Failure for WilliamsF1 in Italy

For Renault's Jarno Trulli he would stall on the grid and he will have to start from last position instead of eleventh. The start would see Juan Pablo make a poor get away and Ralf would lead from Juan Pablo, Barrichello, and Michael Schumacher. Coulthard would have to pit to take on a new nose after he lost it in the first corner after he hit Raikkonen.

Both WilliamsF1 drivers would make a mess of the first chicane, with Ralf cutting right across it and Juan Pablo only just finding his way around the corner. It was later revealed by Ralf that the WilliamsF1 team had been instructed by the FIA to reverse their cars positions by Ralf letting Juan Pablo past.

After one lap the order was Ralf, Juan Pablo, Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Raikkonen, Irvine, McNish, Salo, Panis, Villeneuve, Heidfeld, Trulli, Massa, Button, de la Rosa, Fisichella, Sato, Webber, Yoong, and Coulthard.

Barrichello was pushing Juan Pablo, but worse would hit the WilliamsF1 team when Ralf was to suffer a blown engine, with a huge bloom of smoke and retire from the race on the start of lap five. As a result he would not need to pull over for Juan Pablo. Barrichello would also take the lead after he passed Juan Pablo at the chicane. A mistake from Juan Pablo and Michael Schumacher was able to close in on him and easily pass him.

Juan Pablo would lose a part of his car following going straight in a chicane. For Trulli he was back up in tenth after starting from last position. A lap of 1m:23.9 Barrichello, compared to that of 1m:26.9 for Juan Pablo showed that Rubens was setting a fast time. Rubens was already leading by 7.5 secs ahead of Michael Schumacher, with Juan Pablo 11.5 seconds behind, Raikkonen 17.8, Irvine 19.1, McNish 21.2, Panis 21.8, Salo 22.4, Heidfeld 23.2, and Trulli 23.6.

Barrichello would lead by 10.5 secs after eleven laps. Toyota's Allan McNish, who was running sixth, would pit for 25.9 secs while his team checked his car. Rubens would set a new fastest lap of 1m:23.769. After fourteen laps the order was Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo, Raikkonen, Irvine, Panis, Salo, Heidfeld, Trulli, Button, Villeneuve, Massa, de la Rosa, Fisichella, Webber, Yoong, Sato, Coulthard, and McNish.

Barrichello was leading comfortably. De la Rosa and Massa would touch and both would retire out of the race. Barrichello would pit, stopping for 8.4 secs, coming back out in second. There was 11.7 secs between Michael Schumacher and Barrichello, with Juan Pablo in third 15 secs behind the lead. Minardi's Mark Webber would retire.

Trulli would pit for 9.4 secs, as Barrichello would close the gap to Michael Schumacher down to nine seconds. Michael Schumacher would only make one stop, stopping for 10.8 secs. Juan Pablo finally in the pits for new tyres and fuel. For McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen he would retire with a blown engine.

Barrichello would need about 25 secs to stay ahead after his 2nd stop, at this stage of the race his lead was 23.7 seconds ahead of M Schumacher with 31 laps of 44 completed. Eddie Irvine was now running in 4th. So the top ten was Barrichello, Michael Schumacher (24.2), Juan Pablo (48.5), Irvine (74), Villeneuve (78), Fisichella (79), Panis (80), Heidfeld (1 lap, 7 behind Panis), Coulthard (0.5 behind Heidfeld), and Button (7 behind Coulthard).

For the BMW WilliamsF1 team the race would end when Juan Pablo came into the pits with a technical problems and after a check of the suspension and he would retire. This is a race that the team would look back as one where they threw away a great opportunity to win.

Barrichello would have to come in for his final stop soon, and he would stop for 8.4 secs and come back out still in first. While this was taking place Irvine and Panis were fighting for third, and Panis would pass Irvine at the Parabolica. But Panis would lose this when he had to pit leaving Irvine in a great third.

Michael Schumacher was to lose three secs in one sector and was now 11.9 seconds behind Barrichello now with forty three laps completed. The order was Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Irvine, Trulli and Button, with Panis in sixth and Fisichella in seventh travelling close together.

Coulthard was attacking Fisichella for seventh, but he missed the chicane and dropped back down to eighth. With five laps remaining the order was Barrichello, Michael Schumacher (11.5), Irvine (63), Trulli (68), Button (80), Panis (81), Fisichella (84), Coulthard (84). Then Villeneuve, Heidfeld, Salo, Sato and Yoong.

Renault would score points, which means they will almost certainly be in fourth in the constructor's championship. A mistake by Fisichella would see Coulthard move into seventh with two laps left to run. With the final lap for Barrichello and Michael Schumacher it again was to be a Ferrari dominated race.

So Barrichello would win, with Michael Schumacher second, and Eddie Irvine an excellent third. The final points were taken by Trulli in fourth, Renault team-mate Button in fifth, and Panis takes the final point for sixth.