2001 United States Grand Prix

2001 United States Grand Prix
Race 16 of 17 in the 2001 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details[1]
Date	September 30, 2001
Official name	2001 SAP United States Grand Prix
Location	Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana[2]
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.192 km (2.605 miles)
Distance	73 laps, 306.016 km (190.149 miles)
Weather	Sunny, cool, Air: 19–22 °C (66–72 °F); Track 27–28 °C (81–82 °F)
Attendance	175,000–200,000
Pole position
Driver	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
Time	1:11.708
Fastest lap
Driver	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW
Time	1:14.448 on lap 35
Podium
First	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes
Second	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
Third	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes
Lap leaders

The 2001 United States Grand Prix (formally the 2001 SAP United States Grand Prix)^[3] was a Formula One motor race held on September 30, 2001, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. It was the 16th and penultimate round of the 2001 Formula One World Championship, and the second United States Grand Prix hosted at Indianapolis. It was the first international sporting event to take place in the United States since the September 11 attacks, which occurred 19 days before the Grand Prix. McLaren's Mika Häkkinen won the 73-lap race after starting fourth. Ferrari's Michael Schumacher finished second, while Häkkinen's teammate David Coulthard was third.

Michael Schumacher took pole position after setting the fastest qualifying lap, with Häkkinen second. Häkkinen's best time, however, was deleted by the stewards after he was penalized for a pit lane infraction during the warm-up session and dropped to fourth on the basis of his second-best qualifying lap. Michael Schumacher led the opening four laps before relinquishing the lead to teammate Rubens Barrichello. Before his first of two pit stops on lap 27, Barrichello had built up a significant lead over his teammate. Häkkinen used his engine's low fuel usage to take the lead and keep it until his lone pit stop on the 46th lap, when he dropped to second. Barrichello retook the lead for four laps, and Häkkinen led the rest of the race to claim his second victory of the season and the 20th (and final) of his career after Barrichello was forced to retire two laps from the finish due to an engine failure.

The final result meant that Michael Schumacher broke the all-time record for most points scored in a season, which he shared with Nigel Mansell. Coulthard increased his lead over Barrichello in the World Drivers' Championship by four points in the battle for second. McLaren's performance in Indianapolis clinched the team second in the World Constructors' Championship from Williams with one round remaining in the season. This was the last Grand Prix that legendary broadcaster Murray Walker commentated on.