2000 Brazilian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher leads with 10 points after Melbourne. Both McLarens failed to score — Coulthard retired with a misfire on lap 10, Häkkinen’s engine blew up nine laps later — leaving Barrichello second with 6 and Ralf Schumacher third with 4.

Previous race

In Melbourne, McLaren dominated the early running before both cars retired, handing Schumacher an unchallenged win. Schumacher admitted afterwards he had been “saving my tyres, saving my fuel, ready for the final moments,” and conceded he would have preferred to race the McLarens to prove Ferrari’s pace. Barrichello finished second in his first race for Ferrari, with Ralf Schumacher completing the podium. The two Jordans also failed to finish.

Weather

Sunny with some cloud, air 22 °C, track 35 °C.

Tyre choices

Bridgestone supplies soft and medium dry compounds.

Practice

Four sessions are held before Sunday’s race: two one-hour sessions on Friday and two 45-minute sessions on Saturday. Barrichello sets the fastest time in the first session. Alesi spins three times, removing his front wing on the third occasion. Schumacher’s session ends early after a driveshaft joint leak. Zonta is restricted to four timed laps after debris overheats his engine. A stray dog runs onto the circuit, interrupting practice.

Häkkinen improves his 1999 pole time by six-tenths of a second with three minutes remaining in the afternoon session to take the day’s fastest time. Ralf Schumacher goes off twice due to a brake and balance issue; Wurz beaches his Benetton at the Mergulho corner; Coulthard spends time in the pit lane while McLaren replaces his front wing.

In the third session, Coulthard leads at 1:15.035. Mazzacane’s Minardi develops an oil leak, preventing him from participating in the final session. In the fourth session, Häkkinen leads on a new set of tyres. Salo’s rear wing fails on the start/finish straight, sending him into the wall — he is unhurt. Button’s engine fails and drops oil on the racing line between Laranjinha and Bico do Pato.