2001 French Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher leads with 68 points, twenty-four clear of Coulthard. Barrichello is third on 26, Ralf Schumacher fourth on 25, and Montoya fifth on 12.

Previous race

At the Nürburgring, Schumacher took his seventh pole of the season and won after Ralf — who had led — crossed the white line exiting the pits and was given a stop-go penalty. Montoya was challenging for second when his engine blew. Coulthard crossed the white line at the pit exit and also received a stop-go, dropping him out of contention. Schumacher finished comfortably from Ralf, with Barrichello holding off Coulthard for third.

Between-race developments

Following an FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris on 27 June, all eleven teams unanimously agreed that from this race, any driver who stalls on the grid before the formation lap may not use the spare car. The switch to the spare must be made at least 15 seconds before the formation lap begins — a rule aimed at preventing the repeated launch control stall controversies of the opening rounds.

Practice

Häkkinen led FP1 on a slippery track. Ralf Schumacher’s session ended early with a suspected water leak. Irvine was stuck in the gravel on his first quick lap. Coulthard set the day’s fastest time in FP2; Irvine improved to second and Verstappen’s engine failed on the pit straight, with his teammate Bernoldi covering for him in the final 20 minutes. Panis spun at the Adelaide hairpin. Räikkönen’s front wing detached as he left the pits in FP2, sending his Sauber oversteering through the Estoril gravel at high speed and destroying the wing.

Saturday’s sessions continued dry and hot. Häkkinen and Coulthard led the Saturday sessions respectively.