RACING THROUGH MONTE CARLO
The Monaco Grand Prix
by Nick Brock
 From the 24th to the 27th of May, the Formula One World Championship circus moved to the famous streets of Monte Carlo for the 59th running of the Monaco Grand Prix. For one week each year, the roads that are usually toured by Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of the world’s rich and famous host the Formula One World Championship.
The circuit is one of the most recognizable pieces of motor sport real estate worldwide. A track that’s tight, narrow, virtually impossible to overtake on and has produced more losers than winners. It’s a street circuit in the true sense of the word where skill is more important than speed. This year’s event shaped up as a pivotal race in the Drivers World Championship. With David Coulthard in the Mclaren Mercedes trailing Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari by only four points in the Drivers World Championship, the stage was set for a fascinating battle.
Coulthard drew first blood taking pole in Saturday’s qualifying session, with Schumacher clinching second spot. With the two drivers vying for the World Championship on the front row, an interesting battle loomed on the tight streets of Monaco. Rubins Barrichello was third in the second Ferrari and Mika Hakkinen fourth in the other Mclaren.
Come race day, Schumacher cruised to an easy victory as Coulthard fell foul of the new launch control systems. When the cars begun the warm-up lap, Coulthard was left stranded with his Mclaren. Visibly upset, Coulthard shook his head and thumped his steering wheel as the other cars passed him by, now he would have to start from the tail of the field. With overtaking virtually impossible at Monaco, his chances of winning the race were shot.
Once the race got under way, Schumacher cantered into the lead followed by Hakkinen, Barichello and the two Williams BMWs of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. On the second lap Montoya crashed his Williams into the barrier at the swimming pool. On lap 18 Hakkinen’s recent run of bad luck continued when steering problems forced him out. That left Michael’s brother Ralf as the only other challenger for the win, with Barrichello relegated to back-up for his Ferrari teammate. When on lap 59 Ralf’s Williams expired with a power-steering failure, Michael cruised to the finish line.
The question now was whether Coulthard could get into the top six and win some championship points. After being stuck behind the painfully slow Arrows of Enriqe Bernoldi and unable to pass him for 45 laps, Coulthard benefited from a high attrition rate. When Bernoldi pitted, a charging Coulthard made it into 5th spot, setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 69 and gaining two valuable championship points.
By the end of the race Schumacher achieved an easy victory, stretching his lead in the drivers’ championship to 12 points over Coulthard. Barrichello was second, making it a Ferrari 1-2 and Irvine, who attained the best ever result for Jaguar, was third.
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