2001 Round 5 Race report FIA Formula 3000 International Championship

May 26 MONACO  Monte Carlo more info Monaco Automobile Club de Monaco, B.P.464, 23 Blvd. Albert 1er, MC-98012 Monaco Cedex, MC Tel : +377 93 15 26 00 Fax : +377 93 25 8008

FIA F3000 International Championship
Round 5 (of 12)
Monaco, Monte Carlo
Saturday 26th may 2001

Race result. Round 5.
45 laps = 151.650 Kms

1 (1) Mark Webber. Super Nova Racing. 1:13.21.073
2 (2) J Wilson. Coca-Cola Nordic Racing. 1:13.21.966
3 (4) S Sarrazin. Prost Junior. 1:13.28.320
4 (5) S Bourdais. DAMS. 1:13.29.810
5 (7) R Sperafico. Petrobras Junior Team. 1:13.38.171
6 (8) R Mauricio. Red Bull Junior Team. 1:13.45.110
7 (9) T Enge. Coca-Cola Nordic Racing. 1:13.45.639
8 (10) F Gollin. Coloni. 1:14.09.481
9 (12) R Sperafico. Coloni. 1:14.10.689
10 (24) V Maslov. Arden Team Russia. 1:14.11.489
11 (16) J Melo. Durango Formula. 1:14.12.394
12 (11) M Haberfeld. Super Nova Racing. 42 laps. DNF.
13 (6) P Friesacher. Red Bull Junior Team. 42 laps. DNF.
NOT CLASSIFIED
(23) G Pantano. Team Astromega. 29 laps. 
(13) B Leinders. KTR. 28 laps. 
(19) J Camathias. KTR. 28 laps. 
(3) D Manning. Arden Team Russia. 24 laps. 
(17) A Pizzonia. Petrobras Junior Team. 24 laps. 
(18) D Morelli. Team Astromega. 23 laps. 
(20) G Lancieri. Durango Formula. 16 laps. 
(15) D Saelens. European Minardi. 7 laps. 
(14) A Piccini. European Minardi. 0 laps.
(21) D Hill. DAMS. 0 laps.
(22) G Varano. Prost Junior. 0 laps. 

Fastest lap: Webber. 1:30.462 (134.111kph) 

“Webber shines in Monaco”

Mark Webber had a welcome return to form when he took his second win of the year in the fifth round race of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile Formula 3000 International Championship at Monaco, Monte Carlo.

Benetton F1 test driver Webber found himself chased all the way to the flag by Coca-Cola Nordic Racing driver Justin Wilson, who, despite two separate intervals behind the safety car, was unable to pass. However, his six points ensured the young British driver a continuation of his lead in the Drivers Championship, which he now leads by 31 points with Webber second 11 points behind.

The drama started on the warm-up lap when the Durango Lola of Gabriele Lancieri stalled, forcing the Italian driver to start from last, having qualified in 20th position. This has not been a good year so far for Lancieri, who picked up the honour of having collected three stop-go penalties in the Barcelona race earlier this season.

All eyes were on Webber and Wilson for the races start as both drivers needed to make a good start if their championship hopes were to continue. With Manning starting from third, Wilson, who has struggled a little with his starts this season, knew that he would have to be quick if he was not going to get bogged down in traffic. “Having qualified second I knew that the start would be very important for me,” said Wilson. “If you get caught napping here then you will have a very hard time to make any progress back through the grid.”
Webber too was aware that he needed to be clean away if he was to win the race. “The problem here is that you can get “tagged” at the start,” explained Webber, “and then all the good work that I had done in qualifying would be ruined.”

Both Webber and Wilson made good starts, yet it was Wilson who ran into trouble at the first corner. Under braking he found himself struck hard from behind by Manning (Arden Team Russia), who kindly implanted his front wing into the rear diffuser of the Coca-Cola Nordic Racing Lola at Sainte Devote. Wilson was able to continue, although he did struggle now a little with rear suspension damage, whilst Manning was forced to pit for a new nose after one lap. “That was a big tap,” said Wilson afterwards. “His nose cone was stuck into the rear of my car for around half a lap, falling off at the Mirabeau Corner. Going into the first corner I braked a fraction later than Webber," said Wilson, "and locked up a bit, but it was quite comfortable. Then there was a big thud from behind and I just managed to control it. It did tweak something because I had trouble turning into corners."

This now left Webber leading Wilson, Stephane Sarrazin (Prost Junior), Sebastien Bourdais (DAMS) and Ricardo Sperafico (Petrobras Jnr).
Further action ensued with midfield runner Andrea Piccini (European Minardi) knocking Jaime Melo (Durango) into a spin at the Grand Hotel, causing Antonio Pizzonia (Petrobras Jnr), Joel Camathias (KTR), Dino Morelli (Astromega), Derek Hill (DAMS) and Lancieri to all join in the ensuing pile-up. Hill and Piccini subsequently retiring.
Lap one is definitely the scene of all the action as David Saelens (European Minardi) has to pit to replace his front wing after running into another car at Mirabeau, while the Prost Jnr Lola of Gabriele Varano spun into the barriers at the exit of the corner.
Thus it was no surprise to see the arrival of the Safety Car at the end of lap one, leading the remaining cars around until lap 5 whilst the marshals raced to clear the track of all debris.

Wilson is well known for making a fast start from behind a Safety Car, yet it was Webber who remained in control of the race as the pair crossed the start/finish line on lap five. The race order remaining the same.

On lap nine Saelens found himself running into Astromega driver Giorgio Pantano by the swimming pool section whilst trying to take 14th place and for the second time in the race he found himself without a nose cone. This time it forced him to join the growing list of retirements.
Little action followed for the next eight laps of the street circuit aside from Patrick Friesacher taking his Red Bull team-mate Ricardo Mauricio for sixth on lap 14, only to drop down to 15th when he skidded into the escape lane at Ste Devote on lap 21. This allowed Mauricio back into sixth place, which he held till the flag, despite the constant attention of Tomas Enge (Coca-Cola Nordic Racing), who until today lay second in the Drivers Championship.

Webber now controlled the race with ease, setting fastest lap after fastest lap whilst pulling out a gap of around 4.9 seconds from Wilson.
More drivers fell off the track, Morelli suffering from a power loss as he entered the tunnel in 15th place on lap24. Meanwhile Pizzonia and Manning crash either side of the swimming pool section on lap 25, Friesacher narrowly avoiding running into Pizzonia as the Brazilians car slewed across the track.
With just 16 cars now remaining, the Safety Car is called out for it’s second appearance of the day.

Yet again all eyes are on Wilson for the re-start, which happens four laps later on tour 29 but not before Camathias crashes at Ste Devote within moments of the restart. He is joined by teammate Bas Leinders who strikes Mario Haberfeld (Super Nova Racing) at Rascasse, hitting the barriers and retiring from 10th place.
Wilson is unable to make any advance on Webber and follows the Australian home a mere 0.8 seconds behind. Sarrazin finishes his one-off return race for the Prost Jnr team in third from Bourdais, Sperafico and Mauricio, only 11 cars finishing from a total of 24 starters.

"When the Safety Car came out," said Webber, "I thought there was going to be a good race between me and Justin, but the car was just brilliant. It was an awesome afternoon."

Wilson was quick to praise Webber, saying: “Today was his day. He drove a good, faultless race and I just could not pass him. However, I am more than happy with second place here in Monaco. I will now have to make sure that I can qualify in front of Mark at the Nurburgring for round six. If I can do that, then I feel confident of pulling out an even greater lead.”

Ends……..

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AFTER 5 (OF 12) ROUNDS.
1: J Wilson. 31 pts.
2: M Webber. 20 pts.
3: T Enge. 18 pts.
4: B Leinders. 12 pts.
5: J Melo. 8 pts.
6: S Bourdais; A Pizzonia. 7 pts.
8: D Manning. 6 pts.
9: D Saelens. 5 pts.
10: S Sarrazin. 4 pts.
11: M Haberfeld. 3 pts.
12: J Camathias; P Friesacher; R Sperafico. 2 pts.
15: F Gollin; A Piccini; R Mauricio. 1 pt.