Juan Pablo Montoya wins the German Grand Prix ahead of David
Coulthard and Jarno Trulli. Fernando Alonso, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da
Matta, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button make the top 8.
Juan Pablo Montoya led from start to finish apart from a single lap during
the pit stops. He dominated the race and ended more than a minute ahead of 2nd
place David Coulthard and lapped everyone up to and including 5th place
Olivier Panis.
There was drama at the start when Ralf Schumacher appeared to have touched
Rubens Barrichello who in turn touched Kimi Raikkonen who was on his left side
forcing him into a spin and hitting both Barrichello's and Ralf Schumacher's
car before going off and hitting the tyre barrier violently. Fortunately Kimi
only sustained minor bruises but all three Championship contenders left
Hockenheim with no points.
Michael Schumacher didn't get a good start and Fernando Alonso behind managed
to get ahead of him in the first few hundred metres.
As a result of this crash several cars at the back touched and Ralf Firman and
Heinz Harald Frentzen retired while Justin Wilson in his first drive for
Jaguar managed to get his car back to the pits and the team repaired his car
and got him back out to put on some mileage under race conditions.
The safety car came out as a result of these accidents and the order
was: Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher,
Mark Webber, David Coulthard, Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta
The safety car went into the pits at the end of the second lap and the race
was back on.
At the end of the 4th lap Montoya was leading the race by around 4 seconds
from Trulli. Coulthard takes 5th from Webber.
Wilson retires while Fisichella pits with a problem but rejoins.
Race order after lap 13, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso,
Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Olivier Panis and Cristiano
da Matta
The first round of pit stops start around lap 13 indicating a 3 stop
strategy. Jarno Trulli was the first of the top runners to pit, he rejoins in
5th.
Panis pits on lap 14
da Matta takes Webber for 6th and then makes his pit stop.
Montoya and Michael pit on lap 17
Alonso and Coulthard pits on lap 18
Order after the first round of stops: Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli,
Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Olivier Panis, Cristiano
da Matta and Jacques Villeneuve.
Montoya extends his lead to over 12 seconds
Webber pits on lap 20
Verstappen retires on lap 25
As the Renaults were running a softer compound tyre, their tyres were
struggling in the heat and Alonso chased by Michael runs wide and Michael
takes third.
Order after lap 31: Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Michael Schumacher,
Fernando Alonso, David Coulthard, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da Matta and
Jacques Villeneuve.
Montoya's lead is now over 24 seconds from Trulli.
Montoya makes his second of his 3 scheduled pit stops and rejoins in the
lead comfortably. The other top runners seem to have changed their strategy to
a two stop despite the heat.
Trulli and Michael pit on the same lap and take on considerably more fuel
than Montoya indicating they've switched to a 2 stop strategy.
Alonso pits and rejoins behind Michael.
Coulthard pits and rejoins in 4th ahead of Alonso
Order after lap 45: Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Michael Schumacher,
David Coulthard, Fernando Alonso, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da Matta.
Montoya pits for the 3rd and final stop and rejoins in the lead
Order after lap 52: Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Michael Schumacher,
David Coulthard, Fernando Alonso, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da Matta and Jenson
Button.
Montoya leads by a massive 45 seconds but Trulli, Michael and Coulthard are
very close.
With Trulli struggling for grip, Michael Schumacher manages to get ahead of
him and a lap later Coulthard managed to get ahead of Trulli too.
Order after lap 61: Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, David
Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, Fernando Alonso, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da Matta
and Jenson Button
Michael Schumacher suffers a left rear tyre failure loses a number of
positions and had to make an unscheduled pit stop. He rejoins in 7th
Webber goes off trying to get ahead of Button for 8th place.
And Juan Pablo Montoya wins the race ahead of David Coulthard and Jarno
Trulli. Fernando Alonso, Olivier Panis, Cristiano da Matta, Michael Schumacher
and Jenson Button make the top 8.
In the Drivers' Championship, Michael Schumacher retains the lead with 71
points ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya who moves into 2nd with 65 points and Kimi
Raikkonen in 3rd with 63 points. Ralf Schumacher remains in 4th with 52 points
ahead of Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso and David Coulthard.
In the Constructors' Championship, Ferrari lead Williams by only 2 points
(120 to 118). McLaren in 3 with 103 while Renault is in 4th with 66. The
battle for 5th has now intensified with BAR with 15 points, Toyota with 14
points jumping from 9th to 6th after scoring 7 points here (equal to the total
number of points they've scored so far this season!) and Jaguar with 12
points.
With 4 races to go, both Championships are very close and the scene is set
for a nail biting finish at Suzuka.
Formula 1 goes into its summer break with the next race in Hungary on the
24th of August.
