FORMULA ONE: R. Schumacher prevails in historic brotherly battle
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 10, 2001MONTREAL - Ralf Schumacher and Michael Schumacher made Formula One history by becoming the first pair of brothers to finish first and second in a Grand Prix, with Ralf winning the Canadian Grand Prix in his Williams-BMW after a long duel with Michael in his Ferrari.
Michael started from the pole position and led for the first 45 laps with Ralf in close pursuit. When Michael pitted on Lap 45, Ralf turned a series of record laps to pull out a big enough advantage so that he could keep the lead when he made his pit stop six laps later.
"It was obviously a great race today," Ralf Schumacher said. "The whole time with the two of us together, I was waiting for him to make a mistake. Obviously he didn't. I tried to pass him a couple of times at the end of the straight, but that was difficult. So I waited for the pit strategy when I thought that we would go longer (before stopping than he did), and it worked out that way."
If he had to lose, Michael Schumacher said, he would rather lose to his brother than another competitor. "That's certainly the best one to lose to," Michael Schumacher said. "I guess our Mum and Dad will be very proud of us - the first time a pair of brothers are first and second on the podium, and I'm obviously delighted. I took six important points. He got the second win of his career, so it's a happy family day, I would say."
Mika Hakkinen finished on the podium for the first time this year after bringing his West McLaren-Mercedes home in third place. His teammate, David Coulthard, failed to finish in the top six points scoring positions for the first time this season. Coulthard was in fourth place when his engine expired on Lap 55.
With Coulthard failing to finish and Michael Schumacher earning six points, the latter now has an 18-point lead over Coulthard in the World Championship after eight of 17 races.
Rookie Kimi Raikkonen finished fourth for the second time this year in his Red Bull Sauber Petronas. Jean Alesi, who scored his first point of the season with a sixth place in Monaco two weeks ago, finished fifth in his Prost-Acer. Pedro de la Rosa, in his fourth start for the Jaguar-Cosworth team, equaled his career-best F1 finish with a sixth place.
Alesi and de la Rosa both moved up a place when brake problems caused Jos Verstappen to spin his Orange Arrows-Asiatech out of fifth place with four laps to go.
This was Ralf Schumacher's second career victory. His first came in the San Marino Grand Prix in April this year. That marked the first time two brothers had won a Grand Prix in the modern Formula One era that began in 1950.
This was the second victory for BMW since it returned to F1 at the beginning of last season, and it was the 11th for BMW, which also competed in F1 from 1982-87. This was second victory for Michelin since it returned to F1 this season, and the 61st for the tire manufacturer, which also raced in F1 from 1978 through 1984. And this was the 105th win for Team Williams.
Once Michael Schumacher realized that he couldn't keep pace with the leader in the closing stages of the race, he eased off to ensure he would earn six points for second place.
Ralf Schumacher averaged 120.315 mph (193.629 km/h) to complete the 69-lap, 189.543-mile (305.049 km) race in one hour, 34 minutes and 31.522 seconds. His margin of victory was 20.235 seconds.
Of the 22 starters, 11 were classed as finishers, and only nine crossed the finish line. Among those to retire was hometown hero Jacques Villeneuve, who completed 34 laps in his Lucky Strike BAR-Honda before stopping with a drive shaft problem.
Juan Pablo Montoya crashed his Williams-BMW on Lap 20, and that caused Rubens Barrichello to crash his Ferrari, as well.
Text provided by Paul Kelly
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.