30 April 2001: Honda had its first bit of real Formula One success in many a year when Jacques Villeneuve drove has BAR Honda (right) to third place in the Spanish Grand Prix at Catalunya, Barcelona. Jarno Trulli's Jordan Honda finished fourth.
Michael Schumacher led for much of the race until tyre problems on his Ferrari, and some slick pit work by McLaren, saw Mika Hakkinen push him back to second. Hakkinen then led until the last lap when his clutch failed, halting his progress in the most frustrating way possible.
David Coulthard, Hakkinen's team mate, finished fifth
after stalling on the formation lap and being forced to
start from the back of the grid, then having to come in for a new nose cone
after a first lap collision.
It is thought that the launch control system
(now again legal in F1) on Coulthard's car
may have played a part in the stall.
Michael Schumacher leads the world championship (36pts), from David Coulthard (28pts), and Rubens Barrichello (14pts).
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