Formula One: Stewart-Ford Racing News, Italian Grand Prix Wrap Up
13 September 1999
Rubens Barrichello claimed fourth place in today's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Johnny Herbert retired with clutch failure.
RUBENS BARRICHELLO Car No.16 (SF3-04)
4th place Three points
A great race and an emotional day?
'I would like to dedicate this race to Gonzalo Rodriguez who we lost yesterday during qualifying for the CART race at Laguna Seca. He was a good friend and a real fighter. I spent a lot of the time before the race thinking about him.
Could you have finished on the podium today?
' I'm really pleased with today's result. The car felt very good throughout the race and allowed me to drive very aggressively. The team did a great job giving me a car I could run at the front with. A podium finish was very close at one stage but we lost a little time during the pit stop. Third place would have been a nice reward for Jackie and Paul and the whole Stewart-Ford team and for my future fans here in Italy.'
JOHNNY HERBERT Car No.17 (SF3-05)
Retired Lap 40
What happened at the start?
'At the exit to the first chicane Panis stopped ahead of me and I ran into the back of him. Fortunately I must have hit him square on because there was no damage to the front wing but the incident allowed everybody to get by me and I dropped down to 20th position.'
You retired with a clutch failure on lap 40 - was there any warning?
'It just suddenly went when I shifted into sixth gear at the end of the pit straight. It sums up my weekend which has been pretty much up and down. I haven't been able to get the car running consistently.'
PAUL STEWART, Stewart-Ford Chief Operating Officer
'I'm absolutely delighted. I thought that it would be tough to overtake and maintain position after the pit stop but the strategy we chose worked out and Rubens drove a hell of a race. The most important aspect is moving to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. Unfortunately Johnny retired with a clutch problem but he kept up a good pace during the race.
NEIL RESSLER, Vice-President, Research & Vehicle Technology, Ford
'A fabulous drive from Rubens. In the first part of the race he put in an impressive performance when he drove past Coulthard, Salo and Zanardi and in the second half when he held off Coulthard. At the end of the day three points take us to fifth in the Constructors' Championship with three races to go. Johnny was also making good progress after being caught up in the confusion at the start but yet again he seemed to have all the bad luck.'
Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit
The Racing ImageGalleries and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.