french grand prix french grand prix formally formula motor race held july france ninth race formula season french grand prix lap race won driver starting second position teammate finished second ferrari team started race alongside ferrari driver began pole position began grid overtook going corner maintained start line advantage kept lead round pit stops course second stint race began struggle tyre wear allowing close gap passed lap maintained lead second round pit stops won race retired lap engine failure promoting second position took ahead bar driver fourth race victory season result meant reduced points advantage drivers championship points remained points ahead championship finish allowed narrow gap ferrari points races season remaining report background grand prix contested teams drivers teams known ferrari jordan jaguar williams arrows bar tyre supplier brought different tyre types race soft medium dry compound tyres going race ferrari driver led drivers championship points ahead points fourth points fifth points championship ferrari leading points second points respectively williams jordan contended fourth place ferrari far dominated championship winning previous races championship competitors gained second place finishes achieved place podium finishes following canadian grand prix june teams conducted testing sessions june prepare upcoming french grand prix set fastest times day ahead test driver arrows driver lost control car suffering mechanical problem crashed barriers turn sustained neck strain withdrew testing later passed fit compete grand prix remained fastest second day damaged underside car chassis limiting testing time repairs car quickest final day testing stopped circuit ferrari engine failed causing team fit new engine chassis ferrari went private testing facility june test driver shook cars took pit stop practices poor race canada stalled grid formation lap receiving second stop penalty mechanics worked car seconds race started said ferrari caught season remaining races look montreal race championship change happened canada try close gap world champion president backed clinch title continuing run poor results came race confident car perform circuit team principal played team chances saying need miracle finish podium practice qualifying practice sessions held sunday race friday saturday friday morning afternoon sessions lasted hour final practice sessions held saturday morning lasted minutes friday morning afternoon practice sessions held dry hot weather conditions set fastest time practice session tenths second quicker driver fastest ahead jaguar drivers fifth seventh ahead pair separated sixth completed fastest drivers session drivers set lap times car developed mechanical fuel pump problem drove installation lap conserve tyres jordan drivers decided sit session second practice session trouble free session fastest time finished second fastest time second fourth faster fifth quickest ahead followed weather remained dry hot saturday morning practice sessions set fastest time practice session second fastest tenths second pace jordan drivers running quicker fourth continued quick fifth eighth separated button rounded final practice session unable improve time engine failure remained fastest managed set quicker time remained second quickest lap ran quicker fastest jordan drivers remained fastest fifth sixth best times thousands second apart seventh quickest ahead concentrated qualifying set button completed ahead qualifying saturday afternoon qualifying session lasted hour driver limited laps grid order decided drivers fastest laps session rule effect necessitated driver set time quickest lap qualify race qualifying session held dry hot weather conditions air temperature ranged track temperature ranged clinched fourth pole position season circuit time joined row grid fastest time seconds slower team spare mechanics fitted race car new fuel pump secured having changed car set session garnered confusion changes ride height took fourth pushed position finn struggling slow speed corners qualified fifth happy starting position pushed sixth closing stages qualifying bar driver managed seventh jordan drivers took seventh eighth positions respectively drivers disappointed performance button rounded fastest took eleventh missed qualifying nearly tenths second captured twelfth grid fastest time set air track temperatures lowered cloud cover ahead faster arrows started 14th position nearly tenth second teammate alexander drivers complained cars balance grip issues split followed 18th set 19th fastest time bar spare car engine failure race car occurred drivers qualified rear grid covering positions qualifying session warm period safety delegate announced banned practice starts pit lane exit observing drivers behaviour area saturday free practice sessions race drivers took track utc minute warm session cars maintained good pace qualifying fastest time second car set fastest time rounding drove spare ferrari car race car making adjustments weather conditions race started local time conditions grid dry race air temperature ranged track temperature conditions expected remain consistent race drivers started extra soft dry compound tyres managed achieve better start runners line moved driver path defend lead moved right allowing pass second position best start field moving twelfth ninth end lap lost positions distance dropped fifth seventh lap order button began pull clear rest field set consecutive fastest laps began hold drivers allow teammate extend lead field passed seventh position lap overtaken 14th lap following lap retook seventh position lost position lap started challenge sixth position fifth lap pack control extending lead seconds lap button took tenth position lap collided sending teammate spin rejoined 18th button moved ninth place passed lap running 17th suffered brake problems lap collided tyre barriers caused retire grand prix 18th lap extended lead seconds turn continuing hold seconds teammate drawing ahead fifth pit stop gearbox issue retired laps later lap driver pit tyres lap runner pit lap followed managed lap second place turn button pit stops following laps pulled pit straight retire gearbox problems lap able close gap second lap having set fastest lap race process 28th lap attempted overtake rival laps later ferrari driver defended position lifted throttle avoid collision hand gesture manoeuvre allowed close leading drivers previous lap spun corner retired locked brakes going turn causing beach car gravel trap retired lap button driver pit twice lap replicated manoeuvre turn lap ferrari driver pushed track took lead right wheel slight contact left tyre process immediately attempts overtake drivers pit stops lap pit stops second time lap emerged fourth respectively pit stop 44th lap saw drop fifth team issues fitting right tyre pit stops laps lap completing pit stops order button tail end field contact lap drivers sent spinning sideways drivers continued respective positions passed clinch sixth position turn second lap continued battle ferrari driver second position tyres degraded quicker overtook twelfth position laps later pulled track blown engine lap promoted second place result retirement crossed finish line lap victory season time average speed miles hour finished second seconds ahead fourth fifth rounded points scoring positions sixth button followed positions classified finishers post race drivers appeared podium collect trophies subsequent press conference described race weekend exhausting problems team encountered event apologised hand gestures overtaking manoeuvre ferrari driver stated happy second place result praised team efforts spoke watched racing lines believed passed retired engine failure revealed ordered ferrari reduce pace race closing stages held large gap seconds ferrari victory previous race team principal said strong position course order finish counts said car tyres dropped performance taking pit stop technical director said pit stop strategy crucial winning race tyre wear spring surprises able trust pit stops best advantage happy strong finish surprised good start contact teammate race apologised collision said reduced pace secure fifth position described race difficult hot temperatures praised mechanics work overtaking manoeuvres received media attention race accused ferrari driver behaviour dangerous driving saying clean run michael outside equally felt drove wide right track position think deliberate gesture trying run wide like angry later denied wrongdoing similar incident pushed wide objections admitted hand gesture sought source formula governing body noting hard racing racing drivers aren said overtake meant ready stand michael afraid happen michael lift race result meant narrowed gap drivers championship points remained place points ahead maintained fifth position championship finish reduced lead ferrari points williams points team point jordan retained fifth eleventh points races season remaining classification qualifying race championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2000 French Grand Prix