. But Scott has shown a true talent and courage, overtaking Schumacher in completely wild situation.

In conditions of the Ferrari's total superiority, Coulthard has managed finish twice to the podium and to win the race when the chance was presented. McLaren is not a brilliant now but the huge work on improvement of a car is done. In Brazil, for example, the new U-figurative front wing has debuted. The main battle is in future. But these points, that David has scored on start of a season, will be very valuable on finish of a championship. Whether Coulthard will manage to step out from a shadow to the light in a Championship, how he has made it on Brazilian Grand Prix? Now he is 6 points behind Schumacher and is the main McLaren hope on a successful season.

Steps behind a stage.

Other drivers were well matched to the leaders of a race. Perharps I haven't saw such quantity of duels and overtakings since French Grand Prix'99. Saubers has drove a fantastic race. Nick Heidfeld has finished to the podium, and Kimi Raikkonen for a long time was driving in top six until he spun out to the gravel in the rain. In any normal man's opinion, Kimi should recieve a superlicence without any problems - the level of his skills is much higher then some other participants of a championship. But it is an exaggeration to suppose FIA officials as a normal people, they have proved opposite not once. The magnificent race has drove Olivier Panis. Having shown a great performance in the beginning of race, he fall a little after pit-stop, but under a rain he has flown as on wings. It was fun to see the change of expressions on Eddie Jordan's physiognomy when reliably driving to the podium Frentzen suddenly has stopped due to the technical problems. It was pity Jean Alesi, who twice was getting into points zone but both times was overtaken at first by Panis and then by Geancarlo Fisichella, who has scored the first points for Renault.

(c) F1 A.D.