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SLAM! 2001 IN REVIEW



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2001 in Review


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    • Sunday, October 14, 2001

    Schumacher caps season with win in Japan

  • More Formula 1 Coverage
  • Results

     SUZUKA, Japan (AP) -- Michael Schumacher came up with a perfect ending to a championship season, winning the Japan Grand Prix on Sunday for his record-tying ninth victory of 2001.

     "More than the records, to finish in first place is what you want to do," said Schumacher, who clinched his fourth Formula One title in August. "We had two difficult races in Monza and Indianapolis so this is a great way to finish the season."

     The German started from the pole in his Ferrari, opened a three-second lead on the first lap, and was in control the rest of the way. He finished the 53-lap race at the 3.6-mile Suzuka circuit in western Japan in 1 hour, 27 minutes, 33.298 seconds.

     The victory allowed Schumacher to pass Alain Prost's record of 798.5 career championships points.

     Schumacher now has won nine races in a season three times, having also done so last year and in 1995. The only other driver with that many victories in a year was Nigel Mansell in 1992.

     Juan Pablo Montoya was second Sunday in his Williams BMW, 3.154 seconds behind. David Coulthard of McLaren Mercedes finished third, sealing his second-place finish in the season standings.

     Mika Hakkinen, who will be taking a year off after the Japanese Grand Prix, drove his McLaren Mercedes to a fourth place finish and let teammate Coulthard by toward the end of the race.

     Schumacher's Ferrari teammate, Ruben Barrichello, was fifth Sunday and finished third in the standings.

     Veteran Jean Alesi, who announced his retirement from Formula One on Wednesday and had the fastest time in Friday's practice session, was forced to pull out of his last race when his Jordan Honda struck Kimi Raikkonen's Sauber Petronas. Raikkonen lost control of his car and Alesi hit him from behind.

     Neither driver was seriously injured.

     "It's sad to finish my career this way," Alesi said.

    Results
     By The Associated Press
     Sunday
     At Suzuka circuit
     Suzuka, Japan
     Lap length: 3.6 miles

     1. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, 1 hour, 27 minutes, 33.298 seconds, 132.064 mph.
     2. Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombia, Williams BMW, 1:27:36.452.
     3. David Coulthard, Britain, McLaren Mercedes, 1:27:56.560.
     4. Mika Hakkinen, Finland, McLaren Mercedes, 1:28:08.837.
     5. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Ferrari, 1:28:09.842.
     6. Ralf Schumacher, Germany, Williams BMW, 1:28:10.420.
     7. Jenson Button, Britain, Benneton Renault, 1:29:10.400.
     8. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Jordan Honda, 1:27:43.816.
     9. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, Sauber Petronas, 1:27:44.304.
     10. Jacques Villeneuve, Canada, BAR Honda, 1:27:48.007.
     11. Fernando Alonso, Spain, European Minardi, 1:28:31.445.
     12. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Germany, Prost Acer, 1:28:31.691.
     13. Olivier Panis, France, BAR Honda, 1:27:41.084.
     14. Enrique Bernoldi, Brazil, Arrows Asiatech, 1:28:52.657.
     15. Jos Verstappen, Netherlands, Arrows Asiatech, 1:30:00.139.
     16. Alex Yoong, Malaysia, European Minardi, 1:28:51.095.
     17. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Benetton Renault, 1:19:55.042, did not finish.

     Not classified

     Pedro de la Rosa, Spain, Jaguar, 1:16:39.624., did not finish.
     Tomas Enge, Czech Republic, Prost Acer, 1:15:00.290., did not finish.
     Eddie Irvine, Britain, Jaguar, 40:34.728., did not finish.
     Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Sauber Petronas, 8:32.348., did not finish.
     Jean Alesi, France, Jordan Honda, 8:32.624., did not finish.

     Drivers Standings

     1. M.Schumacher. 123 points.
     2. Coulthard, 65.
     3. Barrichello, 56.
     4. R.Schumacher, 49.
     5. Hakkinen, 37.
     6. Montoya, 31.
     7. Heidfeld 13
     8. Villeneuve. 12,
     9. Trulli, 9.
     9. Raikkonen, 9.
     11. Fiscihella, 8.
     12. Irvine, 7.
     13. Frentzen, 6.
     13. Alesi, 6.
     15. Panis, 5.
     16. de la Rosa, 3.
     17. Button, 2.
     18. Verstappen, 1.

     Manufacturers Standings

     1. Ferrari, 179.
     2. McLaren-Mercedes, 102.
     3. Williams-BMW, 80.
     4. Sauber-Petronas, 22.
     5. Jordan-Honda, 17.
     5. BAR-Honda, 17.
     7. Benetton Renault, 10.
     7. Jaguar Racing, 10.
     9. Prost-Acer, 4.
     10. Arrows-Asiatech 1.
     AP-ES-10-14-01 1132EDT