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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (November 2007) |
| Race details | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race 6 of 17 in the 2001 Formula One season. | ||
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| Date | May 13 2001 | |
| Official name | XXX Großer A1 Preis von Österreich | |
| Location | A1-Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria | |
| Course | Permanent racing facility 4.326 km (2.688 mi) |
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| Distance | 71 laps, 307.146 km (190.852 mi) | |
| Pole position | ||
| Driver |  Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
| Time | 1:09.562 | |
| Fastest lap | ||
| Driver |  David Coulthard |
McLaren-Mercedes |
| Time | 1:10.843 on lap 48 | |
| Podium | ||
| First | David Coulthard |
McLaren-Mercedes |
| Second | Michael Schumacher |
Ferrari |
| Third |  Rubens Barrichello |
Ferrari |
The 2001 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at A1-Ring on May 13, 2001.
Race summary
The big issue at the start was launch control. Four cars were left stranded on the grid as the race got underway. Amazingly, the rest of the cars managed to swerve and avoid the stalled cars. The two Williams drivers both had a good start and were in first and second position: Juan Pablo Montoya was leading and Ralf Schumacher was second. Michael Schumacher in his Ferrari was in third position.
It was no surprise that the safety car was deployed so the stalled cars could be dragged away. Jarno Trulli, being one of the drivers that stalled their car, was soon disqualified for leaving the pit lane while the red light was on the moment the safety car and the cars behind it passed the pit lane exit.
At the re-start Montoya was in lead again while Ralf Schumacher retired soon after with brake problems. Soon afterwards, Montoya began to struggle with graining tyres, which allowed Michael Schumacher to close in on him. Furthermore Rubens Barrichello got closer to his team mate and was followed by Jos Verstappen, David Coulthard and Kimi Räikkönen causing a line of cars behind Montoya.
Montoya tried to hold them all off but then Michael Schumacher made his move at the tight second corner and Montoya basically forced both of them off the track, leaving Barrichello in the lead. Both Montoya and Schumacher went back on the track but were down the field now. Verstappen meanwhile pitted soon after with a much lighter fuel load.
Michael Schumacher fought his way back up to third, while Montoya was able to get up to fourth before retiring with a hydraulic fauliure.
At the sole round of pit stops, Coulthard jumped Rubens Barrichello to lead the race, but appeared to be struggling during the closing stages, allowing both Ferraris to close right up to the McLaren.
Then controversy struck. Via the radio Barrichello was asked to let his team mate pass. He did not comply until the final corner of the last lap, causing a lot of stirs after the race.
In the end David Coulthard finished first, just ahead of both Ferraris and a superb fourth place for Kimi Räikkönen in his Sauber. His team mate could have been up there too if he didn't have problems at the start of the race. As it was, Heidfeld was confined to finishing in 9th place.
Classification
Notes
- Lap leaders: Juan Pablo Montoya 15 (1-15), Rubens Barrichello 31 (16-46), David Coulthard 25 (47-71).
- Jos Verstappen scored his first world championship point of the season.
- Heinz-Harald Frentzen's Jordan stalled on the grid and retired because of a gearbox problem.
- Jarno Trulli was disqualified for leaving the pit lane while the red light was showing.
| Previous race: 2001 Spanish Grand Prix |
FIA Formula One World Championship 2001 season |
Next race: 2001 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Previous race: 2000 Austrian Grand Prix |
Austrian Grand Prix | Next race: 2002 Austrian Grand Prix |
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