Brazilian Grand Prix 2001 - Race Schedule and Countdown

David Coulthard finally delivered McLaren's first victory of the season at Interlagos, ending Ferrari's perfect start with a commanding performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Scottish driver controlled the race from the front, managing the tricky São Paulo circuit perfectly to hold off Michael Schumacher's Ferrari in second place. Nick Heidfeld claimed a brilliant third place for Sauber, earning his first-ever podium finish and demonstrating his impressive talent in only his second season.

Schumacher's second-place finish maintained his championship lead, while Häkkinen could only manage fourth after another difficult afternoon. The race demonstrated that McLaren had the pace to challenge Ferrari when everything came together, giving the team hope for the European season. However, Schumacher's consistency in finishing second when not winning proved crucial to building his championship advantage, and Ferrari's reliability continued to give them an edge over the faster but sometimes fragile McLarens. Heidfeld's podium was a bright spot for Sauber and hinted at his future potential.