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Heidfeld caps McLaren's perfect day

Nick Heidfeld completed a perfect day for McLaren Mercedes when he won the first F3000 race of the season at Imola

The race took place immediately after McLaren stars Mika Hakkinen and David
Coulthard had seized the top two places on the grid for the San Marino
Grand Prix.

Starting third, Heidfeld, driving for Ron Dennis's junior team West Competition, caught and passed early pace-setter Kevin
McGarrity (Nordic Racing) before moving on to challenge Max Wilson, who had
led since lap five.

Their battle ended in controversial circumstances when
the two cars touched at Rivazza corner on lap 21. Wilson's Petrobras Lola
spun into the gravel, but Heidfeld continued unimpeded.

'I felt very sorry for him, because I didn't mean to hit him," said
Heidfeld. 'I was alongside him but he just tried to turn in and I had
nowhere to go.'

Wilson took a philosophical view. 'It's disappointing not to finish,' he
said, 'but I showed I have the pace to win races.

'I don't think Nick did it
deliberately - but I don't think it was a very clever move because he was
on the dirty side of the track and I don't see how he'd have stopped in
time to make the corner.'

McGarrity profited from their clash to regain second place - the best
result of his F3000 career. 'I couldn't live with the other two today,' he
said, 'but I just paced myself to get the best possible result.'

Frenchman Fabrice Walfisch (Draco) finished third - his first ever points
finish in F3000, while Stéphane Sarrazin (Gauloises) and Astromega team-mates
Gonzalo Rodriguez and Justin Wilson completed the top six.

Wilson was delighted to finish as best rookie - although an electrical
problem denied Andrea Piccini (Kid Jensen Racing) that honour. The Italian
had been lying fourth with 12 laps to go when his car stopped suddenly.

Britain's other two representatives Jamie Davies and Oliver Gavin were
among the 15 finishers. The European Edenbridge team-mates were classified
seventh and 12th after Gavin was delayed by a spin on lap 10.

The series continues at Monaco on May 15.


Results



Pos Driver Team Time


1 Nick Heidfeld (D) West 1h 11m 29.942s


2 Kevin McGarrity (GB) Nordic + 21.980s


3 Fabrice Walfisch (F) Draco + 23.404s


4 Stéphane Sarrazin (F) Gauloises Jnr + 34.600s


5 Gonzalo Rodriguez (U) Astromega + 43.440s


6 Justin Wilson (GB) Astromega + 50.654s


7 Jamie Davies (GB) European Edenbridge + 58.491s


8 Brian Smith (ARG) Monaco + 63.584s


9 Enrique Bernoldi (BR) Red Bull Jnr + 64.417s


10 Franck Montagny (F) DAMS + 65.008s


11 Marcelo Battistuzzi (BR) + 65.797s


12 Oliver Gavin (GB) European Edenbridge + 66.858s


13 Nicolas Minassian (F) Kid Jensen + 68.700s


14 Paolo Ruberti (I) Durango + 84.942s


15 Ricardo Mauricio (BR) Super Nova + 1 lap



All drivers using Lola B99/50 chassis, Zytek V8 engines and Avon tyres



Championship positions: 1 Heidfeld 10pts; 2 McGarrity 6pts; 3 Walfisch
4pts; 4 Sarrazin 3pts; 5 Rodriguez 2pts; 6 J Wilson 1pt.

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