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GRAND
PRIX : Germany : Barrichello Storms Through! During qualifying one had the awful suspicion that this could be another bad weekend for Ferrari. The changeable weather conditions
would have their usual "lottery" effect and on top of this Michael Schumacher's
race car had been severely damaged earlier in the day and he then took
over the T car, leaving the team without a spare.
David Coulthard judged the conditions just right when he produced a
stunning lap during the driest part of the session and took a great
pole. Michael Schumacher took the other front row position by setting
an equally impressive time during the later much damper conditions,
with Fisichella and Hakkinen sharing the second row.
Barrichello? On his first lap he stopped with an electrical malfunction
and, there being no T car, had to wait until the end of the session
before taking over the car which Schumacher had earlier crashed and
which had been hastily repaired. He struggled to get a qualifying time
but finally took 18th place on the grid.
The race start saw the first of several bizarre incidents. Coulthard
swerved violently in front of Schumacher's Ferrari, which gave Hakkinen
a clear run into the lead. Trying to find a clear piece of the road,
Schumacher then swerved into Fisichella's Benetton and both crashed
heavily into the barriers. Things were not looking good.
Whilst the McLarens of Hakkinen and Coulthard disappeared at the front
of the field, Barrichello drove one of his best-ever races. From 18th
to 5th after three laps, he moved forward into third by the 15th lap
when the mysterious jaywalker appeared on the track. The safety car
period was played to perfection by the Ferrari team and less so by McLaren.
The McLarens' fate was sealed when, on lap 33 out of 45, heavy rain
began to fall in the stadium. The McLarens went in for wets but Rubens
elected to stay on dries, moving into the lead as the McLarens pitted.
It was nail-biting to the finish but Barrichello held it altogether
and stayed on the partly streaming wet track to take his first-ever
Grand Prix victory out of 123 starts. Hakkinen's second and Coulthard's
third place has tantalisingly narrowed the Championship positions, with
Schumacher still in the lead on 56 points but the two McLarens tied
on 54, with Barrichello on 46. In the Constructors' table Ferrari continues
to lead McLaren, by four points.
Jean Todt: "This race was almost unreal. We took the start with
Michael in second spot and Rubens in eighteenth place, but already at
the first corner, Michael was out because of an accident. Given his
grid position, we had planned a very aggressive strategy for Rubens,
based on two stops. When Barrichello made his first stop he was already
third, and nine laps later when the safety car came out, we decided
to bring him in for the second one. Then the rain gradually began to
fall on parts of the track. The team and the driver took the decision
to stay out, after Rubens informed us that the second sector was dry.
All the decisions regarding Rubens'strategy proved to be the winning
ones. I am extremely happy with Rubens's first win, all the more so
because of the way in which it was achieved. The win means that the
team continues to lead both championships. The team did a fantastic
job, both in terms of the pit stops and the strategy. With six races
to go the championship is very open."
Rubens Barrichello: "I still cannot believe it! I feel great.
I had been told that when you are leading a race the last lap was the
longest and it really felt like it. It was very tricky because the rain
was falling on different parts of the track at the time. Regarding my
decision to stay on dry tyres, I was told Hakkinen was coming in and
I said I wanted to stay out one more lap. I saw it was only wet in the
Motodrom and the team told me that if I kept doing the same lap times
I would win, so I decided to stay out on the track. With seven laps
to go, I flat spotted my left front tyre and I could not see so well
after that. I had started with a light fuel load and that helped me
pass a lot of cars. The other drivers were very fair. My car was not
good in the warm-up but we made changes and it was great for the race.
It was a great race from 18th place on the grid. I did not realise Michael
was out until I was in fifth place, because I had been concentrating
so hard in the early part. This win has been a long time coming. I dedicate
it to Ayrton Senna who helped me so much in my life since 1984. I don't
want to think about the championship, I just want to celebrate this
win."
Michael Schumacher: "I am disappointed for what happened to
me, but I am very happy for Rubens, whom I have to thank for saving
my first place in the Drivers' Championship. His win was a very emotional
moment for me, after a great climb through the field which was unexpected
from eighteenth place. As for what happened to me, it was a shame that
yet again I was hit at the start and unable to get back in the race.
It is very hard to accept something like this for a second race in a
row. On top of that, this is my home grand prix and that makes it worse
for me. All I can hope for is that things go better next time."
Hockenhiem, 30.7.00
RACE RESULTS The German Grand Prix Hockenheimring; 45 laps; Weather: Dry, and then rain. Classified: Pos Driver Team 1. Barrichello Ferrari 1H25:34.418 2. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes + 7.400 3. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes + 21.100 4. Button Williams BMW + 22.600 5. Salo Sauber Petronas + 27.100 6. de la Rosa Arrows Supertec + 29.000 7. R.Schumacher Williams BMW + 30.800 8. Villeneuve BAR Honda + 47.500 9. Trulli Jordan Mugen-Honda + 50.900 10. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth + 1:19.600 11. Mazzacane Minardi Fondmetal + 1:29.500 12. Heidfeld Prost Peugeot + 5 Laps * * retired with alternator failure Fastest Lap: R.Barrichello, 1:44.300 (235.570km/s), lap 20 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Reason Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 39 electrical failure Verstappen Arrows Supertec 39 spun off Zonta BAR Honda 37 spun off Gene Minardi Fondmetal 33 engine Wurz Benetton Playlife 31 spun off/stalled Diniz Sauber Petronas 29 accident Alesi Prost Peugeot 29 accident Herbert Jaguar Cosworth 12 gearbox M.Schumacher Ferrari 0 accident Fisichella Benetton Playlife 0 accident World Championship Standing, Round 11: Drivers: Constructors: 1. M.Schumacher 56 1. Ferrari 102 2. Coulthard 54 2. McLaren 98 = Hakkinen 54 3. Williams-BMW 22 4. Barrichello 46 4. Benetton-Playlife 18 5. Fisichella 18 5. BAR-Honda 12 6. R.Schumacher 14 6. Jordan-Mugen Honda 11 7. Villeneuve 11 7. Sauber 6 8. Button 8 8. Arrows 4 9. Trulli 6 9. Jaguar 3 = Salo 6 11. Frentzen 5 12. Irvine 3 13. Verstappen 2 = de la Rosa 2 15. Zonta 1
Acknowledgement: Race data by Atlas F1.
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