Formula 1: McLaren's Coulthard is disqualified
Monday, 27 March 2000 22:44McLaren are yet to score a single point in this year's Formula One Championship after David Coulthard lost six points when his car was disqualified from second place in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Michael Schumacher is now way ahead of the field with his second win in as many races in the 2000 season. Schumacher's car had also come under scrutiny in a post-race inspection, but was cleared by scrutineers.
Coulthard was already on his way to the airport to celebrate his 29th birthday today in London when he got the bad news nearly six hours after the race. A technical inspection found his front wing was 5mm or a fraction of an inch lower to the ground than regulations allow. McLaren appealed the ruling, claiming that the "bottoming and vibration" of the bumpy Interlagos circuit had caused structural damage to the silver racer's body. However until the appeal is heard early next week, Coulthard is officially excluded from the results of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
FIA, the sport's governing body, hope the hearing by the International Court of Appeal in Paris will be heard before the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola on Sunday week.
With Coulthard's disqualification, Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella moves up to second and Jordan's Heinz-Harald Frentzen to third. British 20-year-old Jenson Button takes the first point of his Formula One career with a sixth place, becoming the youngest driver in history to win Formula 1 points. Mikka Hakkinen and Eddie Irvine failed to finish again while in the aftermath of the race Eddie Jordan was pleased that both his cars finished in the points but felt they could have done better after a loss of momentum mid-race.
