Juan Pablo Montoya Wins 2001 Italian GP

Juan Montoya added his name to the record books by winning his first GP at Monza today. It was also the first ever win by a Colombian but the event and the podium ceremony after it were predictably subdued in the aftermath of Tuesday’s tragic events in the U.S. and yesterday’s career-ending injuries to Alex Zanardi.

Rubens Barrichello was a close second and could well have won the event for the home Ferrari fans had it not been for a sticking fuel nozzle which wasted several seconds on his first pit stop and negated his two-stop strategy. His six points for second still enabled him to gain ground on David Coulthard in the points chase as neither of the McLarens finished the race.

Montoya’s Williams team-mate Ralf Schumacher completed the podium but he had not had a good weekend and had been unable to keep up with the leaders.

Michael Schumacher had what was for him a lackluster weekend having been out qualified and outrun by his team-mate. This could have been a part of his strategy to help Barrichello now that he had locked up all of the titles but was more likely just a reaction to the previous few days’ events. Before the race he had been so concerned over the possibility of a first corner incident that he had asked if they could have a rolling start instead of the usual standing start and, when that was refused, had asked his fellow drivers to be extra careful.

Two new drivers started the event, Tomas Enge from the Czech Republic substituted for Luciano Burti at Prost and Malaysian Alex Yoong has replaced Tarso Marques at Minardi. Burti who was concussed in a savage crash into a tyre barrier in the Belgian GP two weeks ago is recovering and out of hospital but whether or not he will return to racing this year is unknown. Enge is the fifth driver to start a GP for Prost this year which must be approaching a record.

Complete Italian GP results.