2002 French Grand Prix
Template:Infobox Grand Prix race report
The 2002 French Grand Prix (formally the Mobil 1 Grand Prix de France 2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was a Formula One motor race held before 106,000 spectators at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in Magny-Cours, Burgundy, France on 21 July 2002. It was the 11th of 17 rounds of the 2002 Formula One World Championship as well as the 11th anniversary of Magny-Cours' debut Formula One event. Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher won the 72-lap race after starting in second. McLaren teammates Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard finished second and third, respectively. Schumacher's victory confirmed him as the 2002 World Drivers' Champion, as no other driver could not overtake Schumacher's championship points total with a record six races remaining in the season.
Only Michael Schumacher, his teammate Rubens Barrichello and Williams's Juan Pablo Montoya were in contention for the World Drivers' Championship entering the race, with Schumacher leading by 54 championship points. Ferrari led Williams in the World Constructors Championship by 57 championship points. Michael Schumacher began alongside pole position winner Montoya on the grid's first row. Montoya led the opening 23 laps before the first round of pit stops, when Michael Schumacher took the lead but received a drive-through penalty for crossing the white line at the pit lane exit. Montoya regained the lead until a delayed second pit stop put Räikkönen into the lead following the second round of pit stops. Räikkönen led until he ran over oil from the Toyota of Allan McNish on lap 68, allowing Michael Schumacher to pass him and take the lead for the remaining five laps, securing his eighth victory of the season and 61st of his career.
Schumacher secured his fifth World Drivers' Championship title, equalling Juan Manuel Fangio's record set in Template:F1. Formula One individuals praised Michael Schumacher, including former champion Jody Scheckter and three-time world champion Niki Lauda. He also received official congratulations from world leaders Gerhard Schröder, Silvio Berlusconi and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Montoya moved from third to second in the World Drivers' Championship while Ferrari extended its World Constructors' Championship lead over Williams to 62 championship points.
Background
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The 2002 French Grand Prix was the 11th of 17 rounds in the 2002 Formula One World Championship, contested on 21 July 2002 at the Template:Convert clockwise Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in Magny-Cours, Burgundy, Central France,<ref name="CF1Race" /><ref name="ESPNMSportMagResults" /><ref name="NYTimesRace">Template:Cite news</ref> the 11th anniversary of the circuit hosting its maiden Formula One event in 1991.<ref name="AF1Preview">Template:Cite journal</ref> The race swapped places with the Template:F1 GP to avoid a scheduling conflict with the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher led the World Drivers' Championship with 86 championship points before the event, followed by his teammate Rubens Barrichello on 32 and Williams's Juan Pablo Montoya on 31. Montoya's teammate Ralf Schumacher was fourth with 30 championship points and McLaren's David Coulthard was fifth with 26 championship points.<ref name="2002points">Template:Cite book</ref> If Michael Schumacher won the race and both Barrichello and Montoya finish lower than third, he would have won five world championships, matching Juan Manuel Fangio's record.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ferrari led the World Constructors' Championship with 118 championship points, 57 ahead of Williams. McLaren were third with 37 championship points, with Renault fourth on 14 and Sauber fifth with 10.<ref name="2002points" />
Following the British Grand Prix on 7 July,<ref name="MugelloTestD1">Template:Cite web</ref> in preparation for the French Grand Prix, the teams tested aerodynamic and car components, racing setups and tyres on four European circuits.<ref name="AF1Preview" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Arrows, Jordan, Renault. Sauber and Williams teams tested variously for four days at Spain's Circuit Ricardo Tormo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The British American Racing (BAR), Jaguar, Toyota and Williams teams all tested variously over a four-day period at Italy's Monza Circuit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ferrari's race preparations included testing at two Italian racing tracks.<ref name="AF1Preview" /> Drivers Luca Badoer, Luciano Burti and Michael Schumacher spent five days testing at the Fiorano Circuit,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Badoer also tested at the Mugello Circuit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Minardi was the only team that did not test, remaining at their factory.<ref name="AF1Preview" />
Michael Schumacher had won seven of the ten races so far in 2002 and was on the podium in every one.<ref name="Pirelli2024Article">Template:Cite web</ref> He indicated that he would try to win the championship at Magny-Cours since he wanted to win the French Grand Prix, but that it would be dependent on other drivers' actions and that it did not matter if the title fight continued at the following Template:F1GP.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He indicated he would compete normally, but he did not expect to win the title in France, "Whether it happens here or at another time I don't think that it's really important to me. What matters to me is that it does happen in the end."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ross Brawn, Ferrari's technical director, stated that the team was concerned about a mechanical failure during a race.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
There were eleven teams (each representing a different constructor) with two drivers each for the Grand Prix, with no changes from the season entry list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Arrows' participation in the event was jeopardised by outstanding debts to engine supplier Cosworth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Arrows manager Tom Walkinshaw directed the team's transporters from Oxfordshire's Leafield factory to France on the evening of 16 July.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Arrows' participation in the Grand Prix was ensured when Walkinshaw paid off the team's debt to Cosworth for a continued supply of engines the next day, before the noon deadline.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Ferrari combined the rear wing mounting point with the deformable structure above the gearbox and the extractor profile's upper part at the F2002 car's rear-end.<ref name="AutosprintTech">Template:Cite journal</ref> Given the high temperatures expected during the race, Williams introduced large openings in the FW24's sidepods to enhance heat dissipation.<ref name="AutosprintTech" /> Renault debuted a new improved version of their engine, as well as an aperture in the right side of the R202 cars to cool the right-hand side oil radiator.<ref name="AutosprintTech" />
Practice
Two one-hour practice sessions on Friday and two 45-minute sessions on Saturday preceded the race.<ref name="regulations2">Template:Cite book</ref> Arrows did not take part in the Friday practice sessions because Walkinshaw kept the two cars in the pit lane after being urged to do little while negotiating with shareholders Morgan Grenfell to persuade the bank to allow new prospective investors into the team.<ref name="GuardianFriday">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The first practice session on Friday morning was held in hot, sunny weather.<ref name="F1COMFP1">Template:Cite web</ref> Barrichello set the fastest lap of 1:15.056 31 minutes in.<ref name="F1COMFP1" /><ref name="AF1FP1">Template:Cite web</ref> Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, the Williams duo of Montoya and Ralf Schumacher, McLaren's Kimi Räikkönen, Renault's Jenson Button, the Jaguar duo Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa and Jordan's Takuma Sato completed the top ten.<ref name="AF1FP1" /> Some drivers lost control of their cars during the session.<ref name="AutosportFP1">Template:Cite web</ref> Toyota's Mika Salo was on a fast lap when Sato cut across him at the fast-right/left Imola turn. This meant Salo drove onto the run-off area but Sato's left-rear collided with Salo's right-front wheel because Sato did not yield for him. Salo returned slowly to the pit lane with front suspension damage but continued after checks by Toyota,<ref name="F1COMFP1" /><ref name="AutosportFP1" /> despite damage to the car's steering.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" />
The second practice session, which took place later in the afternoon, was sunny.<ref name="F1RacingNetFP2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="F1COMFridayPractice">Template:Cite web</ref> Coulthard set the day's fastest lap of 1:14.025, 0.072 seconds quicker than his teammate Räikkönen. The Ferrari duo of Michael Schumacher and Barrichello as well as Ralf Schumacher, Irvine, Salo, De La Rosa Button and Montoya followed in positions third through tenth.<ref name="AF1FP2">Template:Cite web</ref> Some drivers again went off the circuit.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> Less than four minutes in,<ref name="F1COMFridayPractice" /> Button's teammate Jarno Trulli took too much kerb through the Nurburgring chicane on his first run,<ref name="AutosportFP2">Template:Cite web</ref> causing him to lose control of his Renault's rear.<ref name="F1RacingNetFP2" /> Trulli controlled the slide but he nudged the tyre barrier at the run-off area's edge, prematurely ending his session.<ref name="AutosportFP2" /> Montoya and Sato removed components from their cars in excursions across the gravel trap.<ref name="AutosportFP2" />
The third practice session on Saturday morning took place in sunny weather.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Michael Schumacher was fastest with a time of 1:12.974 he set at the conclusion of the session and was the only driver to set a sub 1:13-lap. His teammate Barrichello was 0.529 seconds slower in second, followed by Räikkönen, his McLaren teammate Coulthard, Sauber's Felipe Massa, Montoya, Ralf Schumacher, Button, Massa's teammate Nick Heidfeld and BAR's Olivier Panis in positions three to ten.<ref name="AF1FP3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AutosportFP3">Template:Cite web</ref>
Although he failed to lap faster in the final practice session,<ref name="AutosportFP4">Template:Cite web</ref> which took place in sunny weather,<ref name="F1COMSaturdayPractice">Template:Cite web</ref> Michael Schumacher remained the fastest overall driver after losing control of his Ferrari's rear heading towards the Adelaide hairpin.<ref name="AF1FP4">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AutosportFP4" /> Räikkönen improved to second and his teammate Coulthard was third.<ref name="AutosportFP4" /> Barrichello, Button, Montoya, Ralf Schumacher, Irvine, Heidfeld and Trulli followed in the top ten.<ref name="AF1FP4" /> Around 15 minutes in,<ref name="AutosportFP4" /> Giancarlo Fisichella's front wing collapsed over the kerbs at the exit of the fast right-hand Estoril corner, folding under his Jordan car.<ref name="AF1FP4" /><ref name="SpeedSatNotebook">Template:Cite web</ref> lifting the front wheels into the air off the tarmac surface.<ref name="F1COMSaturdayPractice" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He lost frontal downforce,<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> and lost control of his car, striking the outside tyre barrier.<ref name="AutosportFP4" /><ref name="F1RacingNetFP4">Template:Cite web</ref> Fisichella experienced a Template:Convert hit at Template:Convert, leaving him confused, dazed and with no recollection of the accident.<ref name="SundayIndependentQualifying">Template:Cite news</ref> Practice was stopped for 26 minutes as marshals repaired the tyre wall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Fisichella was left with a concussion, a cut finger, and a slightly stiff neck as a result of his crash. Sid Watkins, a doctor from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), examined him at the circuit's medical centre before flying him to Nevers for a brain scan.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although hospital scans revealed no serious injuries,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Watkins deemed Fisichella unfit to race, citing the risk of another major accident during the race because of the g-forces he experienced.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Qualifying
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Each driver was allowed twelve laps during Saturday's one-hour qualifying session, with starting positions determined by the drivers' quickest laps. During this session, the 107% rule was in effect, requiring each driver to remain within 107% of the quickest lap time in order to qualify for the race.<ref name="regulations2" /> Montoya and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Barrichello battled it out in qualifying,<ref name="BBCSportQualifying">Template:Cite web</ref> in hot and sunny weather,<ref name="FIASaturday">Template:Cite web</ref> appearing to favour Michelin-shod cars.<ref name="F1COMQualifying">Template:Cite web</ref> Montoya secured his fifth successive pole position with a 1:11.985 lap,<ref name="BBCSportQualifying" /> the only driver to lap under 1:12 despite going wide at the final turn on his final quick lap.<ref name="AutosportQualifying">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ObserverQualifying">Template:Cite news</ref> Michael Schumacher qualified second, 0.023 seconds behind,<ref name="BBCSportQualifying" /> after losing time on his final run despite adjusting his Ferrari.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EdmontonJournalQualifying">Template:Cite news</ref> He lost control of his Ferrari and cut across the gravel trap at the final chicane, invalidating his lap time. Michael Schumacher's third run was likewise invalidated for cutting the Nurburgring chicane.<ref name="AutosportQualifying" /><ref name="F1RacingNetQualifying">Template:Cite web</ref> Barrichello, third, had his car modified inbetween sessions.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> Räikkönen made an error at the final corner, finishing fourth, his best qualifying result at the time,<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /><ref name="F1RacingNetQualifying" /> just slower than Barrichello.<ref name="IndependentOnSundayQualifying">Template:Cite news</ref> Ralf Schumacher, fifth, drove an unbalanced car and was unable to improve his lap when he slid entering the start/finish straight.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> Coulthard had an minor oversteer that improved during qualifying, taking sixth.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> The Renault duo qualified seventh and eighth.<ref name="AutosportQualifying" /> Button in seventh spent most of qualifying correcting oversteer and locking his tyres entering turn eight.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> For the third race in 2002, he qualified ahead of teammate Trulli,<ref name="BBCSportQualifying" /> who was unable to push due to discomfort in his Renault on the limit.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> Irvine achieved his best qualifying result of 2002 at the time in ninth.<ref name="ObserverQualifying" /> Heidfeld, tenth, was the final Bridgestone runner in the top ten.<ref name="IndependentOnSundayQualifying" /> His team made minor tweaks to his racing setup for each run; Heidfeld had traffic on the second run.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" />
Panis, 11th, had poor balance and understeer, but set his best time on his final run after pushing hard. Massa lapped faster on each run after Sauber improved his car, securing 12th. BAR's Jacques Villeneuve, 13th, used the latest Honda engine for qualifying and was happy with how his car performed in slow turns.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> Sato was the only Jordan driver that qualified when Fisichella withdrew from the event, securing 14th.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="F1COMQualifying" /> He was sent out early in qualifying because Jordan temperatures increases and he improved marginally with each lap.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> De La Rosa pulled over at the pit lane exit with a loss in hydraulic pressure affecting the car's throttle control. He moved to his spare Jaguar setup, but that had a front wheel sensor problem and a loss of power once it was rectified, leaving him 15th.<ref name="FIASaturday" /><ref name="AutosportQualifying" /><ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> The Toyota pair of Salo and Allan McNish qualified 16th and 17th.<ref name="F1COMQualifying" /> Salo had grip problems for most of qualifying,<ref name="FIASaturday" /> while McNish believed Toyota would be slightly more competitive in the session.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /> Minardi teammates Mark Webber and Alex Yoong were the final qualifiers in 18th and 19th.<ref name="F1COMQualifying" /> Webber's car stopped right before the pit lane exit due to a fuel pressure issue, forcing him to drive the spare Minardi car setup for him. Yoong's car understeered and he lost time on his last runs due to a fuel delivery issue.<ref name="DailyF1SaturdayQuotes" /><ref name="F1RacingNetQualifying" /> Arrows made a token appearance in qualifying to avoid FIA-imposed fines for missing rounds of the championship after completing one installation lap in the final practice session;<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> drivers Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi intentionally failed to lap inside 107% of Montoya's pole position time when they slowed in the final third of the lap.<ref name="SpeedSatNotebook" /><ref name="ObserverQualifying" /> Both drivers completed three laps each and Arrows left the track after qualifying.<ref name="TorontoStarQualifying">Template:Cite news</ref>
Post-qualifying
Jordan sponsor Deutsche Post sought to persuade Frentzen to join Jordan because it wanted a German driver to replace Fisichella in the race.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The FIA permitted this as long as there were no contractual concerns and all teams agreed 15 minutes before the warm-up session,<ref name="SundayIndependentQualifying" /> but Frentzen would have to begin from the back row per the sporting regulations.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> Although all of the teams agreed, Frentzen's lawyer advised him not to join Jordan because his management was concerned about legal consequences from Walkinshaw.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Qualifying classification
Warm-up
On race morning, a half-hour warm-up session was held for teams to shake down their race and spare cars in dry and fine weather.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="F1COMWarmUp">Template:Cite web</ref> Michael Schumacher set the fastest lap time of 1:14.174 towards the end of warm-up.<ref name="F1COMWarmUp" /><ref name="AF1WarmUp">Template:Cite web</ref> His teammate Barrichello was 0.714 seconds slower in second. Trulli, Massa, Heidfeld, Button, Räikkönen, Irvine, Coulthard and Panis rounded out the top ten.<ref name="AF1WarmUp" /> Sato's race car briefly stalled at the pit lane exit due to a launch control system failure after pressing the wrong button on the steering wheel.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="AutosportWarmUp">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FIAWarmUp">Template:Cite web</ref> Ralf Schumacher spun twice during the session,<ref name="AutosportWarmUp" /> firstly at the Chateau d'Eau turn and then at the Adelaide hairpin.<ref name="F1COMWarmUp" />
Race
The 72-lap race began at 14:00 local time in slightly overcast conditions that later brightened.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="ITVF1LapByLap">Template:Cite web</ref> The air temperature was between Template:Convert and the track temperature was at Template:Convert.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="F1RacingNetRace">Template:Cite web</ref> There was an attendance of 106,000 spectators.<ref name="NYTimesRace" /> Michael Schumacher chose to start in the spare Ferrari, believing it handled better than his race car.<ref name="AF1Review">Template:Cite journal</ref> Following Fisichella's withdrawal and the Arrows team's failure to qualify, 19 cars were scheduled to start,<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cite web</ref> but at the start of the formation lap,<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /> Barrichello's Ferrari remained on the starting grid's front jack due to an unidentified electrical failure.<ref name="Hilton2009">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="DailyTelegraphRace">Template:Cite news</ref> A steering wheel replacement and an effort by the mechanics to restart Barrichello's car failed to correct the problem, thus his Ferrari was pushed into the pit lane, and Barrichello did not start the race.<ref name="CrashRaceReport">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AutosportRace">Template:Cite web</ref> This resulted in 18 starters, the fewest since the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix.<ref name="AutosportRace" />
When the race began, Montoya cut across Michael Schumacher to keep the lead into the first corner.<ref name="AutosportRace" /><ref name="BBCSportLapwatch">Template:Cite web</ref> Massa made a brisk start, moving from 12th to seventh,<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /> however, he jumped the start after prematurely releasing his launch control system.<ref name="AF1TechReview">Template:Cite journal</ref> Massa turned sharply to the left to avoid colliding with teammate Heidfeld.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> Sato tried to pass Panis further back, but they collided and ended up in the gravel trap at the first turn.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /><ref name="AF1Review" /> De La Rosa also entered the gravel trap to avoid striking Panis and Sato.<ref name="GPCOMEntry">Template:Cite web</ref> Michael Schumacher was close behind Montoya and began pressuring him for the lead.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive">Template:Cite web</ref> At the conclusion of the first lap, Montoya led Michael Schumacher by 0.4 seconds, followed by Räikkönen, Ralf Schumacher, Coulthard and Button.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="AF1Review" /> Panis entered the pit lane for a new front wing and tyres.<ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> On lap three, Michael Schumacher tried to pass Montoya on the outside at the Adelaide hairpin but was driven wide.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /><ref name="AF1Review" /> Räikkönen drew in-between both Montoya and Michael Schumacher,<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /> taking the optimal line out of the hairpin, but Schumacher cut him off at the Nurburgring turn to held second.<ref name="AF1Review" />
Following that, Montoya drove defensively but was able to open up a small lead over Michael Schumacher with to the BMW engine's power, while Räikkönen remained close behind Schumacher.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> On lap six, Massa was issued a drive-through penalty for jumping the start.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /> He took the penalty two laps later.<ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> When Massa left the pit lane, he crossed the white line dividing the pit lane exit from the circuit to stay ahead of Sato.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /><ref name="CrashRaceReport" /> Yoong spun at the Adelaide hairpin on lap eight but continued. Two laps later, Massa received a second drive-through penalty for crossing the white line at the pit lane exit, which he immediately took.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> Villeneuve battled McNish for 11th on lap 13 when he locked the brakes entering the Adelaide hairpin but avoided colliding with him.<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" />
The first round of pit stops began on lap 20.<ref name="AF1Review" /> All leading drivers planned for two stops whereas Renault planned for three.<ref name="AutosportRace" /> Button, who was sixth, was the first of the leaders to make a 9.6-second pit stop, dropping him to ninth.<ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> Ralf Schumacher's first stop came two laps later. He was stationary for 7.2 seconds, falling behind Coulthard.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /> On lap 24, Montoya made his first pit stop from the lead, and Michael Schumacher took the lead.<ref name="AF1Review" /> His 8.4-second stop for a used pair of tyres dropped him to fourth, ahead of teammate Ralf Schumacher.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /> Sato understeered across the gravel trap and into the tyre barrier at Lycee corner after narrowly avoiding striking De La Rosa, which put him off the racing line, causing him to become stuck in the gravel trap and retire.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="CrashRaceReport" /><ref name="AF1TechReview" />
Michael Schumacher pushed his pace at the front to get ahead of Montoya after his first scheduled pit stop.<ref name="AutosportRace" /> Although a Jaguar baulked him,<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /> he entered the pit lane on lap 26 for a 8.4-second stop.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /> Michael Schumacher resumed the circuit in third, trailing the yet-to-pit McLarens but just ahead of Montoya.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" />When he returned to the racing line, his right-front wheel crossed the white pit lane exit line.<ref name="AutosportRace" /> The McLaren pair of Räikkönen and Coulthard made their pit stops on laps 27 and 28, returning Michael Schumacher to the lead.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> On lap 32, Panis entered the BAR garage to retire with car damage and a bad vibration.<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /><ref name="AF1TechReview" /><ref name="TimesAssessment">Template:Cite news</ref> While Michael Schumacher was expanding his lead over Montoya by about a second per lap in clear air,<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /> the stewards issued a drive-through penalty on him for crossing the pit lane exit line on lap 34.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /> Michael Schumacher served the penalty on lap 35,<ref name="BBCSportLapwatch" /> dropping to third behind Montoya and just behind Räikkönen but ahead of Ralf Schumacher.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /><ref name="Hilton2009" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /> On lap 37, Villeneuve went off onto the grass, smoke streaming from his car's back due to an engine failure.<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" />
At half distance, the first five drivers were separated by 3.5 seconds,<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /> but this increased to 4.4 seconds after 40 laps.<ref name="BBCSportLapwatch" /> On lap 42, both Räikkönen and Michael Schumacher were lapping McNish with Schumacher pressuring Räikkönen. He used the situation to go between McNish and Räikkönen, attempting to pass Räikkönen on the inside at the Adelaide hairpin but failing.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /><ref name="AF1Review" /> On the following lap, Montoya made his second pit stop from the lead, beginning in the second round of stops. He stopped for 11.6 seconds, and his car stuttered as he drove away, dropping to sixth and promoting Räikkönen to the lead. Ralf Schumacher made his second pit stop from fourth on lap 44, crossing the pit lane exit line. At the front, Räikkönen and Michael Schumacher replied by instantly increasing their pace, with Räikkönen matching Schumacher's pace.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /> Ferrari was ready for Michael Schumacher's second pit stop on lap 47, but he stayed on the circuit for another lap before entering the pit lane. He fell to third, behind Coulthard.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /> Ralf Schumacher received a drive-through penalty for crossing the pit lane exit line on lap 49.<ref name="F1COMRaceLive" />
On lap 49, Räikkönen made his second pit stop from the lead. His 8.7-second stop saw him drop to second, behind teammate Coulthard but just ahead of Michael Schumacher.<ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /><ref name="BBCSportLapwatch" /> Räikkönen held off challenges on his out-lap from Michael Schumacher to keep second.<ref name="ITVF1LapByLap" /><ref name="F1LiveCOMReport" /> On lap 50, Massa stopped in the pit lane with a gearbox-related issue, while Trulli retired at the side of the circuit with an engine failure.<ref name="CrashRaceReport" /><ref name="AF1TechReview" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> Salo also pulled off, with flames and fire pouring from the car's rear.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> On lap 53, Irvine's rear wing failed at Template:Convert due to collapsed end plates on the lower element,<ref name="GuardianRace">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="AF1TechReview" /><ref name="TimesAssessment" /> spinning into the gravel trap at the Adelaide hairpin under braking because he lost rear downforce without the rear wing.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /><ref name="CrashRaceReport" /> Irvine exited his Jaguar unhurt but retired.<ref name="CrashRaceReport" /> Coulthard made his second pit stop from the lead on lap 54.<ref name="AF1Review" /> His 7.7-second stop dropped him to third, trailing teammate Räikkönen and just behind Michael Schumacher but his wheel crossed the pit lane exit line.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /><ref name="AutosportRace" />
Montoya and Ralf Schumacher of Williams had dropped back from the front three as Montoya suffered with tyre wear, cause Ralf Schumacher to close in and challenge his teammate.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /> On lap 58, the stewards issued Coulthard a drive-through penalty for breaching the pit lane exit line while he was pressuring Michael Schumacher.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> Coulthard took the penalty on lap 59 but remained in third,<ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> ahead of the two Williams drivers.<ref name="F1RacingNetRace" /> On lap 62, he set a new track race lap record of 1:15.045 in an attempt to close up but was too far back to challenge for the win. McNish spun into the run-off area at the Adelaide hairpin and was facing the opposite direction after an engine issue caused him to retire on lap 68.<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="CrashRaceReport" /><ref name="F1COMRaceLive" /> Marshals were waving yellow flags to warn drivers of McNish's car, which had beached on the hairpin's apex, but none to warn of oil dropped by the Toyota entering the hairpin.<ref name="Pirelli2024Article" /><ref name="IndependentRace">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="TimesRace">Template:Cite news</ref> Räikkönen failed to notice McNish's oil and ran over it, causing him to lock his brakes while attempting to maintain control of his McLaren and running off the racing line in a wide arc.<ref name="GPCOMEntry" /> Michael Schumacher controlled his Ferrari and drew alongside Räikkönen on the inside and accelerated earlier than him to claim the race lead,<ref name="AF1Review" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /> ending Räikkönen's chance to achieve his first victory.<ref name="TimesRace" />
Michael Schumacher asked Brawn on the radio if he had passed Räikkönen under yellow flags and if he should let Räikkönen back by, but was told no.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> Räikkönen remained close behind Michael Schumacher, but Schumacher held on for the final five laps to claim his eighth victory in the season's 11 races and 61st of his career.<ref name="NYTimesRace" /><ref name="AutosportRace" /><ref name="IndependentRace" /> Michael Schumacher won the 2002 Drivers' Championship as Montoya could not catch his championship points total in the six remaining races,<ref name="NYTimesRace" /> equalling Fangio's record of five world titles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also broke Nigel Mansell's ten-year record of winning the championship with the most Grands Prix remaining in a season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Räikkönen finished second, 1.104 seconds behind, his best result of the season.<ref name="HamiltonSpectatorRace">Template:Cite news</ref> Coulthard finished third in a McLaren with understeer.<ref name="DailyTelegraphRace" /><ref name="AF1TechReview" /> Montoya was fourth, ahead of his teammate Ralf Schumacher in fifth.<ref name="CrashRaceReport" /> Button's three-stop strategy helped him earn the last championship point by finishing sixth.<ref name="AF1TechReview" /><ref name="GuardianRace" /> Heidfeld finished seventh despite losing time due to an early-race traction control system failure and a gearbox electronics issue. Webber and Yoong of Minardi had hydraulic and fuel circuit pressure issues, but they finished eighth and tenth due to the team's aggressive race strategy, with Jaguar's De La Rosa in ninth.<ref name="AF1TechReview" /><ref name="TimesAssessment" />
Post-race
The top three drivers appeared on the podium to collect their trophies and spoke to the media in the subsequent press conference.<ref name="regulations2" /> Michael Schumacher described his feeling that the final five laps were "the worst five laps I have had in my career because the weight was on my shoulders, the pressure was on not to make mistakes and not do anything wrong."<ref name="PressConference">Template:Cite web</ref> He added, "I was just so glad that we have achieved this together with a tremendous team, with people behind who you can just love and can just admire with the effort that they put in, the workload, the motivation they have."<ref name="PressConference" /> Räikkönen praised his McLaren and the team for their work during the pit stops.<ref name="PressConference" /> He admitted he was at fault for losing his maiden victory, "It was the most disappointing race of my life but that's the way it goes, and next time I hope we can win."<ref name="PressConference" /> Coulthard remarked that he did not expect McLaren to be duelling for the lead and was astonished by their pace relative to the Williams squad in the race's opening laps, adding, "Just looking at the laps from the end, where our fastest laps are and everything, it is all quite close. It does surprise me."<ref name="PressConference" />
McLaren CEO Ron Dennis accused Michael Schumacher of passing Räikkönen in a yellow flag zone at the Adelaide hairpin before moving into a green flag zone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dennis' comments drew the attention of the FIA stewards even though he did not register an official complaint.<ref name="AF1Review" /> Race director Charlie Whiting was concerned that Michael Schumacher had passed Räikkönen under yellow flags, therefore Schumacher, a Ferrari member, Dennis and Räikkönen were summoned to the stewards' office to discuss the manoeuvre.<ref name="GuardianRace" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The stewards reviewed video footage of the pass and spoke with the drivers and their representatives. While the stewards accepted Michael Schumacher passed Räikkönen in a yellow flag area, they assessed Räikkönen to be off the track, and no further action was required,<ref name="F1MagRuReport" /> thereby confirming Schumacher's fifth title win two hours after the race.<ref name="Hilton2009" /> McLaren issued a statement accepting the stewards' ruling but sought clarification on the rules about overtaking under yellow flags.<ref name="F1MagRuReport" />
Gerhard Schröder, the Chancellor of Germany, officially congratulated Michael Schumacher for his championship win in a telegram, calling it "A fantastic victory in an already unique career."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, the Italian president and the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi also praised Michael Schumacher, noting his success was aided by Italian engineering.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Three-time world champion Niki Lauda and Template:F1 world champion Jody Scheckter heralded Michael Schumacher as the greatest Formula One driver.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Church bells in Maranello, the Italian town where Ferrari's headquarters are based, were rang by the parish priest with 600 fans celebrating Schumacher's accomplishment. Celebrations by German and Italian fans were reported on Adriatic Sea beaches.<ref name="HamiltonSpectatorRace" /> Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo flew to France to organise a celebration of Schumacher's title victory.<ref name="TimesRace" />
Barrichello left the track quickly because he was angry over his failure to start.<ref name="BarrichelloFerrari">Template:Cite web</ref> He said, "We will have to investigate the problem to find the cause, but in my opinion it was a different problem to the one I experienced at Silverstone."<ref name="BarrichelloFerrari" /> Montoya stated that he was losing grip in a car he found difficult to drive as the race progressed.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Williams chief operations director Sam Michael said that the team's tyre choice appeared to be an error and their race performance was "not enough."<ref name=":0" /> Button commented on his sixth-place finish, "It's good to score another point for Renault, and particularly here in France. I was managing to keep up with the leaders at the start of the race, even though I had a little less fuel onboard."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The race result left Michael Schumacher as the World Drivers' Champion with 96 championship points. Montoya's fourth-place finish moved him from third to second while Barrichello's failure to start dropped him from second to third. Ralf Schumacher remained fourth while Coulthard stayed fifth.<ref name="2002points" /> Ferrari maintained its lead in the World Constructors' Championship with 128 championship points, strengthening their lead over second-placed Williams by five championship points. McLaren remained in third with 47 championship points, ahead of Renault on 15 and Sauber on 10 with six rounds remaining in the season.<ref name="2002points" />
Race classification
Drivers who scored championship points are denoted in bold.
Championship standings after the race
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
- Drivers' Championship standings
| Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 1 | Template:Flagicon Michael Schumacher* | 96 |
| File:1uparrow green.svg 1 | 2 | Template:Flagicon Juan Pablo Montoya | 34 |
| File:1downarrow red.svg 1 | 3 | Template:Flagicon Rubens Barrichello | 32 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 4 | Template:Flagicon Ralf Schumacher | 32 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 5 | Template:Flagicon David Coulthard | 30 |
| Sources:<ref name=2002points/><ref name="champ">Template:Cite web</ref> | |||
- Constructors' Championship standings
| Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 1 | Template:Flagicon Ferrari* | 128 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 2 | Template:Flagicon Williams-BMW* | 66 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 3 | Template:Flagicon McLaren-Mercedes* | 47 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 4 | Template:Flagicon Renault | 15 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 5 | Template:Flagicon Sauber-Petronas | 10 |
| Sources:<ref name=2002points/><ref name="champ"/> | |||
- Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
- Bold text and an asterisk indicates competitors who still had a theoretical chance of becoming World Champion.
References
External links
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