Formula One: Bar Honda points finish washed away in Nurburgring rain
21 May 2000
This afternoon's European Grand Prix started brightly for Lucky Strike Reynard BAR Honda and the team looked set for another points finish in its first season of Formula One competition. After ten laps, however, the heavens opened and the first wet race of the year brought disappointment for BAR Honda as neither Jacques Villeneuve nor Ricardo Zonta were among today's finishers, who finally numbered just nine. Villeneuve had made yet another perfect get-away, blasting from ninth on the grid to hold fifth position by the time the cars had reached the first corner. The Canadian was able to stay ahead of the pressing Williams-BMW and Benetton and on a one-stop strategy looked well set for at least a top five finish. The rain threw the race into a state of confusion, as drivers and teams tried to work out the right moment to stop for wet weather tyres. Jacques made the change on lap 16, one lap after his team mate, but could only rejoin twelfth, behind the battle he had previously been heading. By lap 47 he had climbed back to seventh place, but the Honda engineers took the decision to end his race as a precaution after sensors had indicated a valve-related problem on the telemetry screens. Ricardo Zonta had started from 18th on the grid and changed to wet tyres on lap 15. The Brazilian survived a spin in the treacherous conditions and was up to tenth place by the time he made his second pit stop. Five laps later he was not so fortunate, however, as his BAR Honda 002 finished in the gravel after another spin and his race was run. Jacques Villeneuve Position: DNF - Lap 47 "The conditions were very difficult once it started to rain hard because you just couldn't see much. I don't know what happened to end the race. I was coming in for my second pit stop and on my in-lap I was told just to bring the car in and switch off - I guess there must have been a problem on the telemetry. It's a disappointing result because again we were on course for a points-scoring finish." Ricardo Zonta Position: DNF - Lap 54 "I could not get the revs high enough to make a good start and I was stuck behind Herbert until the first pit stop. After the change, the car was good and I could race strongly, but then after my second stop I started to have problems with the downshift. The rear wheels locked up as I braked, I spun off into the gravel and that was it." Takefumi Hosaka - Managing Director, Honda R&D "Jacques made another fantastic start and it was good to see him running comfortably in fifth position before the rain came, but around mid-distance we noticed a warning on his engine related to a valve problem. We took the decision to end his race as a precaution and after two unfortunate races in a row, we must now review everything and identify where we can make improvements for the next race." Craig Pollock - Managing Director, British American Racing "Jacques did an absolutely amazing job. He made a brilliant start, but was called in for his pit stop one lap too late, which lost him perhaps 20 seconds. We were pleased to see how competitive he was in today's very difficult conditions compared with the others out there. I'm very disappointed for the team by the outcome of today's race because it was a lost opportunity." The Jordan Mugen Honda team also had a disappointing conclusion to a promising weekend. Both drivers had qualified their EJ10s in the top ten, but any hopes of a points finish had been dashed even before the rain arrived. Jarno Trulli's race was over before the first corner as the Italian had a coming together with the Benetton of Giancarlo Fisichella down the main straight, retiring immediately from the accident damage. Jordan team mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen took pole position in this race last year and was looking for another strong showing in his home Grand Prix, but the German's hopes expired on the third lap with suspected engine problems. The Formula One calendar moves from the rain of the German mountains to the glamour of the Monte Carlo quayside for the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks' time, Sunday 4 June. BAR Honda is back on testing duty this week with three days at the Nogaro circuit in France, 24-26 May. Championship Standings after 6 of 17 rounds DRIVERS P - Driver - Nat. - Pts 1 - SCHUMACHER Michael - GER - 46 2 - HAKKINEN Mika - FIN - 28 3 - COULTHARD David - GBR - 24 4 - BARRICHELLO Rubens - BRZ - 16 5 - SCHUMACHER Ralf - GER - 12 6 - FISICHELLA Giancarlo - ITA - 10 7 - VILLENEUVE Jacques - CAN - 5 = - FRENTZEN H-Harald - GER - 5 CONSTRUCTORS P - Constructor - Points 1 - FERRARI - 62 2 - McLAREN-MERCEDES - 52 3 - WILLIAMS-BMW - 15 4 - BENETTON PLAYLIFE - 10 5 - JORDAN MUGEN-HONDA - 9 6 - BAR HONDA - 6 7 - SAUBER - 1 8 - ARROWS - 1