Spanish stat attack

If McLaren scores a one-two victory in tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix it will become the first marque in history to dominate the top two steps of the podium in four successive editions of a Grand Prix. Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard have finished one-two in this race - and in that order - in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Added to that, Hakkinen has qualified first, first and seconnd in those years, with only Michael Schumacher pipping him to pole last year. The only other time a marque has finished one-two in a single GP in three successive events is also McLaren, in Belgium 1987, 1988 and 1989.

While we are on the subject of one-two finishes, Ferrari hold the record with 50, again ahead of McLaren.


50 Ferrari
39 McLaren
30 Williams
8 Brabham, Lotus, Tyrrell
6 Cooper
5 BRM, Mercedes-Benz
4 Alfa Romeo
2 Benetton, Matra
1 Jordan, Ligier, Maserati, Renault

The record number in a single season is 10 by McLaren in their dominant 1988 season.

Hakkinen and Coulthard are also only a single one-two finish away from the record for team-mates, currently held by Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna at - you guessed it - McLaren.


14 Ayrton Senna/Alain Prost, McLaren (11-3 in favour of Senna)
13 Mika Hakkinen/David Coulthard, McLaren (10-3)
8 Nigel Mansell/Riccardo Patrese, Williams (7-1)
6 Alberto Ascari/Giuseppe Farina, Ferrari (6-0)
6 Damon Hill/Jacques Villeneuve, Williams (4-2)
6 Jackie Stewart/Francois Cevert, Tyrrell (6-0)
6 Nigel Mansell/Nelson Piquet, Williams (5-1)
5 Alain Prost/Niki Lauda, McLaren (3-2)



Ralf Schumacher won his first Grand Prix in his 70th start and is suddenly (and justifiably) being spoken of as a genuine world championship contender. If he were to take his brother's crown he would be the first champion since Keke Rosberg in 1982 not to previously have won a race before his title-winning season. This feat is also shared by Giuseppe Farina (1950, first year of the championship), Jack Brabham (1959), Graham Hill (1962) and Denny Hulme (1967).

Rubens Barrichello still holds the record for the most GPs before victory. Sorry Rubens, but here's the list...


124 Rubens Barrichello
96 Mika Hakkinen
95 Thierry Boutsen
91 Jean Alesi
81 Eddie Irvine
72 Nigel Mansell
71 Johnny Herbert, Riccardo Patrese
70 Ralf Schumacher
69 Patrick Depailler
61 Alessandro Nannini
57 Jo Siffert
54 Elio de Angelis
53 Patrick Tambay
52 Heinz-Harald Frentzen
50 Jochen Rindt

39 Olivier Panis
21 David Coulthard
18 Michael Schumacher
4 Jacques Villeneuve