The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Barrichello overcomes a tactical blunder

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 13, 2004

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Barrichello overcomes a tactical blunder

MONZA (ITALY), SEPT. 12. Brazil's Rubens Barrichello won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, overcoming an unscheduled early pit stop to change tyres after Ferrari's strategy to start him with intermediate tyres went wrong. He finished 1.3s ahead of Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher in a 1-2 finish for the Italian team on its home circuit.

Jenson Button, who led the race for several laps, was third in his BAR-Honda, 10.1 seconds behind Barrichello.

It was the eighth career Formula One victory for Barrichello, who claimed his second win at Monza in three years.

Barrichello started from pole but had to pit after five laps to change tyres and change his aerodynamic settings to complete the 53-lap race.

"I started with intermediate tyres as the track was wet in the initial laps," Barrichello said. "Then the asphalt became dry earlier than I thought. It was a difficult decision to take but we had to pit early."

It rained all morning but the track began to dry during the pre-race warm-up. The Brazilian, who started from the pole, built a lead of more than 20 seconds and emerged from his third pit stop narrowly ahead of Schumacher, but had to be informed by his team over radio that he still led the race.

"I was relieved to know I was leading. I thought everything was lost in the middle of the race when I was overtaken by (Antonio) Pizzonia and some other drivers," Barrichello said. "It was a very exciting Grand Prix. It was magic, not boring contrary to what many people say about Formula One."

Dramatic afternoon

The Brazilian driver was one of the only three drivers who pitted three times. Tyre strategy added to the drama of a race with sudden lead changes and battles among the leaders.

Schumacher, who was seeking his 13th victory of the season at Monza, rallied after skidding off at the Roggia chicane during the first lap and losing 21 seconds to the lead drivers. He recovered to make the podium for the 14th time in 15 races this year. He has won 12 of 15 races this year.

Schumacher, who clinched a record seventh world title at Spa two weeks ago, said starting with dry tyres was risky because parts of the track were wet and slippery during initial laps.

"At the Roggia chicane I touched Jenson (Button) slightly and I spun ... I was amazed when I finished second ... honestly the decision (on tyres) proved right, after all."

Barrichello and Schumacher completed a parade lap side-by-side after crossing the finish line, raising their arms to salute the crowd.

The 1-2 Ferrari finish sparked celebrations by thousands of Italian fans who wore the familair red caps and shirts of Ferrari.

Dozens climbed fences and poured into the finish line area to have a closer look at the awards ceremony, with Barrichello wearing a broad smile as he raised the winner's trophy while Schumacher joined the fans applause for the Brazilian.

"Ferrari guys were just too quick today," Button said. "I did not think Ferrari could be so strong ... I had a fantastic performance, especially in the first stage of the race."

Button, whose controversial transfer from BAR to Williams will be decided by Formula One's arbitration council within three weeks, said he wanted to help BAR secure second place in the manufacturers' championship before leaving.

Japan's Takuma Sato was fourth in his BAR-Honda, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya in his Williams and David Coulthard in his McLaren.

Montoya, a former Indy-car champion who won his first Formula One race at Monza in 2001, was 32.3 seconds back after battling among the top three in mid-race.

Renault's Fernando Alonso was running third but skidded off the track during the 41st lap and stalled in the sand at the Roggia chicane, forcing him to withdraw.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who ended Schumacher's seven-race winning streak at Spa, Belgium, two weeks ago stopped on the 13th lap.

Barrichello completed the race in one hour, 15 minutes, 18.448 seconds, at an average speed of 244.374kph.

Sunday's win lifted Barrichello to 98 points in the drivers' standings, 38 behind Schumacher. Button was third with 71.

Behind Coulthard, the remainder of the top 10 included Williams' Pizzonia in seventh, Giancarlo Fisichella in eighth, Mark Webber, ninth and Jarno Trulli 10th.

The Chinese Grand Prix is next on the 18-race celendar, in Shanghai on Sept. 26.

The top ten: 1. Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) 1h15m18.448s; 2. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) +1.3s; 3. Jenson Button (BAR) +10.1s; 4. Takuma Sato (BAR) +15.3s; 5. Juan Pablo Montoya (BMW-Williams) +32.3s; 6. David Coulthard (McLaren Mercedes) +33.4s; 7. Antonio Pizzonia (BMW-Williams) +33.7s; 8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Sauber) +35.4s; 9. Mark Webber (Jaguar) +56.7s; 10. Jarno Trulli (Renault) +66.3s. — AP

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