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Formula One: Post race notes and quotes, Italian Grand Prix

11 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER (Ferrari, winner): "I have no vocabulary to express my feelings except that I am happy but exhausted. I am still not in front of the championship, but this win is a big relief. There are 500 people working with us, and all of them are part of this victory."

MIKA HAKKINEN (West McLaren-Mercedes, second): "We made some modifications to the car during the pit stop, and it made the balance of the car better. But it was obviously not enough, and the gap to Michael (Schumacher) was too much. It was impossible to catch him, and the back markers (made it even more difficult). There were a couple of Minardis who were quite a pain. They wouldnt let me overtake very easily, and I lost two or three seconds because of that. But at the end of the day, that is not an excuse. I believe that Michael had no reason to push any more."

RALF SCHUMACHER (Williams-BMW, third) (About major accident on Lap 1): "I just saw a lot of dust and car parts flying around. Jacques (Villeneuve) and I managed somehow to get around."

JOS VERSTAPPEN (Orange Arrows-Supertec, fourth): "I had a very bad start, the same as Pedro (de la Rosa), and maybe that was good for me as I avoided the accidents. I was alongside Pedro in the second chicane but managed to miss all the debris. After that, the car was brilliant. The top speed that we had meant that we could pass people."

JACQUES VILLENUEVE (Lucky Strike BAR-Honda, retired Lap 15): "The car just stopped. It was a real shame because today was the last realistic opportunity we had for the rest of the season to get a podium finish."

DAVID COULTHARD (West McLaren-Mercedes, retired Lap 1): "Im extremely disappointed with the outcome of my Monza race - particularly as I was an innocent victim in the incident that which place behind me. I made a good start, which saw me move from fifth to third-but it was all over at the second chicane."

HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN (Benson & Hedges Jordan-Mugen-Honda, retired Lap 1): "I was trying to overtake (Rubens) Barrichello, and he changed line and braked unexpectedly early, so we collided."

PEDRO DE LA ROSA (Orange Arrows-Supertec, retired Lap 1): "I just saw the yellow flags and braked and then saw pieces of cars all over the place and lots of tire smoke. And after the smoke cleared, there were two cars traveling really slowly, and I just couldnt slow my car down enough. I hit one on the rear wheel, and this launched me into the air. Then I just barrel-rolled until the car stopped.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO (Ferrari, retired Lap 1): "(Heinz-Harald) Frentzen braked too late and hit me, provoking an incident which involved a large number of cars. My car was good, and I was sure I could have had a good race. Now I am already thinking about the next one in two weeks time in the USA."

WEST McLAREN-MERCEDES TEAM STATEMENT: "The West McLaren-Mercedes teams thoughts are with the family of the fire marshal who lost his life while fulfilling his duties at the time of the accident at the second chicane."

JEAN TODT (Sporting director, Ferrari): "This result has been saddened by the death of a track official. He was one of a group of people without whom there would be no motor racing. I dedicate this victory to them."

Text provided by Paul Kelly

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