Italian Grand Prix 2000
Monza, 8th-10th September

Race

Johnny's final European F1 race didn't last very long. He was caught up in the mêlée at the second chicane when Pedro de la Rosa's Arrows punted his Jaguar from behind. Johnny limped back to the pits on three wheels, his race over. Irvine was involved in an accident at the first chicane so neither Jaguar completed a single lap.

Pedro de la Rosa rolled after hitting Johnny, then collided with both Coulthard's McLaren and Barrichello's Ferrari in the gravel trap. The Spaniard was lucky to escape from an horrific crash. Tragically, one of the fire marshals, Paolo Ghislimberti, was hit by flying debris and died. Our sympathies go to his family and friends. 

Jaguar Racing Press Release, 9th September 2000: The Jaguar Racing team had a race to forget at Monza today. Both Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert were involved in the chaos at the start which resulted in the team losing both of its race cars on the first lap in two separate accidents.

Johnny's comments:

"I could see that something had happened to Eddie at the first chicane. My start had been good, I’d gained a little bit and got close to Eddie who was then hit by somebody. They swung in front of me then away again so I got through and settled down behind the Benettons. Then, as we went into the second chicane, it was obvious that something had happened. I could see a wheel about 100ft up in the air and then Pedro (De la Rosa) went straight into the back of me and that was the end of it. I would have liked to finish my European F1 Career on a high but that’s life."

Eddie's comments: 

"I moved over to the left at the start as I had planned that strategy for the first chicane. I knew it was risky but felt it was the best way to get through what we anticipated would be a melee. As we entered, Mika Salo moved over on me, I guess he just didn’t see me, and the front suspension was broken on impact. It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just one of those things. You have to expect that when you are braking from that sort of speed into a chicane that three into two won’t go. It’s disappointing because if I had stayed in the race, points were up for grabs."

Gary Anderson, Technical Director Jaguar Racing: 

"We’ve certainly had better days. Eddie had a coming together with Mika Salo at the first chicane and that was his race over. Johnny braked because he could see there had been an incident in front of him, but was hit by De la Rosa whose vision was probably obscured by the smoke and debris. That’s Monza really - it happens almost every year. There’s little satisfaction to be taken from a race in which both cars are out after the first two turns."

Race results from AtlasF1:

1. M Schumacher Ferrari 1hr 27:31.638 
2. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes + 3.810 
3. R.Schumacher Williams BMW + 52.432 
4. Verstappen Arrows Supertec + 59.938 
5. Wurz Benetton Playlife + 1:07.426 
6. Zonta BAR Honda + 1:09.292 
7. Salo Sauber Petronas + 1 Lap 
8. Diniz Sauber Petronas + 1 Lap 
9. Gene Minardi Fondmetal + 1 Lap 
10. Mazzacane Minardi Fondmetal + 1 Lap 
11. Fisichella Benetton Playlife + 1 Lap 
12. Alesi Prost Peugeot + 2 Laps 

Qualifying

Jaguar Racing Press Release, 9th September 2000: Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert will start the Italian Grand Prix from 14th and 18th positions on the grid respectively.

Johnny's comments:

"My position is disappointing as the lap times are so close together where I am on the grid. I’m only one tenth off Eddie’s pace but four positions behind. It’s been tough for us this weekend as we’re just not quick enough at Monza. I’m still looking forward to my last European race tomorrow though as the atmosphere here is fantastic and you never know what will happen, especially at the first chicane."

Eddie's comments: 

"After the test here last week I was not that confident, but the car’s performance yesterday turned things around. I had my first two runs ruined by traffic which was annoying. I was anticipating a top 10 spot today so to miss the mark is frustrating. I just couldn’t find time in the last sector - that’s where I lost out. The balance of the car is good, we just need to find more speed. As for the race, it’s always full of incident here and the revised layout should spice things up a bit at the start. Whether I can capitalise from 14th position remains to be seen."

Gary Anderson, Technical Director Jaguar Racing: 

"Today was disappointing, we were not able to put it all together when it counted despite the promise we showed during Free Practice yesterday. Eddie caught traffic which is a headache on a track where braking is so crucial. You need to be in a rhythm with braking to nail a quick lap and being held up throws everything out of sync. At the end of the session we decided that to avoid further traffic we would put together a fast-slow-fast lap sequence with both Eddie and Johnny but we lacked the consistency needed over the full lap to improve our positions. For the race the charge into the first chicane will be frantic, so stay tuned."

Times from AtlasF1:

1. M Schumacher Ferrari 1:23.770 248.523 km/h 
2. Barrichello Ferrari 1:23.797 + 0.027 
3. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes 1:23.967 + 0.197 
4. Villeneuve BAR Honda 1:24.238 + 0.468 
5. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1:24.290 + 0.520 
6. Trulli Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:24.477 + 0.707 
7. R Schumacher Williams BMW 1:24.516 + 0.746 
8. Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:24.786 + 1.016 
9. Fisichella Benetton Playlife 1:24.789 + 1.019 
10. de la Rosa Arrows Supertec 1:24.814 + 1.044 
11. Verstappen Arrows Supertec 1:24.820 + 1.050 
12. Button Williams BMW 1:24.907 + 1.137 
13. Wurz Benetton Playlife 1:25.150 + 1.380 
14. Irvine Jaguar 1:25.251 + 1.481 
15. Salo Sauber Petronas 1:25.322 + 1.552 
16. Diniz Sauber Petronas 1:25.324 + 1.554 
17. Zonta BAR Honda 1:25.337 + 1.567 
18. Herbert Jaguar 1:25.388 + 1.618 
19. Alesi Prost Peugeot 1:25.558 + 1.788 
20. Heidfeld Prost Peugeot 1:25.625 + 1.855 
21. Gene Minardi Fondmetal 1:26.336 + 2.566 
22. Mazzacane Minardi Fondmetal 1:27.360 + 3.590 

Friday Practice

Jaguar Racing Press Release, 8th September 2000: Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert finished today’s free practice sessions for the Italian Grand Prix in sixth and 12th positions respectively.

Johnny's comments:

"We went through the usual set-up work today. We made a few changes during the break between sessions but unfortunately they didn’t do what we expected them to do so we reverted back and the car seemed to be alright. I’m still not happy with the car under braking which is always an issue here. Overall it’s not too bad and at least we have identified where we can make a jump forward tomorrow."

Eddie's comments: 

"The balance has improved and I have a much more positive feeling about the car that’s for sure. The key is to improve the car’s behaviour under braking and the ride over the kerbs. Getting it wrong can really throw the car around a lot which is where you lose all your time. I’m not entirely sure where we have managed to find almost a second since the test but as long as it keeps coming I’ll be happy. We have a couple of ideas to work on overnight and in the morning to get it spot on for qualifying."

Gary Anderson, Technical Director Jaguar Racing: 

"We found improvement in some areas from the test here last week which is encouraging. We still have some work to do to improve the balance of the car and achieve consistency over the entire lap. If we can fix the handling through Lesmo and over the kerbs in general, we’ll be in the hunt. 

"Eddie ran new tyres at the end of the second session to give us a direction but he was already running a good Friday pace. Johnny worked on a similar set-up programme without fresh rubber and found some time towards the end. It's difficult to get a true picture of where we are relative to other teams but all the signs are that we are in good shape. As always, it’s tomorrow that counts." 

Combined practice lap times:

1. Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari - 1:25.057
2. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari - 1:25.117
3. Jarno Trulli, Jordan-Mugen Honda - 1:25.390
4. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren-Mercedes - 1:25.553
5. David Coulthard, McLaren-Mercedes - 1:25.796
6. Eddie Irvine, Jaguar - 1:25.907
7. Pedro de la Rosa, Arrows-Supertec - 1:25.912
8. Pedro Diniz, Sauber-Petronas - 1:25.981
9. Jos Verstappen, Arrows-Supertec - 1:26.020
10. Mika Salo, Sauber-Petronas - 1:26.293
11. Jenson Button, Williams-BMW - 1:26.452
12. Johnny Herbert, Jaguar - 1:26.634
13. Marc Gene, Minardi-Fondmetal - 1:26.638
14. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Jordan-Mugen Honda - 1:26.763
15. Giancarlo Fisichella, Benetton-Playlife - 1:26.809
16. Jacques Villeneuve, BAR-Honda - 1:26.906
17. Ricardo Zonta, BAR-Honda - 1:27.070
18. Alexander Wurz, Benetton-Playlife - 1:27.093
19. Nick Heidfeld, Prost-Peugeot - 1:27.135
20. Gaston Mazzacane, Minardi-Fondmetal - 1:27.468
21. Ralf Schumacher, Williams-BMW - 1:27.852
22. Jean Alesi, Prost-Peugeot - 1:27.904

Race preview

Jaguar Racing Press Release, 4th September 2000: Ten miles North-East of Milan is Monza, the spiritual home of the 'tifosi', Ferrari’s fanatical supporters. Thousands of them will head to the Mecca of Italian motorsport this weekend to create the atmosphere that makes the Italian Grand Prix so unique.

The Italian Grand prix has been run at Monza every year bar one since the championship began in 1950. It is a real test of speed, despite its newly-revised tight chicanes, and has been the scene for many championship battles.

Along with the rest of the grid, the Jaguar Racing team took the opportunity to run a four-day test at Monza last week. Concentrating on car set-up and tyre combinations for this weekend's race, the team ran Johnny Herbert on Tuesday and Wednesday before Eddie Irvine took over for the final two days of testing. Alongside the Monza test, official Test driver Luciano Burti, took the wheel of the R1 for three days of straight line testing at Elvington in Yorkshire.

Jaguar Racing Technical Director, Gary Anderson, explains the team’s mood as it heads off to the last Grand Prix in Europe of the 2000 campaign...

"The mood is pretty good at the moment. We were heartened by the result in Spa (Johnny Herbert finished 8th) as we expected a much tougher time there. We’re hoping to carry the momentum forward to Monza and have a solid weekend and hopefully compete for points." 

Johnny enjoys racing at Monza the scene of his second Grand Prix win in 1995...

"I like Monza a lot and always look forward to qualifying there. You have to get the balance of the car just right so you can brake deeper going into the chicanes and keep a smooth rhythm. I have to say that the new chicanes are quite nice. They are quite tight but the new surface is very good as it has no bumps in it. Having said that it remains to be seen if overtaking will be any easier." 

Eddie Irvine’s best position at an Italian Grand Prix was second place for Ferrari in 1998. This is a special event for Eddie who has a home in Milan...

"The Italian Grand Prix is always a bit of a special weekend because of the fantastic atmosphere at Monza. The track has been chopped around a bit over the past few years, but Parabolica, Ascari and Lesmo are still interesting. It's hard to say what the effect of this year's changes will be, but I think the alterations to the first chicane should have improved safety. Whether it will improve the bottleneck on the opening lap or provide more overtaking, we will have to wait and see. We made some progress at last week's test, but the rain rather got in the way." 

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Last updated 10th September 2000