2001 Brazilian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher leads with 20 points, ten ahead of Barrichello and Coulthard, who are tied for second. Frentzen is fourth with five points, Heidfeld fifth with three.

Previous race

At Sepang, Schumacher took his sixth consecutive victory from pole — the first driver to achieve that since Häkkinen in 1999. Ferrari’s masterstroke came after both cars slid off on oil from Panis’ broken engine in a monsoon shower. While rivals took full wets, Ferrari gambled on intermediates, charged back through the field, and finished 1–2. Fisichella caused an aborted start by stranding his Benetton sideways across the grid, shortening the race to 55 laps.

Between-race developments

Testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya from 20 to 23 March saw nine teams prepare for Brazil. Luca Badoer (Ferrari’s test driver) was fastest on the opening days; Schumacher led on day three. Marc Gené stopped with a mechanical failure, briefly halting the test.

In response to the marshal fatalities at Australia and the previous year’s Italian race, the Interlagos circuit erected 21 protective cabins for marshals and reinforced the gravel trap along the Reta Oposta straight. A guard rail was added at the Bico do Pato turn.

Practice

Schumacher led the Friday morning session. Coulthard topped FP2, but spun into the gravel at Curva do Sol on his fastest attempt. Barrichello’s engine lost pressure after 22 minutes of FP2 and he stalled, leaving him too little time to set up his car properly. Ralf Schumacher ran off at turn ten, damaging his front wing. Montoya was quickest in the final session, ahead of the two McLarens. Frentzen’s engine failed on his final lap of FP4, with smoke billowing from the rear. Villeneuve and Irvine both stopped in the grass with gearbox hydraulic trouble.

Drivers, including Häkkinen, criticised the bumpy track surface, which Alonso said was severe enough that “one could have lost their vision of the circuit.” Team principal Ron Dennis admitted McLaren were “lost” after finishing a distant third to Ferrari’s pace in the first two rounds.