2001 Belgian Grand Prix

2001 Belgian Grand Prix
Race 14 of 17 in the 2001 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details[1][2]
Date	2 September 2001
Official name	2001 Foster's Belgian Grand Prix
Location	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Wallonia, Belgium
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	6.968 km (4.330 miles)
Distance	36 laps, 250.848 km (155.870 miles)
Scheduled distance	44 laps, 306.592 km (190.507[3] miles)
Weather	Overcast, mild, dry, Air Temp: 12 to 16 °C (54 to 61 °F)
Pole position
Driver	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW
Time	1:52.072
Fastest lap
Driver	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
Time	1:49.758 on lap 3
Podium
First	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
Second	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes
Third	Giancarlo Fisichella	Benetton-Renault
Lap leaders [4]

The 2001 Belgian Grand Prix (officially the 2001 Foster's Belgian Grand Prix)^[5] was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Francorchamps, Wallonia, Belgium on 2 September 2001. It was the 14th round of the 2001 Formula One World Championship and the 48th Belgian Grand Prix counting as part of the series. Ferrari driver and World Drivers' Champion Michael Schumacher won the 36-lap race starting from third. David Coulthard finished in second for McLaren with Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella third, scoring the final podium of the Benetton team.

Juan Pablo Montoya of the Williams team won the pole position by recording the fastest lap in qualifying; he stalled on the grid and forfeited pole. His teammate Ralf Schumacher lost the lead to Michael Schumacher into Les Combes turn. Michael Schumacher led the next four laps before the race was stopped for an accident involving Jaguar's Eddie Irvine and Luciano Burti of Prost on lap five. The race was declared null and void and recommenced with a revised distance of 36 laps. Michael Schumacher led every lap of the restarted race to take his eighth victory of the season. Schumacher overtook the four-time world champion Alain Prost's all-time career wins total with his 52nd, a record he held until Lewis Hamilton surpassed it at the 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix.

Burti was kept in hospital with facial bruising and a concussion until 10 September; his accident helped enhance helmet safety. The race result allowed Coulthard to further his Drivers' Championship advantage over the second Ferrari driver of Rubens Barrichello by four points in second position. Barrichello in turn moved another two points clear of fourth-placed Ralf Schumacher. In the World Constructors' Championship, McLaren in second moved further ahead of Williams in third by nine points as Jordan passed British American Racing (BAR) for fifth with three races left in the season.