2003 European Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 9 of 16 in the 2003 Formula One season | |||
The Nürburgring
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| Date | 29 June 2003 | ||
| Official name | XLVII Allianz Grand Prix of Europe | ||
| Location | Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.148 km (3.2 mi) | ||
| Distance | 60 laps, 308.88 km (192 mi) | ||
| Weather | Mostly cloudy with maximum ambient temperatures reaching 25 degrees celsius during the day. | ||
| Attendance | 123,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Time | 1:31.523 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Kimi Räikkönen
|
McLaren-Mercedes | |
| Time | 1:32.621 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Williams-BMW | ||
| Second | Williams-BMW | ||
| Third | Ferrari | ||
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The 2003 European Grand Prix (formally the Allianz Grand Prix of Europe) was a Formula One motor race held on 29 June 2003 at the Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany. It was the ninth race of the 2003 Formula One season. The 60-lap race was won Ralf Schumacher driving in a Williams car. Juan Pablo Montoya, also driving for Williams finished second, with Rubens Barrichello third in a Ferrari.
Approximately 123,000 people attended the race. For 25 laps of the European Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen looked set to win from his first pole position and regain his championship lead. Then his McLaren’s Mercedes engine broke down and instead it was Ralf Schumacher who came through to score his first win of the year.
Having taken pole, Räikkönen soon built a lead over Ralf Schumacher. He was nine seconds clear when he made his first refuelling stop on the 16th lap, with Michael Schumacher another ten seconds further back. Ralf led briefly for Williams and ran until lap 21 before pitting, but this was still insufficient to keep Räikkönen out of the lead. Ralf Schumacher was still 4.8 seconds behind when the Räikkönen's Mercedes engine blew up, making him the first retirement of the race.
On the 43rd lap Juan Pablo Montoya and Michael Schumacher collided while fighting for second place. Montoya had gradually reeled in Schumacher until they were side-by-side on the rundown to the Dunlop Kurve. Schumacher ran up the kerb and tagged Montoya’s Williams as it passed the German's Ferrari for second place. As Schumacher spun and sat stranded, his Ferrari’s rear wheels spinning in the gravel, Montoya continued. By the time three marshals and fireman pushed the Ferrari from its dangerous spot on the corner’s apex, Schumacher was down to sixth.
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