2001 San Marino Grand Prix

2001 San Marino Grand Prix
Race 4 of 17 in the 2001 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details[1][2]
Date	15 April 2001
Official name	Gran Premio Warsteiner di San Marino 2001
Location	Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.933 km (3.065 miles)
Distance	62 laps, 305.846 km (190.044 miles)
Weather	Sunny. Air Temp: 14 °C (57 °F), Track 26 °C (79 °F)
Attendance	80,000–100,000
Pole position
Driver	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes
Time	1:23.054
Fastest lap
Driver	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW
Time	1:25.524 on lap 27
Podium
First	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW
Second	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes
Third	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari
Lap leaders

The 2001 San Marino Grand Prix (formally the Gran Premio Warsteiner di San Marino 2001)^[3] was a Formula One motor race held before between 80,000 and 100,000 spectators at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on 15 April 2001. It was the fourth race of the 2001 Formula One World Championship and the 21st San Marino Grand Prix. Williams's Ralf Schumacher won the 62-lap race, starting from third. McLaren's David Coulthard finished second and Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello finished third.

Going into the event, Ferrari's Michael Schumacher led the World Drivers' Championship from Coulthard while Ferrari led McLaren in the World Constructors' Championship. After setting the fastest lap in the one-hour qualifying session, Coulthard started the race on pole position alongside teammate Mika Häkkinen. Ralf Schumacher from third overtook both McLaren drivers into the Tamburello chicane and retained the lead for the entire race, taking his maiden victory and Williams' first since the 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix; Coulthard ended 4.3 seconds back in second place. Barrichello finished third after switching from a two-to-one pit stop strategy.

Coulthard's second-place finish put him in the joint lead of the World Drivers' Championship with Michael Schumacher, but Schumacher retained the lead overall because he had won two races to Coulthard's one despite retiring from the race. Barrichello was third, 12 points behind the two, but Ralf Schumacher's victory moved him from seventh to fourth. McLaren decreased Ferrari's World Constructors' Championship lead to ten points, while Williams moved from sixth to third with 13 races remaining in the season.