Belgium grand prix - F1 race report
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2000 Belgian Formula One Grand Prix
27th August, 2000. Circuit de Spa Francorchamps. Round 13.
Rain just before start. 14 degrees Celsius.

1/ Hakkinen (McLaren);
2/ M.Schumacher (Ferrari);  3/ Ralf Schumacher (Williams);
4/ Coulthard (McLaren);  5/ Button (Williams);  6/ Frenzten (Jordan)
View 1999 Belgian grand prix race report here

Rain just before start, everyone starts on medium/wet tyres.  Start under a Safety Car (behind safety car on warm-up lap, car pulls into pits at end, then rolling start) - this was done due to the large numbers of accidents on the first corner here, particularly with a wet track.
The start suits Hakkinen on pole who pulls out to a commanding lead over second placed Jano Trulli, and third placed Jensen Button (who at 20 years ago is driving with incredible maturity, especially with the scarlet Ferrari of Michael Schumacher right up behind him).
Jensen appeared not too concerned with Schumacher behind him and attacked Trulli for second place, outbraking him and overtaking, only to have the place retaken on the corner exit.  Jensen attacked too hard on Lap 3 however and ran into Trulli's rear end, spinning Trulli and ending his race.
A scamper into the pits by all drivers on laps 5, 6 and 7 for dry tyres. The McLaren team left both drivers out for a couple of laps too many, Coulthard even had to go around and do a further lap on the wet tyres when everyone else was on slicks.
Lap 14 and race leader Mika Hakkinen spins onto the grass, rejoining behind M.Schumacher.   Michael then made an early fuel pit stop, taking on a large load, giving him a heavy, and slower, car.
Lap 30 and Michael Schumacher is the lead over Mika Hakkinen by 5.412 seconds.
Lap 32 and this gap had been reduced to 2.836 seconds, one lap later 2.4 seconds, one more lap 2.2 seconds, and by lap 38 the McLaren was right behind the leading Ferrari.  It was only a matter of time before Michael had to allow Hakkinen through, as Hakkinen was a full 10 km/h faster on the long straight.
Hakkinen's chance came on lap 41 as they approached a back-marker (Zonta) on the 205 mph straight.  Schumacher overtakes on the outside, but Hakkinen gets some slingshot from Zonta car and overtakes both cars on the inside! Great manoeuvre. As Schumacher said in the post-race interview, he did not think there was room for three cars on the track.   From there, with only 3 laps to go, Hakkinen was clearly the winner.
Barrichello ran out of fuel in the pit lane on lap 35.  A solid performance by Jensen Button (apart from knocking Trulli out on lap 3).
Hakkinen increases his lead in the Driver's Championship to 74 points over M.Schumacher's 68.  McLaren extend their Constructor Championship lead to 125 points over Ferrari's 117 points.

Click to enlarge map of Spa circuit

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