Google+ Jack Leslie F1: F1 Flashback – Hakkinen’s iconic Spa overtake

18 August 2015

F1 Flashback – Hakkinen’s iconic Spa overtake

Mika Hakkinen’s overtake on Michael Schumacher for the lead of the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix is undoubtedly one of the most memorable in F1 history. 
 
It was an action-packed, dramatic race at the classic Spa-Francorchamps, starting on a wet track and finishing in the dry. 

Hakkinen lined up on pole position for McLaren, from Jordan’s Jarno Trulli and Williams rookie Jenson Button. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello were fourth and 10th for Ferrari. 

Following earlier rain, the race started behind the Safety Car, with the field being released at the end of the opening lap. Hakkinen quickly established a comfortable lead, with Trulli and Button holding onto second and third. 

However, the order of the top three didn’t stay the same for long, with Button falling behind Schumacher after a failed pass on Trulli at the chicane. Schumacher eased ahead of the Jordan a few corners later, but as Button tried to follow him through, the two collided. Trulli spun and retired from the race while Button lost two positions. 

Over the following few laps, the entire field pitted for dry tyres. Schumacher started to close in on Hakkinen and cut the gap to just 4.6 seconds by the 13th tour. The German then stormed into the lead later in the lap when Hakkinen spun at Stavelot and quickly pulled away from his rival. 

Schumacher’s advantage decreased through the second round of stops, before he hit tyre degradation problems. Hakkinen closed in and attempted to reclaim the lead on lap 40 on the approach to Les Combes, but was blocked by Schumacher and picked up minor front wing damage. 

However, he tried again on the following tour, with the two spectacularly lapping Riccardo Zonta’s BAR on either side as they battled for victory. Hakkinen took the inside line and braked later to move up to first place in dramatic style, going on to win by just over one second from Schumacher. 

Ralf Schumacher was third, with David Coulthard fourth, Button fifth and Heinz-Harald Frentzen completing the points. The lap 41 overtake remains one of F1’s most iconic passes and will remain so for many years to come.

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