The 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix (officially the XVII Marlboro Magyar Nagydij) was a Formula One motor race held at Hungaroring in Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary on 19 August 2001. It was the 13th race of the 2001 FIA Formula One World Championship and the 16th Hungarian Grand Prix forming part of the series. Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher won the 77-lap race from pole position. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second and David Coulthard was third for McLaren.
Entering the Grand Prix, only Michael Schumacher and Coulthard remained in contention for the World Drivers' Championship with Schumacher leading Coulthard by 37 points. Ferrari were also in contention to claim the World Constructors' Championship in Hungary. Michael Schumacher qualified on pole position by setting the fastest lap in qualifying, and he began alongside Coulthard. Barrichello made a brisk start to pass Coulthard and he tactically delayed the McLaren driver from lap 12 to provide his teammate Michael Schumacher with a significant lead over the rest of the field. Schumacher only lost the lead during the pit stop phases, maintaining the lead for the majority of the race to achieve his seventh victory of 2001 and the 51st of his career. His win confirmed him as the 2001 Drivers' Champion, as Coulthard could not pass his points total with four races remaining in the season, and equalled Alain Prost for the all-time record of career victories.
Schumacher received praise from many in the Formula One community for his title victory and it was headline news in Germany and Italy. Barrichello's second-place finish helped Ferrari win the World Constructors' Championship for the third consecutive season and the 11th time overall. McLaren were 13 points ahead of Williams in third while Sauber moved one point ahead of British American Racing (BAR) for fourth.
Background
The 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix was the 13th of the 17 motor races in the 2001 Formula One World Championship and the 16th running of the event as part of the series. It took place at the 16-turn Hungaroring in Mogyoród, Pest, Hungary on 19 August. The Hungaroring has been likened to the Circuit de Monaco because it is narrow, making overtaking difficult. The circuit was bumpy and dusty and it did not provide a major advantage to cars installed with powerful engines.
Before the race Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher led the Drivers' Championship with 84 points, ahead of David Coulthard of McLaren with 47 points and Williams' Ralf Schumacher with 41. Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello was fourth on 40 points, and McLaren's Mika Häkkinen was fifth with 19 points. In the Constructors' Championship Ferrari led with 124 points, 58 points ahead of McLaren. Williams were third with 56 points; Sauber with 19 points and British American Racing (BAR) with 16 points contended for fourth place. A maximum of 40 points were available for the final four races, which meant Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher could still win the title. Michael Schumacher needed to win the Grand Prix, regardless of where Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher finished. Had both Ferrari cars finished first and second, the team would secure the Constructors' Championship for the third consecutive year.
By winning the race, Michael Schumacher would take his 51st career victory, putting him equal with four-time World Champion Alain Prost and join Prost and Juan Manuel Fangio as the third driver to win four or more titles. He said the championship was not in his mindset in Hungary and was looking forward to the race, "I am excited about the possibility of becoming champion a fourth time but if I don't look it, it's because I am not there yet. How can I be excited if I am not there yet? Only having the possibility doesn't count. I will get excited when it is in my pocket." In contrast, Coulthard was within four points of Michael Schumacher entering the Monaco Grand Prix; he finished fifth after failing to move off the starting grid due to a computer glitch. Thereafter, mechanical attrition and one accident gave Coulthard six points in the next five races and fell 37 points behind Schumacher.