Let's remember last year's race!
By role April 2 2003
Here you have a small review of last year’s race. Hope you enjoy it as we all enjoyed that race. Renault was showing quite a good form at the beginning of the season and even if they were slower than the McLarens they were able to keep them behind until the pit stops.
By role April 2 2003
Here you have a small review of last year’s race. Hope you enjoy it as we all enjoyed that race. Renault was showing quite a good form at the beginning of the season and even if they were slower than the McLarens they were able to keep them behind until the pit stops.
Brazil 2002 was a RACE for confirmation for the Renault F1 team. Both Trulli and Button showed the speed of the team in qualifying by outpacing Barrichello to get P6 & P7 on Saturday’s qualifying session. Renault was showing that it was best of the rest in pure speed and it had all reasons to feel confident ahead of Sunday’s race.
Renault’s great launch control puts Jarno and Jenson on 4th and 5th position ahead of the McLarens at the start, while all the action is at the front with the clash between Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.
As Montoya fells back due to the damage after his clash with Michael, Jarno is 3rd, running one second behind Ralf Schumacher while Barrichello passes Coulthard for fifth and has now Button on his sight, he quickly overtakes Button, suggesting that Rubens is running light on fuel. In lap 4 the Brazilian overtakes Trulli to get a provisional spot on the podium and he is a bit over 4 seconds behind the younger Schumacher, fans are excited by the speed of their local driver.
On lap 6 Barrichello passes Ralf and now is a Ferrari 1-2. It is clear by now that Rubens is running low in fuel. Eight laps later he takes the lead from his teammate and now his quest to make enough gap for his extra pit stop starts. Button falls back to sixth place after a small mistake hands fifth spot to Coulthard. Trulli is still running fourth behind Ralf Schumacher. His teammate Montoya is running 18th trying to catch up after his clash with the top Ferrari driver. Lap 17 sees the retirement of Barrichello in the lead when he was running more than 3 seconds ahead of his teammate.
This puts Trulli back to 3rd and Button into 5th ahead of Raikkonen. Lap 28 and Trulli is fighting to defend the 3rd spot against a charging Coulthard followed by Button in a similar battle with Raikkonen. Is a Renault vs. McLaren battle that has started on the first lap.
The fight for 5th continues until lap 38 when finally Raikkonen is able to pass Button. On lap 38 Schumacher makes his only pit stop leaving his brother to lead for 6 laps before his own pit stop in lap 44. Most of the cars in a one-stop strategy start to pit and that moves around the order. The pit stop is used by Coulthard and Raikkonen to move ahead of Trulli who fells down to 5th.
Ralf, in second, starts to catch up on his brother after some wing adjustments in his pit stop and moves within a second of him on lap 60. One lap later Trulli race comes to an end after the engine breaks down. Is his 3rd retirement in as many races for Renault. Is not looking good for the talented Italian driver. Montoya sets the fastest lap of the race running on 7th.
Ralf cannot find his way pass his brother and he has to accept second in front of Coulthard, Button in fourth ahead of a charging Montoya with Salo getting the last point for Toyota.
An eventful race won by Michael Schumacher. The Renaults showed great speed and Button was able to record the 4th fastest lap, 0.3 secs slower than the fastest set by Montoya. A Montoya that was quite upset with Michael race tactics.
Renault’s great launch control puts Jarno and Jenson on 4th and 5th position ahead of the McLarens at the start, while all the action is at the front with the clash between Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.
As Montoya fells back due to the damage after his clash with Michael, Jarno is 3rd, running one second behind Ralf Schumacher while Barrichello passes Coulthard for fifth and has now Button on his sight, he quickly overtakes Button, suggesting that Rubens is running light on fuel. In lap 4 the Brazilian overtakes Trulli to get a provisional spot on the podium and he is a bit over 4 seconds behind the younger Schumacher, fans are excited by the speed of their local driver.
On lap 6 Barrichello passes Ralf and now is a Ferrari 1-2. It is clear by now that Rubens is running low in fuel. Eight laps later he takes the lead from his teammate and now his quest to make enough gap for his extra pit stop starts. Button falls back to sixth place after a small mistake hands fifth spot to Coulthard. Trulli is still running fourth behind Ralf Schumacher. His teammate Montoya is running 18th trying to catch up after his clash with the top Ferrari driver. Lap 17 sees the retirement of Barrichello in the lead when he was running more than 3 seconds ahead of his teammate.
This puts Trulli back to 3rd and Button into 5th ahead of Raikkonen. Lap 28 and Trulli is fighting to defend the 3rd spot against a charging Coulthard followed by Button in a similar battle with Raikkonen. Is a Renault vs. McLaren battle that has started on the first lap.
The fight for 5th continues until lap 38 when finally Raikkonen is able to pass Button. On lap 38 Schumacher makes his only pit stop leaving his brother to lead for 6 laps before his own pit stop in lap 44. Most of the cars in a one-stop strategy start to pit and that moves around the order. The pit stop is used by Coulthard and Raikkonen to move ahead of Trulli who fells down to 5th.
Ralf, in second, starts to catch up on his brother after some wing adjustments in his pit stop and moves within a second of him on lap 60. One lap later Trulli race comes to an end after the engine breaks down. Is his 3rd retirement in as many races for Renault. Is not looking good for the talented Italian driver. Montoya sets the fastest lap of the race running on 7th.
Ralf cannot find his way pass his brother and he has to accept second in front of Coulthard, Button in fourth ahead of a charging Montoya with Salo getting the last point for Toyota.
An eventful race won by Michael Schumacher. The Renaults showed great speed and Button was able to record the 4th fastest lap, 0.3 secs slower than the fastest set by Montoya. A Montoya that was quite upset with Michael race tactics.
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