2002 Italian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher holds 122 points; Barrichello is second on 51, Montoya third on 44, Ralf Schumacher fourth on 42, Coulthard fifth on 35. Ferrari have 87 points over Williams in the Constructors’ Championship; McLaren have secured third.

Previous race

Schumacher won at Spa for his tenth victory of the season — breaking Nigel Mansell’s record of nine wins in a single season, which Schumacher had shared three times previously. Barrichello finished second, Ferrari’s 50th consecutive podium finish dating to the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix. Montoya took third. Räikkönen’s engine failed while challenging Montoya for third on lap 36; Ralf Schumacher accidentally pressed the wrong steering wheel button leaving his pit box, costing him time.

Mansell said he had no issue losing the record to Schumacher: “He’s done a fantastic job, as have Ferrari.”

Between-race developments

Ten teams tested at Monza for four days immediately after the Belgian Grand Prix. Schumacher was fastest in wet conditions on day one; Ralf Schumacher led day two; De la Rosa was fastest on the dry third day; Barrichello led the final day. Montoya caused a red flag when he lost control at the Lesmo corners and hit a barrier. Ferrari’s Badoer spent three days testing at Paul Ricard, then shook down three F2002 cars at Fiorano.

Alex Yoong returns to the Minardi race seat — Davidson’s two-race contract concluded in Belgium.

At the Italian Grand Prix, Arrows have again failed to present their cars by Thursday’s preliminary scrutineering and will miss the event. The FIA has imposed a ten-place grid penalty on Felipe Massa — to be served at the next race — for his collision with De la Rosa here at the Italian Grand Prix.

Speed bumps have been installed at the first and second chicanes to prevent drivers from cutting through the run-off areas without penalty. The bumps drew mixed reactions: Barrichello says they are valuable; Trulli argues they are excessively high; Montoya warns that running over one would put a driver into the wall.

Milestones

Michael Schumacher can break his own record for the most championship points scored in a single season — his 2001 total of 123 — if he finishes fifth or higher here.

Car upgrades

Ferrari introduces a new qualifying engine; a standard specification is used for race day. Williams and BAR bring revised engine specifications for qualifying. Renault introduces new front wings.

Practice

Four sessions at Monza on a circuit with an overnight-damp track that dried through the weekend. Schumacher was fastest in the first three sessions; Montoya set the pace in the fourth.

In the second session, Coulthard spun into the tyre barrier within the first five minutes. Yoong spun at the Ascari chicane and abandoned his car at the tyre wall. McNish’s Toyota stuck in first gear and was pushed to the garage, requiring a complete rear-end swap. In the third session, a red flag was called when Barrichello’s engine failed at the Curva Grande exit, laying oil on the track; Ferrari fitted a new engine. In the fourth session, Montoya edged inside Schumacher’s 2001 pole lap with a 1:21.319; Button lost control at high speed at Parabolica and ended his session in the gravel.