Canadian GP - Montreal 9 June 2002

Williams had the right to hope for a better result at the Canadian GP, but the bad fortune that has been plaguing the team struck again. On lap 57 an engine blow-up spelt the end of the race for Montoya, who at the time was in second place and catching up leader M. Schumacher. Thing did not really go any better for the other Williams driver, R. Schumacher, who suffered problems during what was meant to be his only pit stop. A faulty fuel rig meant that the German had to go back to the pits two laps later to get the fuel load he had failed to receive. The unscheduled stop sent R. Schumacher down in the field and he ended up unsuccessfully fighting Trulli for sixth place. R. Schumacher managed to be recorded as a finisher of the race, despite his engine blowing up as his older brother in the Ferrari crossed the finishing line. The problem with Montoya's car was later diagnosed to having been caused by a faulty valve, but Williams BMW as a team needs to pull its collective sleeves up and do some serious work on the reliability of the car. Montoya had started the race well, taking the lead from a well-deserved pole position while behind him Barrichello had stolen a gear on team mate M. Schumacher and had leapt into second position. The Brazilian was on a two-stopper strategy and, taking advantage of his faster and lighter car, danced past Montoya on lap two and ran away, leaving the Colombian to fend off the advances of the current World Champion in third place. Villeneuve proved once again that his home track doesn't like him, as he enjoyed the dubious honor of being the very first retirement of the GP on lap 16. The Canadian's BAR was left in a dangerous position and the safety car came out. Montoya decided to use this distraction to make an early pit stop from second place, letting M. Schumacher into second place and getting back out down the field in fifth. Montoya's class showed when he took advantage of a squabble between Räikkönen and R. Schumacher to stream past the two in one go for third place. Barrichello, who was in the lead, went to the pits for his first pit stop, letting M. Schumacher in the lead. When the German had his one pit stop of the race Montoya took the lead, only to lose it again when he had to pit again because his early stop on lap 16 had not given him enough fuel to finish the race. Montoya started closing on M. Schumacher and was catching up, but his BMW engine gave way and denied the Colombian of a possible win and the onlookers of a duel between two of the leading drivers of the moment. Unchallenged, M. Schumacher brought home Ferrari's 150th victory. Barrichello had ended up behind Coulthard, who had stormed past team mate Räikkönen, but the Brazilian was unable to do anything about the McLaren driver and had to content himself with the lowest step of the podium. At one point Barrichello made an attempt on Coulthard on the long straight, but the Scot refused to let him pass and squeezed him at the bend, forcing the Brazilian to retract and stay behind, a move Barrichello was not happy about, as he later said. Räikkönen was relieved from the pressure that R. Schumacher had been putting on him by the German's pit stop trouble and finished fourth in front of Fisichella and Trulli. A very good Fisichella deservingly got his third fifth place finish in a row and Trulli was not afraid to keep R. Schumacher at bay for the last point position. The two Italian drivers are possibly the best untapped talents of modern Formula 1 and it is a shame that the large teams do not seem to notice them, as both deserve the chance to race in competitive cars. Next appointment is at the Nürburgring for the European GP on 23 June.

Images from Raisport and Il Corriere della Sera