Italian GP Preview (Monza Race Track)

Member Name: m.jefferies

Product:	Monza Race Track
Date:	09/09/00 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looking Forward To A Great Race

Disadvantages: There Should Be None!

With the Italian Grand Prix weekend now underway, following today's practice sessions, I would like to make some predictions for the race.

Judging by their standards today in practice, Ferrari look very possible (and likely) to dominate this weekend. Today they were a full half a second quicker than Mika Hakkinen in the first McLaren, who was followed by his team-mate David Coulthard who experienced a spin in the second session.

Also this race opens up some interesting problems for Ferrari. Firstly, do they issue team orders to Rubens Barrichello who was quicker today than team-mate Michael Schumacher - ordering Barrichello to back off slightly throughout the weekend to give Schuey the edge on him. But isn't this breaking his contract? And if they do issue team orders, will the situation lead to confusion as in Austria this year, when Ferrari's tactics of making Rubens let Michael through on the first corner inadvertably led to Schumacher being smashed out the race by Zonta?

Surely they must, with their priority to let Michael win with Barrichello second to ensure the best possible results. They cannot afford to loose points this weekend - they simply must win in one form or another.

What about McLaren? Surely they have an ace to play as the weekend progresses? We've seen before that Ferrari tend to have the upper hand in the opening sessions of the weekend, with McLaren picking up their pace to be phenomenly quick by race day.

My predictions for the race? A Ferrari 1-2, with Schumacher first and Barrichello second, followed by the two McLarens, Hakkinen and Coulthard respectively. As for the rest of the points positions? Well they're anyone's guess. How about Irvine picking up some points for Jaguar in sixth place, possibly behind Trulli or Frenzten in one of the Jordans? A wild card, perhaps, but maybe Jenson Button will be up there again, but the best anyone can hope for I think is fifth or sixt
h, to be the 'best of the rest'.

Watch out for a few racing incidents too, with the changed chicane prooving a problem for some drivers. Fisichella had a huge testing smash here last week which completly destroyed his Benetton, and many drivers are predicting huge incidents on the opening lap - nothing too serious, lets hope. And with Schumacher asking drivers to be careful through the chicanes - we're in for another truly exciting race! Great!

Contact me at mjjeff@ic24.net if you want to talk - check back for regular updates from me. Remember to rate this article!

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