|
|
|
|
| August 31, 2001 |
| Belgian GP - FRIDAY FREE PRACTICE |
| . |
| Ralf said "In the
dry I didn't find the best set-up and the car had too
much understeer. Then the rain came
and stopped us from working on a solution. But
at least the rain allowed us to try the new Michelin wet
tyres. They were actually better than I was expecting
but we still didn't get a chance to finish the session
as I then experienced a technical problem with the car." |
| "In the
second session I was not able to do as many
laps as planned due to the gearbox
problem, but the current Michelin tyres left me
with a good impression, much
better than expected. In the dry conditions in the first
hour the balance of the car wasn't perfect as I had
too much understeer. We have some work to do
but I am confident of the outcome." |
| . |
| 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari
(B) 1:48.655 |
| 2. J.Trulli Jordan
Honda (B)
1:49.404 + 0.749 |
| 3. R.Barrichello Ferrari
(B)
1:49.456 + 0.801 |
| 4. G.Fisichella Benetton
Renault (M) 1:50.192 +
1.537 |
| 5. M.Hakkinen Mclaren
Mercedes (B) 1:50.239 +
1.584 |
| 6. K.Raikkonen Sauber
Petronas (B) 1:50.495
+ 1.840 |
| 7. R.Schumacher
Williams BMW (M)
1:50.801 + 2.146 |
| 16. J.P.Montoya
Williams BMW (M)
1:52.829 + 4.174 |
|
|
|
| August 31, 2001 |
| Unpunctual Ralf Schumacher Must Pay
|
| . |
| The Grand Prix
of Belgium began for Ralf Schumacher with a punishment.
the Williams BMW pilot had to pay
500 dollar, because he had come too late
on Thursday to the press conference
of the international automobile federation (FIA). |
|
|
|
|
|
| August 30, 2001 |
| Belgian GP - Thursday Press Conference |
| . |
|
Question:
All of you in the front row are battling for second in the
championship - or maybe not! David has
said that he's not interested in finishing second, so how important
is it to you and your teams to finish
second inthechampionship?
And for the team?
|
Rubens Barrichello
I think it's fairly important. The first place has been
taken already. I think the next best is second, so I'm giving my
best. I have four races to win the race. It's not very
common for you to see the whole team working for two
drivers and for you to have Michael who is someone
who can help you, because most of the time
he is flat out doing his job and most of the time you're there to
help him. So now we have four races and that isn't very common so
I have to take the best out of that situation and try
to win and basically if I finish second, I will be happier
than if I finish third.
|
David Coulthard I don't
think I said I wasn't interested. I think I said my
motivation isn't to finish second.
My motivation obviously is to win so when I look
at these last four races, it is about trying to
be in a position to get ten points out of those individual
races and as I said about the championship, it's
the result of the job you do
in your individual races during the course of the year.
If I do the second best job this year, then I finish second. If
I don't, then I won't, but it doesn't
change the motivation which is to win.
|
| Ralf Schumacher:
Well, I didn't expect to be in this position,
to be fair. Now I am we will try to win it. That's all I can say.
|
| Question:
Ralf, how do you rate your
chances here - it's a power circuit but
you don't want wet weather, so weigh up
your chances. |
| Ralf Schumacher:
Power circuit, it's great I think it's always
helping us but then we don't find high race track temperature
and that's not going to help us. Rain is forecast
for Sunday so that's another additional problem
as well we have so I don't think... it could work
out in our favour if the
weather is changeable but if it is
raining it's going to be very difficult. |
| Question:
It's said you've got a modified car here - can you tell us a bit
more? |
| Ralf Schumacher:
It's just modifications to the
chassis. It's slightly different, maybe a
bit lighter and aero changes.
Basically it's just an in between step to prove that the direction
we have gone for next year is a good direction. |
Question:
To the three drivers, a lot of people are
saying the season is flat, it's over, it's boring now. Do
you think too much emphasis is placed on the championship
given everything else that happens in Formula One.
|
Rubens Barrichello
For me the season has just started. I think it's
a great fight that we're still going to have and I saw a lot of
people with the number one cap
for Michael saying 'Rubens! Rubens!' It's just
starting for me. |
David Coulthard It's
natural that the championship is the focal point but
I think the individual Grands Prix
offer enough potential excitement. I think it's
just you guys rather than the public, because
you probably have been doing it so long
now you're a bit bored of it all.
|
| Ralf Schumacher:
I always felt the driver championship is the most important
in Formula One. I think the season has lost some interest,
that's quite obvious. We all
think - not particularly Michael - but we would have
liked to have it open until the end, there's definitely
more interest. But for us since we
try to finish second - or Rubens desperately tries
to finish second! - I'm sure it is interesting for us. |
| Question:
Ralf, do you have one new car
here or two, and if one who gets to drive it? |
| Ralf Schumacher:
First of all I'm allowed to drive this car, it's amazing,
and I thank the team for its decision! Second
in the drivers' championship doesn't mean anything
to Williams, they are more interested in the constructors'
championship, which I understand. So it doesn't really matter who
is in front so long as I score the points. |
Question:
Ralf you have said that you don't
particularly like this circuit - I'd like to ask the drivers
when a circuit changes from challenging to dangerous.
|
| Ralf Schumacher:
I've never made a big deal out of it because I thought
that Eau Rouge was dangerous but because of the run off. We've had
big accidents there before and it's barely hurt people but
we get told that it's too difficult to change the run off there.
In my opinion it's not enough for a corner like that. |
|
|
|
| August 25, 2001 |
| Belgian GP - FIA
Schedule of Press Conferences |
| . |
| Thursday 30 August 15.00 |
|
| R.
Barrichelle (FERRARI) |
| D.
Coulthard (McLAREN) |
| R.
Schumacher (WILLIAMS) |
| S.
Nichols (JAGUAR) |
| W.
Rampf
(SAUBER) |
| . |
| Friday
31 August 15.00 |
|
| P.De la Rosa (JAGUAR) |
| O. Panis (BAR) |
| J. Verstappen (ARROWS) |
| R. Dennis (McLAREN) |
| P. Head (WILLIAMS) |
| E. Jordan (JORDAN) |
|
|
|
|
| August 24, 2001 |
| Belgian GtP - PREVIEW |
| . |
| Ralf Said "The
car in Spa should be better than in the
last race in Hungary, but there is always
a question mark about the weather as
it often rains there, which could
cause us a problem. Spa, like Monaco,
is one of the remaining
old circuits where the safety standards are unfortunately
not up to date. I will have a slightly modified
car and a new chassis, which I hope will
bring us some good results. |
|
|
|
|
|
| August 24, 2001 |
| Belgian Grand Prix |
| . |
Friday August
31
free practice 1.1
: 11.00 - 12.00
(GMT + 2)
free practice 1.2
: 13.00 - 14.00 (GMT +
2) |
Saturday September
01
free practice 2.1
: 09.00 - 09.45 (GMT + 2)
free practice 2.2
: 10.15 - 11.00
(GMT + 2)
qualifying session
: 13.00 - 14.00 (GMT +
2) |
Sunday September
02
warm-up
: 09.30 - 10.00
(GMT + 2)
RACE
: 14.00 - 16.00
(GMT + 2) |
| . |
| Weather (
BBC ) |
|
|
| Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
 |
|
 |
| Showers |
Showers
|
Rain |
| 22°C-11°C
|
22°C-11°C
|
22°C-
14°C |
|
| |
(Timetable in local time)
London time: GMT+1
(Summer time)
Local time
: GMT+2 |
|
|
|
| August 22, 2001 |
| Barcelona test - Day Two |
| . |
| The weather was
partly cloudy and dry. Average
air temperature 30'C and Average
track temperature 46'C. Ralf
Schumacher completed 84 laps and put
in a best time of 1 minute 20.419 seconds.
Thursday Williams' test driver
Marc Gene will take over for the final
two days. |
.The German
completed 84 laps and put in a
best time of 1 minute 20.419 seconds. |
1. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW
(M) 1:20.419
84 Laps
2. Button Benetton-Renault
(M) 1:20.908 38
Laps
3. Webber Benetton-Renault
(M) 1:22.908 57
Laps |
|
|
|
| August 21, 2001 |
| Barcelona test - Day One |
| . |
| The weather was
sunny and dry. Average
air temperature 30'C and Average
track temperature 44'C.
Ralf Schumacher began
the first of a four day test
session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. Just
three drivers were in action today. |
| . |
1. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW
(M)
1:20.113 62 Laps
2. Button Benetton-Renault
(M) 1:21.729 38 Laps
3. Webber
Benetton-Renault (M) 1:23.399
38 Laps |
|
|
|
| August 19, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - RACE |
| . |
Ralf said "This
was the toughest race of the
year. I was constantly fighting both oversteer
and understeer. I had to work very hard to defend
my position against Mika Hakkinen,
which I managed to do. Although I
didn't make the podium today, I am looking forward to
celebrating my brother's fourth World Championship today. |
|
| R.Schumacher
Williams BMW (M) 1h41:53.038
( 4 th ) |
| . |
|
|
|
|
|
| August 18, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - QUALIFYING |
| . |
Ralf said "It's as
good as we could realistically have expected on this
track which doesn't suit the strengths of our
car. I'm quite satisfied with a place on
row two and I think it's quite possible that I could
make up a place or two off the line at the start - this is
always the best passing opportunity of the whole
race on this circuit. I think we're
well prepared for the race but Michael's time
is a long way clear of everyone else. We'll
see." |
| "I think
I can be satisfied with the second
row of the grid, even though the gap to the best time
is quite large. I am hoping for a good start so maybe
I can improve on this position in the race. I am confident
we will be strong in the race, as we have been in the
recent Grands Prix." |
| . |
| R.Schumacher
Williams BMW (M)
1:15.095
( 4 th ) |
| . |
|
|
|
|
|
| August 18, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - FREE PRACTICE |
| . |
| Ralf said "I'm
still not totally happy with the set up of my car and
it just caught me out when I
was trying for a quick lap. I spun as I
turned into the chicane and went into the gravel.
It happened yesterday too and on that occasion
I was able to select reverse and get onto the hard grass and get
back onto the track, but this time the car was stuck. The
best lap time I did was on old
tyres so I know there is some more to come,
but I don't think we will be
fighting for pole position this time. I think I can
do a lap in the mid-1m 15s, which looks like maybe second row.
We'll see." |
| . |
| R.Schumacher
Williams BMW (M)
1:16.033
( 7th ) |
|
|
|
| August 17, 2001 |
| Ralf is hoping to deprive his brother
of the victory in Sunday's Hungarian GP |
| . |
| Ralf said "At
the start of the season I never thought finishing second would
be Possible. If I had said so everyone would have thought I was
crazy. It looks pretty good at the moment but then we still have
five races to go, and this circuit is more suited to
McLaren than it is for us. We will see.” |
| "From what
I have heard, Ferrari have produced
a special aerodynamic package for this circuit and are really
going for it. But whether Michael wins the championship here
or in the next race, the case is pretty clear. " |
| "As he has
such a big gap I don't think
we will lose it but we will certainly try to win this race and make
it a little more difficult for him to win the
title!" |
|
|
|
| August 17, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - FREE PRACTICE |
| . |
| Ralf said "I am quite
satisfied with the way our day went as we completed our planned
programme. It was a difficult day as the track was so slippery
and I went off a couple of times, but in the end
we found a proper balance for the car. All in
all the situation here is more less as we expected.
I just hope we can close the gap on the top times in qualifying." |
"The circuit was
very slippery, especially in the morning
and
when you have the smallest
problem with the balance of the car, this sort of
surface will exaggerate it. But
we did some good work today and we got a
good set - up by the end of the afternoon. I'm
happy with the progress we made. The lap time is about what I would
have expected around here for us but I'm surprised at how
quick Michael has gone. We will be looking to close that gap
tomorrow." |
| . |
| 1. M.Schumacher
Ferrari
(B)
1:16.651 |
| 2. R.Barrichello
Ferrari
(B)
1:16.734 |
| 3. M.Hakkinen
Mclaren Mercedes (B)
1:16.789 |
| 4.R.Schumacher
Williams BMW
(M) 1:17.308 |
| 5. E.Irvine
Jaguar Cosworth (M)
1:17.409 |
| 6. J.Alesi
Jordan Honda
(B)
1:17.862 |
| 13. J.P.Montoya
Williams BMW
(M) 1:18.524 |
|
|
|
| August 16, 2001 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya Won't Help Ralf |
| . |
| Juan Pablo has said that
he will not help team - mate Ralf finish second in the World Championship. |
| He said " Not at this
point, At the end of the day he's not going to win the World Championship
so we're scoring points for the Constructors' championship.
So for that it doesn't matter if he finishes ahead
or behind me. The points are still there for the team. But sure,
if the order is given by the team to let him by, I would let
him by." |
|
|
|
| August 16, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - Thursday Press Conference |
| . |
| Question:
Ralf , you've said you don't
expect to be as competitive
here as in Germany - what's the problem? |
| Ralf Schumacher:
This is a different circuit for us, it's very
tight, you need a lot of downforce here you need to mechanical grip
and we have struggled to deliver that. I don't
know how the new car with the Michelin tyres
will work here or whether the tyres will give
us an advantage over Bridgestone here.
Hopefully it will not be too far off but we will see.
From what I have heard Ferrari have made a special aero package
for here and they're really going for it. The last two
years they were pretty strong here so I
think they're the team to beat. |
| Question: You
said you conserved the engine at Hockenheim but actually Patrick
Head didn't agree with that. |
| Ralf Schumacher:
I think Hockenheim's over isn't it? I made
the finish at least, I think that's the important thing. But I think
what the English newspapers said was
wrong, I think they misquoted me
a bit - I've never said that he
( Montoya ) is responsible that the engine
failed. At the end of the day the engine doesn't survive then
something's wrong with it. |
| Question:
You have the chance to
finish second in the championship
- did you think that was possible at the
start of the season? |
Ralf Schumacher:
No I didn't, I think if I'd
have thought about it everybody would have called me
crazy anyway. It looks pretty good but we
still have five races to go and this circuit
I consider to be a bit
better for McLaren but we'll see. |
| Question:
At the final four races will
the circuits be more favourable? |
| Ralf Schumacher:
It's plus and minus. With the tyre situation that
we have it will always be difficult to go
to circuits you don't really know what's going
to happen. |
| Question:
Drivers, how much is a contract worth
these days? Why even have them? |
| Ralf Schumacher:
Well I must say usually a contract is there to write it once and
sign it and never look at it again. But
then I must be fair with Heinz, the only team I ever had to
look at it again is the team
he suffered with so I wish him all the best. I think
that there is a danger in the
future of looking at a contract like that, with team-mates changing
through the season, and I hope that point
with drivers and teams will be
much stronger for the future so this can't happen. |
|
|
|
| August 11, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - FIA schedule of press
conferences |
| |
| THURSDAY 16 AUGUST
- 15.00 |
| . |
| LUCIANO
BURTI (PROST) |
| HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN
(PROST) |
| JUAN PABLO MONTOYA (WILLIAMS) |
| RALF SCHUMACHER (WILLIAMS) |
| KAZUTOSHI NISHISAWA (HONDA) |
| |
| FRIDAY 17 AUGUST -
15.00 |
| . |
| JEAN ALESI (JORDAN) |
| DAVID COULTHARD (McLAREN) |
| GIANCARLO FISICHELLA
(BENETTON) |
| CRAIG POLLOCK (BAR) |
| BOBBY RAHAL (JAGUAR) |
| PAUL STODDART (MINARDI) |
|
|
|
|
| August 10, 2001 |
| Hungarian Grand Prix |
| . |
Friday August
17
free practice 1.1
: 11.00 - 12.00
(GMT + 2)
free practice 1.2
: 13.00 - 14.00 (GMT +
2) |
Saturday August
18
free practice 2.1
: 09.00 - 09.45 (GMT + 2)
free practice 2.2
: 10.15 - 11.00
(GMT + 2)
qualifying session
: 13.00 - 14.00 (GMT +
2) |
Sunday August
19
warm-up
: 09.30 - 10.00
(GMT + 2)
RACE
: 14.00 - 16.00
(GMT + 2) |
| . |
(Timetable in local time)
London time: GMT+1
(Summer time)
Local time
: GMT+2 |
|
|
|
|
| August 10, 2001 |
| Hungarian GP - PREVIEW |
| . |
| Ralf said
"It is a small, narrow circuit, but it is very challenging for
the drivers as there is one corner after another and no time to
relax. As it is also usually hot, it is
a physically demanding race. It is a race where having
a good car is a deciding factor and if it is
hot, our tyres should work well. Budapest
is a beautiful city and it is a shame we don't have
enough time over a race weekend to enjoy
the beauty of it!" |
|
|
|
|
|
| August 08, 2001 |
| Ralf and Juan Pablo not looking to
be friends |
| . |
| Montoya was
quoted in the British media as having said: "Ralf and
I respect each other, and we push each other really
hard. But your teammate is not the guy to
go and have dinner with – although you could,
depending on the teammate. The last two years
I had Jimmy Vasser, and he was a great teammate.
We had a great relationship, but here… since day one
there's been a different atmosphere." |
| Ralf told
The Times "Obviously he is a very
fast driver but these are difficult times for setting up a car in
Formula 1,There might be something lacking
there, but I believe that he has a special ability
at the wheel. As persons we are very different and we
don't have much contact except for
thetechnical briefings, but he is my
team - mate anyway." |
|
|
|
|
| August 01, 2001 |
| Ralf aiming for Schumacher brother
one - two |
| . |
Ralf is on
41 points in the championship, just six points behind second placed
David Coulthard, and says that he will be pushing
to secure a historic Schumacher
brother one - two at the end of the season.
Ralf said "There's a good chance for me to take second
place in the World Championship, especially
after this weekend. McLaren, especially
David, seem to be in a little
bit of a problem at the moment, and we
should be able to make use out of
it. That should be our goal now." |
| |
|
|
|
|
| August 01, 2001 |
| Ralf Schumacher Doesn't Stop for Anyone |
| . |
| At the end of the
race (Hockenheim), was Michael Schumacher giving his brother
Ralf the thumbs-up or was he thumbing a ride? |
Ralf said he didn't
even see his older brother at the end of the
track, near the forest,
as he drove his victory lap and began to
deal with the
emotion of becoming only the second
German driver to win the German Grand Prix. |
The man standing at the
spot where his race had ended was the
first.
"Had I seen him," Ralf said, "I would have stopped
and given him a ride. But he got a
ride in anyway." |
|
|
|
