Formula One: Hakkinen spins, wins to expand points lead over M. Schumacher
27 August 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium- Mika Hakkinen spun and
won the Belgian Grand Prix, a race in which he lost the lead to Michael
Schumacher after spinning his West McLaren-Mercedes and then charged back
and finally took the lead with a heart-stopping pass with just four laps
to
go."It was incredible," Hakkinen said after scoring his first Grand Prix win on the challenging Spa circuit and the 18th victory of his career. "It was very difficult, with some unusual situations, including my spin, which were obviously not planned. But the curbs here at Spa are very, very difficult and slippery. When they catch you, theres really nothing you can do. "I was lucky to stay on the track and (to be able) to continue. Then I could start chasing Michael. It was a fabulous race to drive, very enjoyable, and the car was (getting) better and better all the time."
Schumacher, who led twice in his Ferrari, ended up second after fiercely defending the lead. Hakkinens second consecutive win and his fourth of the season helped him carve out a six-point lead in the World Championship. After 13 of 17 races, Hakkinens total is 74 points while Schumacher has 68. David Coulthards total is 61, and Rubens Barrichello is still in contention with 49 points.
Ralf Schumacher joined his brother on the podium for the second time this year after finishing third in his Williams-BMW. David Coulthard (West McLaren-Mercedes), Jenson Button (Williams-BMW) and Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Benson & Hedges Jordan-Mugen-Honda) rounded out the top six finishers. After two days of glorious sunshine, it rained Sunday morning during the warm-up. The track was still wet as the cars lined up for the start. Because of the damp conditions, officials decided to have the cars run the opening lap behind the Safety Car rather than have the usual standing start.
Hakkinen quickly pulled away at the start from Jarno Trulli (Benson & Hedges Jordan-Mugen-Honda) and Button, who had qualified second and third, respectively. The first incident of the race occurred on Lap 5 when Button collided with Trulli at the La Source hairpin. Trulli had to retire.
As the track dried, the drivers came in for dry-weather tires, but the curbs were still slick. Hakkinen lost the lead to Michael Schumacher after spinning because Hakkinen slid over the curbs at the Stavelot corner.
After the second round of scheduled pit stops, Michael Schumacher led over Hakkinen, but the latter steadily closed in. On Lap 40 of 44, Hakkinen made a move to the inside as the pair headed up the hill toward the Les Combes corner at nearly 200 mph, but Schumacher moved over to protect his lead. Afterward, both drivers said that they wanted to review videotape before making a judgment on Schumachers defensive move.
On the next lap, as Schumacher and Hakkinen came up the same hill at high speed, they encountered Ricardo Zontas Lucky Strike British American Racing-Honda in the middle of the track. Schumacher went by Zontas left while Hakkinen sneaked through on Zontas right.
Hakkinen came out ahead of it all and went on to win. He averaged 129.535 mph (208.467 km/h) to finish the 44-lap, 190.520-mile (306.592-km) race in one hour, 28 minutes and 14.494 seconds. His margin of victory was 1.103 seconds.
QUOTEBOOK:
MIKA HAKKINEN (West McLaren-Mercedes, winner): "I went completely to the inside, and overtook the back marker (Zonta) at the same time as I overtook Michael. I (got a) tow also from the back marker, so that gave me some extra speed. It was a great overtaking maneuver. And I loved it. I am not sure if Michael did "
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (Ferrari, second): "Obviously I was quite happy to see the back marker (Zonta) in front of me, because from what the team was telling me I knew I was a lot slower (than Mika) on straight-line speed. (With my car) being in the slipstream of the guy in front of me, I thought (Mika would not have) enough straight-line speed to catch me. Mika made a really outstanding maneuver to pass on the inside there. It was unexpected from my side, but, honestly, if he hadnt caught me there he would have caught me one or two laps later because he was too fast there. You are allowed to change your line once, and he would have taken me on the outside. I tried my best. It was not enough today, but we got six points, and we are keeping the championship alive even though we made it a little more difficult (for ourselves) today. But we will keep going for it. It is not the end now."
RALF SCHUMACHER (Williams-BMW, third): "We are definitely establishing ourselves as the third team in the championship, and this must be our target for the rest of the races."
DAVID COULTHARD (West McLaren-Mercedes, fourth): "Im disappointed because I came here to win. I lost too much time in the early stages of the race when everybody changed to dry tires. It was quite frustrating to be stuck behind (Heinz-Harald) Frentzen for so long, but I got him in my second pit stop."
JENSON BUTTON (Williams-BMW, fifth): "After the contact with Trullis Jordan, my cars steering was quite heavy. In the dry conditions, the car wasnt as good as it was in the wet."
HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN (Benson & Hedges Jordan-Mugen-Honda, sixth): "For me, the race ran without any incidents -- it was typically Spa-like, starting in the wet and finishing in the dry. I had a good fight with David (Coulthard) and Rubens (Barrichello), but otherwise I simply drove my race."
JACQUES VILLENUEVE (Lucky Strike BAR-Honda, seventh): "It was a boring race for me. The car had terminal understeer today. I dont know why. All weekend we had some oversteer, mostly on old tires. We raced hard, and we were just out of the points, so it is a useless day."
RICARDO ZONTA (Lucky Strike BAR-Honda, 12th): "I saw Schumacher and Hakkinen in my mirrors, so I slowed and just stayed in the middle of the track to give them room. It was an amazing view as they went by me on either side."
FINAL RESULTS:
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium -- Results of the Belgian Grand Prix, with driver, country, make of car, laps completed and time over the 4.329-mile Francorchamps course:
1. Mika Hakkinen, Finland, McLaren-Mercedes, 44, 1 hour, 28 minutes, 14.494 seconds, 129.535 mph.
2. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, 1:28:15.598.
3. Ralf Schumacher, Germany, Williams-BMW, 1:28.52.590.
4. David Coulthard, Britain, McLaren-Mercedes, 1:28.57.775.
5. Jenson Button, Britain, Williams-BMW, 1:29:04.408.
6. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Germany, Jordan-Mugen-Honda, 1:29:10.478.
7. Jacques Villeneuve, Canada, British American Racing-Honda, 1:29:26.874.
8. Johnny Herbert, Britain, Jaguar-Cosworth, 1:29:42.302.
9. Mika Salo, Finland, Sauber-Petronas, 1:29:43.164.
10. Eddie Irvine, Britain, Jaguar-Cosworth, 1:29:46.049.
11. Pedro Diniz, Brazil, Sauber-Petronas, 1:29:48.617.
12. Ricardo Zonta, Brazil, British American Racing-Honda, 43 laps.
13. Alexander Wurz, Austria, Benetton-Playlife, 43.
14. Marc Gene, Spain, Minardi-Ford, 43.
15. Jos Verstappen, Netherlands, Arrows-Supertec, 43.
16. Pedro de la Rosa, Spain, Arrows-Supertec, 42.
17. Gaston Mazzacane, Argentina, Minardi-Ford, 42.
18. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Ferrari, 32, fuel pressure.
19. Jean Alesi, France, Prost-Peugeot, 32, fuel pressure.
20. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, Prost-Peugeot, 12, gearbox.
21. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Benetton-Playlife, 8, electrics.
22. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Jordan-Mugen-Honda, 4, accident.
Lap leaders: Hakkinen 1-12, M. Schumacher 13-22, Hakkinen 23-27, M. Schumacher 28-40, Hakkinen 41-44.
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.