2000 German Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Germany 2000 took place on July 30 at the Hockenheim Ring in Hockenheim and was the eleventh round of the Formula 1 season 2000.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
After the Grand Prix of Austria Michael Schumacher led the drivers' standings with 6 points ahead of David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen ago with 8 points. Ferrari resulted in the Constructors' Championship with 4 points ahead of McLaren -Mercedes with 73 points ahead of Williams - BMW.
Eddie Irvine returned to his Jaguar -Cosworth cockpit. The Briton was due to illness in the previous Grand Prix represented by Luciano Burti.
With Schumacher, Hakkinen and Irvine (once each ) were three former winners of this Grand Prix.
Training
In free practice on Friday Schumacher posted the fastest lap time in front of Heinz -Harald Frentzen and Hakkinen. In free practice on Saturday Häkkinen took the lead position ahead of Schumacher and Coulthard.
Qualifying
In qualifying, which took place under changing weather conditions, Coulthard scored the fastest lap and took the pole position ahead of Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella.
Warm Up
Coulthard scored well in the warm up the fastest lap. Second was Häkkinen before Pedro de la Rosa.
Race
Neither Coulthard nor Schumacher and Fisichella had a good start. Häkkinen took the lead ahead of Coulthard. Schumacher was blocked by the British and changed sides to overtake Coulthard. Fisichella did not expect this action and met Schumacher. They both turned off the track, slammed into the boundary wall and dropped out. Behind the two McLaren drivers were Jarno Trulli and de la Rosa. Barrichello, who had started the race from 18th place, made within the first round eight positions well, finishing in tenth place.
Hakkinen and Coulthard increased their distance to the rest of the field, but in the middle part of the field there was jockeying for position, as Barrichello and Frentzen were on a two-stop strategy and were able to make good positions. Barrichello overtook Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta in the second round. Frentzen was already behind them and they could overtake little later. Before Barrichello sat Jos Verstappen Irvine under pressure. In this case, both came in the fourth round next to the racing line, and the Ferrari driver was able to drive past them. At the top Hakkinen had a lead from one second to Coulthard and Trulli four seconds in the meantime. Exciting however, it was behind them, where Barrichello drove in the eighth round to Johnny Herbert and Frentzen at Irvine and Verstappen. In the next round Barrichello could even beat the lap times of the leading McLaren pilots. In the tenth round Frentzen Herbert overhauled and took sixth place. Before him Barrichello started the fourth-placed de la Rosa, who had 8.5 seconds adrift of Hakkinen, to put them under pressure.
Verstappen overtook Herbert in the twelfth round. One round later, the Jaguar pilot was forced to retire with gearbox problems. Meanwhile overtook Barrichello de la Rosa, who was then set by Frentzen under pressure. A few laps later Barrichello could also overtake Trulli and took third place with about 14 seconds behind the leading Häkkinen. Until his pit stop on lap 17 Barrichello was able to reduce the gap to the McLaren drivers and fell further after his stop back to sixth place. Since Frentzen stopped one lap later, he took over a little later the fifth. Then again he could catch up with de la Rosa and overtake him again. Häkkinen had at this time, teased at the clouds, about half a minute ahead of Barrichello.
A little later, suddenly a former Mercedes employees appeared beside the track, wearing a banner with him, in which he complained about his former employer. The man also crossed the line and triggered a safety car phase, in order to catch him can. Since the McLaren drivers had started at the exact moment a new round, they could not, while the pursuers completed their first or second pit stop. McLaren decided then, first Hakkinen and Coulthard then to get to the box. While Häkkinen so kept the lead, Coulthard dropped back to the rear of the field. Behind the leading Finns were Trulli, Barrichello, de la Rosa, Frentzen, Villeneuve, Zonta, Salo, Jenson Button and Nick Heidfeld. At the restart, Jean Alesi and Pedro Diniz collided and sparked another safety car phase. Before the race was neutralized, however, managed Coulthard, to assume the position behind Salo. Before the restart, Alexander Wurz and Marc Gené fell out with technical problems. At the restart, it came to a team-internal collision at BAR - Honda: Villeneuve and Zonta collided, but could continue. A little later, Coulthard to drive past Salo.
Shortly thereafter it began to haul some parts to rain. Trulli had due to a stop-and -go penalty for overtaking under yellow on the box, and Hakkinen changed how some pilots on rain tires. In the first four positions then were the pilots who were still on dry tires: Barrichello, Frentzen, Coulthard and Zonta. Häkkinen was before Salo, Button and de la Rosa in fifth place. A little later also received Zonta same reason as Trulli a stop-and -go penalty, but he turned in front of the penalty and different shows, in the 38th round. Coulthard decided then for another pit stop. He stayed on dry tires and came back before Salo and Button on the track. In the 40th round also Frentzen, Verstappen and dropped out, was thus Häkkinen second behind Barrichello. Since the Hockenheimring was one of the longest routes, it came to the situation that some parts of the track and others were dry wet. Hakkinen, who was on wets was on the wet paths significant at Barrichello, who had dry tires, catch up, thus. However, he lost to the dry sections of the projection achieved. In the 42nd round there was a shift in the points: Button succeeded Salo to overtake and to take fourth place.
Finally, Barrichello won the race ahead of McLaren duo Hakkinen and Coulthard. It was the first victory for the Ferrari driver, who remained winless in 123 races previously. To put Barrichello set a new record, he, kept up for the Grand Prix of Germany 2009, when Mark Webber won his first race. It was also the first victory for a Brazilian since the last victory by Ayrton Senna during the Grand Prix of Australia 1993. Moreover, with Barrichello won for the sixth time in a row, another driver. The other points went to Button, Salo and de la Rosa.
At the presentation ceremony Barrichello, who was standing with a Brazilian flag on the podium, was overwhelmed by the emotions of his first victory. In a subsequent interview, he devoted Senna this victory.
In the world championship Schumacher kept the lead position. Häkkinen was able to catch of the points on Coulthard, remained, as he had a victory less, behind his teammate in third place. The designers have also been no shifts in the first three positions.
Message list
Classifications
Qualifying
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 10, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).
Drivers' championship
Constructors' Championship
1 Due to a lack of FIA seal to Mika Häkkinen's car at the Grand Prix of Austria McLaren-Mercedes were subsequently withdrawn ten Constructors points.