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 Malaysian GP: Race Report

RALF SCHUMACHER WINS IN MALAYSIA

Rubens Barrichello leads on the first lap as Schumacher's front wing hangs from his car

Ralf Schumacher today claimed his first victory of the season and the fourth of his career after a one-stop strategy worked out perfectly to take a relatively easy win ahead of team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya and Michael Schumacher.

While Ralf Schumacher was undoubtedly a deserved winner, the first corner incident between Montoya and pole position man Michael Schumacher will once again provide plenty of debate until the next event in Brazil.

Both Schumacher and Montoya made good starts and raced down towards turn one side by side. The Ferrari driver took the inside line with Montoya sitting it out around the outside of the German.

The on-board camera shot from Montoya's BMW Williams seems to indicate that Schumacher ran wide forcing the Colombian off track and down to 11th position. Schumacher himself lost his front-wing in the process and was forced to pit at the end of the first lap dropping to the tail of the field. Schumacher went on to fight his way back up to third position but it was not one of the Ferrari star's greatest drives.

Williams driver Ralf drove a faultless race to take his team's first win of 2002

Incredibly, following the first incident with the World Champion, Montoya was deemed to be guilty of some misdemeanour, racing perhaps, with a drive through penalty.

The race was decided on fuel strategy with Ralf Schumacher taking the one stop option while race rival Rubens Barrichello took the more traditional two-stop strategy. It would prove academic in any case as the unfortunate Brazilian retired from a certain second position with a blown Ferrari engine with just 16 laps remaining.

Barrichello's retirement left Ralf Schumacher clear at the front of the field while Juan Pablo Montoya fought his way back up the field to take second position from Jenson Button with 12 laps remaining.

Montoya's race was an impressive one as his drive through penalty put him right at the back of the field early on and to secure six championship points from the race was something quite special. Whether Montoya would have challenged team-mate Ralf Schumacher for the race win is open to debate as the two drivers took different strategies.

Montoya passed Button to take second place from the Renault driver

Michael Schumacher finished in third position admitting that Montoya's penalty was harsh, while there was heartbreak for Jenson Button and Renault as they lost third position on the very last lap after Button was forced to slow with a suspension problem costing him nine seconds on his final lap.

Button drove a solid race however and Renault will be delighted with their first point paying position since returning to the series this year.

Nick Heidfeld brought his car home in fifth position after a steady drive in his Sauber Petronas ahead of team-mate Felipe Massa who records his first championship point in only his second outing.

Allan McNish slithered his way to seventh position overall in what looked to be a badly handling Toyota but at least the Scot held off the BAR Honda of Canadian Jacques Villeneuve.

Despite making heavy contact with his team-mate Sato was able to make it to the finish

There was also drama at Jordan as Takuma Sato rammed into the back of his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. It was an embarrassing piece of driving for Sato as both cars were forced to pit for repairs. The Japanese driver finished in ninth position two laps down while Giancarlo Fisichella finished last in 13th place, three laps adrift.

Pedro de la Rosa brought his Jaguar home in tenth position while Eddie Irvine will undoubtedly be celebrating St Patrick's day this evening, but for Irvine the race today, the third anniversary of his last win in Formula One, was another unhappy day as he first ran into the back of Alex Yoong while lapping the Minardi driver before a hydraulic failure put an end the Irishman's day.

Neither McLaren Mercedes particularly impressed at Sepang today, dropping away from leaders Rubens Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher before both retiring with mechanical woes. David Coulthard slipped down the field in a manner similar to Australia before retiring, while Kimi Raikkonen suffered an engine failure while running in second place. Spewing oil, the Finn managed to make it back to the pits but laid the fluid all over the pitlane in the process.

Malaysian driver Alex Yoong failed to finish his home Grand Prix

Over at Arrows, Enrique Bernoldi took the chance to race Michael Schumacher early on in the race, proving that he is a real racer regardless of whom he is actually racing against. It is not often that an Arrows retakes a Ferrari for position, but the mid-race point saw the Brazilian retire from the event. Team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen brought the Ford powered team their first finish of the season in 11th place.

It was not a classic Malaysian Grand Prix but it was a brilliant day for BMW Williams who secured their first one-two result since 1996 to take the lead from Ferrari in the constructors' championship. For Montoya, questions need to be asked as to why he received a drive through penalty for what in the worst case scenario was simply a racing incident.

Michael Schumacher leads Montoya and Ralf Schumacher in the championship as the teams pack up and head to Brazil for their third successive fly-away Grand Prix.

RACE RESULT

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