FORMUL A ONE: Ralf Schumacher Earns First Grand Prix Win
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
April 16, 2001IMOLA, Italy - Ralf Schumacher won his first Grand Prix after leading the San Marino Grand Prix from start to finish in his Williams-BMW. His victory, which came in his 70th Formula One start, set a number of firsts for the record books.
"The last three laps were pretty long," Schumacher said. "I knew that David (Coulthard) was six or seven seconds behind me, so I just slowed down and tried to finish. I am pretty relaxed; I don't know why. It is obviously a great feeling, but then the pressure is on as well because people expect us to win the next race as well or look good. But we definitely are going to have a big party tonight, and I am looking forward to the next race."
This was the first time two brothers have won a Grand Prix in the modern Formula One era that began in 1950. Schumacher's older brother is, of course, Michael Schumacher who has 46-career wins, including a victory at the inaugural SAP United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis last September.
This was the first victory for BMW since it returned to F1 at the beginning of the 2000 season, and the 10th overall for the German auto company, which also competed in F1 from 1982 through 1987.
This victory also marked the first for Michelin since returning to F1 this season, and the 60th overall for the tire manufacturer, which raced in F1 from 1978 through 1984.
Schumacher provided Team Williams its 104th victory, and the first since Jacques Villeneuve won the Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in September 1997.
Sunday's victory by Williams-BMW broke the win streak by Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes, who had won the last 22 Grand Prix races. The last time one of these two teams did not win was the European Grand Prix in September 1999, when Johnny Herbert took the victory in his Stewart-Ford.
The outcome of the race was virtually settled at the start when Schumacher took the lead in the first turn just after the start as pole sitter Coulthard made a slow getaway in his West McLaren-Mercedes. After that, Schumacher pulled out a lead he would never relinquish even during his two planned pit stops.
Coulthard ran in second place for the entire race and, thanks to the retirement of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari, the two drivers are now tied for the lead in the World Championship with 26 points each. The Ferrari's left front wheel rim lost its air because of a problem with the left front suspension.
Rubens Barrichello passed Olivier Panis and Jarno Trulli and then pulled away from Mika Hakkinen during the pit stop sequence to finish third in his Ferrari. Hakkinen took fifth in his McLaren ahead of Benson & Hedges Jordan-Honda teammates Jarno Trulli and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
Both former Indy 500 winners in the San Marino Grand Prix retired from the race. Jacques Villeneuve's Lucky Strike BAR-Honda stopped in a cloud of smoke, possibly caused by a gearbox problem. Juan-Pablo Montoya, who pulled off a brilliant pass on Jarno Trulli at one stage of the race, was running in fifth when he retired with clutch and gearbox woes.
Winner Schumacher averaged 125.555 mph (202.062 km/h) to complete the 62-lap, 189.896-mile (305.609 km) race in one hour, 30 minutes and 44.817 seconds. His margin of victory was 4.352 seconds.
QUOTEBOOK:
RALF SCHUMACHER (Williams-BMW, winner, on what his brother said to him just after the race): "He said well done and it was time. He said you waited long enough and that he was happy for me. I must say that the first one to congratulate me was David (Coulthard) in advance yesterday." (On his start): "It was a very good start and I was lucky to get David right there. I just tried it the same way I did here last year and this time there was space enough - or David gave me a little space - and from there it worked out. It was a pretty long race afterwards I must say. We did it on the start today."
DAVID COULTHARD (West McLaren-Mercedes, second): "I moved a little bit just before the start and had to stop the car, and that's when the lights changed, so I then got too much wheel spin. I thought I was going to be swamped at the start, but I presume Mika must have made a bad start as well. I sensed Ralf on the inside. I was getting ready to move that way, but obviously I had to make sure that there was enough space for us all. To my great disappointment, I found out that he was quicker than I was, so congratulations to Ralf on his first victory and to Williams-BMW."
RUBENS BARRICHELLO (Ferrari, third): "We had a great strategy but I made a slow start with too much wheel spin. I could comfortably follow everyone and I didn't know how often the cars in front of me would stop, so I pushed hard and tried to overtake but it is very difficult to do that at Imola. I was losing time behind Hakkinen, but I stayed out for three more laps after he pitted and that meant I could push hard and do some quick laps. Our strategy involved going as late as possible before the first stop."
MIKA HAKKINEN (West McLaren-Mercedes, fourth): "The start basically determined the outcome of my race when I was passed by Montoya and Trulli. It is very difficult to overtake at Imola unless the driver in front of you makes a significant mistake, so I was stuck in fourth place for most of the race."
JARNO TRULLI (Benson & Hedges Jordan-Honda, fifth): "I am particularly happy because this is the first time I have finished a race here in Imola. After my first pit stop I had a problem with a bad set of tires, which made me struggle. Montoya caught me after his pit stop and was able to accelerate faster than me and brake later."
Williams-BMW Team Owner Frank Williams: "It's a great day for everybody - for WilliamsF1, for BMW and of course for Michelin. Everybody on the team has worked really hard and has thoroughly deserved this success."
BMW Motorsport Director Dr. Mario Theissen: "This is the biggest day of our F1 project. I am particularly happy because he (R. Schumacher) led from the start and dominated the race."
McLaren team owner Ron Dennis: "We hate to lose, but if we have to, we prefer that it is to our good friends and competitors at Williams."
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (Ferrari, retired Lap 25): "I am very happy for Ralf. He has shown strongly in the past and he has also had some bad luck. But this time everything went his way and he did it in style. This is the first time two brothers have won F1 Grands Prix. We have both achieved our goal and our parents will be proud." (About his race): "I did not make a good start and Montoya and Panis were able to pass me because I had a brief problem with the gear change system. It was a hard race right from the start and ended in the worst possible way on Lap 25 with a problem on the left front corner of the car that damaged the wheel rim."
JUAN-PABLO MONTOYA (Williams-BMW, retired Lap 49 while in fifth place): "When I stopped for my second pit stop I had a problem with the clutch and could not get anymore gears. I went out of the pits, but then I was stuck in first gear and all I could do was drive back into the garage."
JACQUES VILLENEUVE (Lucky Strike BAR-Honda, retired Lap 31): "It was looking as if I was finally going to get some points this year. It has been a very difficult start to the season, and it's frustrating to end another race without any points."
Text provided by Paul Kelly
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